Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-30
OUR BEET SUGAR SAFE,
THE PRODUCTION OF CANE SuCAR
DECREASING EVERYWHERE.

| OcSNCRSING Eh1WhehEs
iw"-thfrds of the Worlds Sugar Supply
NOW Comes From Beet Sugar Growing
| Souhtries-The Porto Rican Tariff
Our Island Markets-The Outlook.
simultaneously with the develop.
ment Of the withdrawal of slave labor
from the production of cane-sugar.
beets increased their percentage of the
worlds supply from 4.35 in 1910 to IA
per cent. in 1850; 20 per cent. in 1860:
"a per cent. in 1870, and they now pro-
duce G6 per cent, or two thirds OF the
worlds sugar. This fact shows that
the farmers of the temperate zone need
no longer fear the competition of the
tropics in the production of sugar, and
especially if reasonable protection is
granted them, as is the case in the
United States. The farmers of this
country have been encouraged by the
Republican party in their ambition to
produce the sugar of the country. The
experience of other nations and of
other parts Of the temperate zone has
shown that sugar can be produced
from beets in great quantities, and at
very small cost. and can successfully
compete with cane sugar under the
most favorable circumstances. Under
the stimulus given to the beet sugar
production by Republican legislation,
beet-sugar factories sprang up all over
the United States, and the production
or beei sugar has already reached
1nr
with wonderful rapidity.
The first thought that came to the
minds of the farmers when the events
following the war for the liberation Of
Cuba brought under our control GER
tain tropical areas was whether or not
the possession or control of tropical
territory by the United States would
injure, or perhaps destroy, the oppor-
tunlties which they believed were al
most within their grasp for supplying
the $100,O00,00O worth of sugar which
the people Of the United States annu-
ally consumed. This fear-if it ever
reached the stage in which it could be
called by that name-was answered in
the negative by the Republican party
when it passed the Porto Rican bill.
The Democratic party fought with all
its power to prevent the enactment of
that measure which placed duty
upon articles coming into the United
States from Porto Rico. That duty
was small, but 1t was an explicit dee
laration by the Republican party that
it would not yield the powe to fix
such tariff, as II might deem iudicious,
against the products of cheap tropical
labor wherever located and under
whatever conditions. In other words,
it was distinct promise to the Ameri-
can farmer that he need not fear that
the Republican party would permit the
cheap labor and cheap sugar of any
tropical territory to be brought here in
a manner which would destroy the
American industry of beet sugar pro-
duction which the farmers of the Uni
ted States have, under protection given
by the Republican party, been building
up during the last few years.
The farmers of the temperate zone
can produce beet sugar successfully in
competition with the sugar cane of the
tropics when both are handled by free
labor. and this advantage which the
Amer.c IN farmer has will be strength
ened in the United States so long as
the Republican party retains its con-
troll and is able to apply the protective
principle o the interests of its farm
ers as it did in the case of the Porto Ri
can bill, against which the Democrats
turned their every energy. With a few
years of :loderate protection against
the cheap labor of the tropics. the beet
sugar industry in the United States
will be placed fairly and squarely upon
its feet. Meantime the improved con-
dition of labor in the tropics, and the
opportunities for higher wages which
the guidance of the United States will
give them, will more nearly eQualize
the cost of the two sys' rs of produc-
tion.
One further fact in regard to the
worlds production and producing ca
pacity Is worthy of consideration in
this connection, and that Is that nearly
twothirds of the sugar now imported
into the United States comes from the
islands of the Pacific. The total impor-
tation of sugar into the United States
In the ten months ending with April.
1899. amounted to 1903. .026, 763 pounds.
and of this amount /, 1870 A.. 362 pounds
We're from the East Indies. the IIa-
waiian Islands and the Philippine Isl
ands. thus indicating the possibilities
of our Pacific territory to supply that
portion of our consumption which 1t
will he necessary TO import until the
farmers of this country are able To
supply the home demand. Instead OF
sending TO other countries and other
peoples the $l00. 900, 600 per year which
we have been annually expending for
foreign. grown sugar, IL may be expend-
ed under the American dag and in a
manner 'fhich Will benefit the people
In our islands. and incidentally those
of our own people who may enter upon
business enterprises In them.