The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-30
BEET SUGAR IS KING.

The actual sovereignty of this country
is no longer in doubt. There was a time
when we loudly proclaimed that Cotton
is king That was in the palmy days
OF Southern supremacy before the war
The seat of sovereignty swept to the West
and Northwest, and chorus of courtiers
proclaimed Wheat to be the legitimate
sovereign of the republic. Recently, how
ever, owing to the enormous yield and
the increasing foreign consumption, those
who are in the political and diplomatic
secrets of the commercial world, pro-
claimed Corn king of the Western world.
houses, We unhesitatingly assert that the
Suga: Beet is king of the United States
today. How long its sovereignty VIII last
We care not to predict, but for some time
past and at present the Beet sustains the
crown and wears the purple robes of
royalty.
Be not surprised, the proof is ample and
convincing. No legislation can pass
either house without the approval of the
Sugar Beet No treaty to which it objects
will receive consideration, much less rati-
fication at the hands Of ehe senate. No
territory may be admitted as a part of
this domain which threatens the SUI
premacy of the Sugar Beet. The admin
istration and the supreme court dance
attendance to the Beet, policies are modi-
fed and decisions shaped as the Beet
dictates
The Sugar Beet industry is the old man
of the sea that clings about the neck of
the United States. In every country
where that industry is fostered, it is an
expense to the government. It cannot
stand alone and yet it rules with abso-
lutte sway. 1t must have bounties and
projections, that it may live Every in
dustry must be sacrificed to its whim.
The nations pay millions yearly IN taxes
that the beet may be cultivated And
why? For no other reason than that it
is the royal Beet, no other.
The cane will produce all the sugar
needed; better sugar and sugar that will
cost less. Cuba alone can furnish all
the sugar required by the United States
yet we prefer to pay $6OOOO,OOO year for
the privilege of raising beets. Our trade
with Russia mad become enormous and
was daily increasing, but our great sec
rotary of the treasury sacrificed it at the
dictation of the Beet. The reciprocity
treaties with the British possessions in
the West Indies We're held up by the
Sugar Beet. The trouble over the govern
ment of Porto Rico an the Philippines
is one half due to desire to exploit.
and the other half to the Sugar Beet
Why should this Beet be projected?
Can anyone tell? Has anyone ever given
good and sufficient reason for taxing
the millions on a necessity that a few
may profit by raising beets? Is this
scheme of beet protection on a par with
the protection of industries which employ
skilled labor? No. The beet can be sue
cessfully cultivated only where the
cheapest rude labor can be secured. Ma
chinery cannot be used. Rude hand
labor is necessary. To think of ever rails
ing sugar beets successfully in compe-
tition with the cane sugar plantations is
out of the question. We have here the
anomaly of an industry which must en-
ploy the poorest and cheapest labor, dc
tating the commercial and industrial as
we'll as the territorial and governmental,
policy of the nation. Indeed the Sugar
Beet is king.