The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-18
IMPERIALISM AND SUGAR.

Surely it must require an extraordi-
nary quality of nerve for these Re-
publican orators to go before an audi
ence of sugar beet growers and advo-
cate a policy that would flood the
American market with the cheapest
sugar In the world. People in this self
ism age are prone to view government
al policies with reference to the effect
or those policies upon their own inter
ests, and if that rule is observed in
Utah it will not he difficult for our beet
growers to decide where they stand
with reference to McKinleys wild
dream of Oriental loot.
These Philippine islands that Nc
kinley imperialism proposes to appro-
pirate, regardless Of the wishes or
rights of the islanders, or considera-
tons of national morality, have for
years been heavy producers of sugar,
and we are told by imperial expanders
that nine-tenths of the sugar lands are
yet untitled. With every advantage of
climate and soil, and with the cheapest
Of coolie labor, there is no country on
the globe that can produce sugar 50
cheaply. Once American sovereignty
is permanently established in these
| islands and the way opened for the ex-
ploitation of the sugar resources by
American syndicates, then hundreds Of
shiploads of this cheap sugar would be
unloaded annually on the Pacific coast,
there refined and thrown upon this
market at prices with which beet su-
gar factories could never hope to COM
pete. The Philippine sugar product is
even now of sufficient magnitude to
work serious injury to our home pro-
ducers if admitted free of duty, and who
can measure the disaster that would
follow were it Increased in volume ten
fold?
But" declare the orators and edit
ors who are cringing at the imperial
against these products, and the man
who says we can't do it is traitor"
Fort unately for this republic, there
are some bulwarks that even our law
less administration cannot sweep away,
and all the fiapdoodle of in. perial writ
ers and speakers will not avail against
The plain letter of the constitution,
supported by a long line of supreme
court~decisions. The supreme court of
the United States, in several cases,
has decided that the constitution eX-
tends to all territory over which Amer
iean sovereignty is established, and the
constitution expressly prohibits the
imposition of tariff duties against any
portion of United States territory. This
republic must be remodeled before any
section can he closed to the products
Of another section, and the beet sugar
industry will lament the day that gives
free rein to the imperial programme
The beet growers of this state viii
Co well to accept the star spangled
banner harangues of the Mark Hanna
patriots at their assay value, and give
intelligent and deliberate investigation
to the situation from the standpoint of
their own interests.
These Mckinley supporters have
much to say concerning the blessings
and benefits OK the Dingley tariff. Yet
we have it upon the authority of some
of the most eminent Republicans of
the state-and their view is sustained
by admissions made while the Dingley
bill was pending in congressional it
was not the intention of the trainers
of that bill to extend any special bene-
fits to beet sugar or to any other west
ern Industry. The sugar schedule was
arranged with sole view tn giving the
sugar trust the greatest possible profit,
aid any benefits that have reached the
beet sugar industry of the west are but
the crumbs that drop from the feast
nrepared for the trusts. And of these
small benefits, the beet growers we'll
know that they receive but 20 per cent,
while the factories take the Is per cent.
tt is all we'll enough to feel thankful
for small favors, but when this trust
owned Republican party claims a
mortgage upon the beet growers II is
entirely proper to investigate the valid
ity of the lien.
Utah is proud of her beet sugar in
dustry. 1t was born under a Democrat
ic a6ministraticn and has grown and
nrospered under a Democratic tariff
and under a Republican tariff. 1t is
one Of the great resources Of the state,
ana the people should hesitate before
casting their ballots in support Of a
policy that threatens disaster to such
an important interest.