The Monte Vista journal., 1899-03-04
SUGAR PROTECTION,

| sugar i"ctotiee III SolOrauO. would
do well to read the speech of
Henry U. johnson, republican
congressman from Indiana. We
copy the following from his speach
of January 81:
did he not well know at the
time that the ceding and annexa-
tion to this country Of Porto Rico
and of the Philippines would be
an immense injury to the Amerl-
can farmer and laborcr? That
annexation of these islands would,
under the Constitution, make I'M
possible tariff against their
sugar, tobacco, hemp. aud other
products raised by cheap tropical
labor, and which had heretofore
had to pay Tariff under our laws :?
Undoubtedly, sir, he did.
"And now, sir, largely as re-
suit of the presidents action and
influence, what do we find? What
will certainly be our condition in
a few years at the very farthes.,
unless the American people at
once intervene? The hemp, sugar,
tobacco, and other products of
Hawaii, Cuba, Porto Rico, and
the Philippines, raised by cheap
labor under the management of
the great capitalists and wealthy
combines, will pour into our ports,
duty free, in competition with the
American farmer and laborer.
Mr.. Chairman, what will be
the consequence of this? Upon
this point l need not dilate.
Every gentleman who hears me
knows that 1t will work immense
damage to the producers of sugar
from either cane or beets, to the
growers of hemp, and of tobacco,
aud of all other competing prod
ucts, and to those who labor in
those industries. And where is
the compensation to the American
farmer and laborer for this great
loss, sir? What advantage will
the possession of these islands be
to them? Absolutely none what
ever. They can not either live or
work there. The labor can be
performed only by the natives.
"No Americans will make money
these except the possessors OF
great wealth, who will reap enor-
nous gains from the profits which
they will realize from the sale of
these products in the free markets
of the United States. Not one
dollar Of these profits will 90 into
the hands OF our farmers and Ia
borers to reimburse them for the
damage TO their business. Upon
the other hand. they, in common
with all of our people, will have to
bear the burden of IA heavy in
crease in taxation for the support
OF the army and navy Of the coun.
try, which must be greatly en-
lnrged in order to protect and de-
fend these islands and the great
corporations who are doing busi-
ness there.
ut will not do, Mr.. Chairman,
to claim that the President has no
policy in the Philippines; that he
is only holding them MS the Com.
mander in Chief of our army and
navy pending such disposition as
Congress may see fit TO make Of
them. The President, ms / have
shown, has "a Philippine policy.
He has outlined it in the treaty
which he negotiated aud which he
sent TO the senate aud which he is
now urging his supporters in the
senate to ratify. Thn. treaty pro.
vidcs. ns ! have sad, for the nbso.
Lutte ccssion TO the United States
OF these islands. When that treaty
was signed, tho Philippine repub.
lie WAS thoroughly organized
government, and had possession Of
all the Philippine soil except the
city Of lloilo, which they were
then bcsicging and which subse.
quently passed into their hands,
aud tho city of Manila, which wns
occupied by our own army by their
cooperation. Spain had los, her
poss ession and control aud WAS IN.
capable Of recovering them"