New-York tribune., 1902-01-24
WON TO CUBA'S SIDE,
4 SERIOUS BREAK IN BEET
SUGAR RANKS.
THOMAS R. CUTLER, A PROMINENT
MANUFACTURER, FAvORs A 25 PER
CENT CONCESSION-WOULD NOT
HARM HIS INDUSTRY.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BuNE.l


Cured in the lines Of the beet sugar magnates
who for a month have been exhaustng every
resource at their command to intimidate the
House on the subject of reciprocity with Cuba.
Through their well organized and powerful lobby
here they have frightened many members from
the support of the administrators efforts to give
Cuba substantial tariff reductions on sugar and
tobacco by threatening to defeat every Repub-
ucan from close district in the West who votes
for any kind of reciprocity arrangement with
the island. CONSERVATION. therefore. will be
caused in the ranks of the exultant lobbyists
when they learn that Of the most extensive
and intelligent manufacturers of beet sugar in
the country has been won over to the side of
the Cubans by the sound economics and the
humanities of the case. Reference is had to
Thomas r. Cutler. vice president and general
manager of the Utah Sugar Company, whose
chief plant is at Lehi, Utah. Mr. Cutler has at
tended all the hearings held by the Ways and
Means Committee the subject of reducing
the tariff on Cuban sugar, and although he has
been willing 10 assist the committee by his tes
tirnony in reaching a correct solution OF the
question involved, for some unexplained reason
he has not been called upon to do so. The COM
rnittee will close its hearings tomorrow. Mr.
Cutler will be on hand again. ready to give his
views BIZ ed on several years Of experience in
the production of beet sugar, but 1t is not be-
laVeQ that the committee VIII invite MIN TO
do so.
To a correspondent Of The Tribune this after
roon Mr. Cutler said he was willing to risk a
reduction Of % per cent on Cuban sugar and in
timated that he did not believe an even heavier
cut than this would injure the beet sugar in
dustry OF this country. While he is not yet
nrepared TO advocate free trade with the island
as he is unable at this time to know what are
the sugar possibilities Of Cuba. or to forejudge
the conditions in the worlds sugar market a
wear hence he confidently predicts that in ten
years the United States will be in position to
abolish all sugar tariffs and place itself on a
basis Of absolute free trade in sugar.
NOTHING TO FEAR FROM CONCESSIONS.
81 assume that the conditions which prevail
IN the beet root industry in Utah are common
20 the industry throughout the country" said
Mr Cutler About 100000 is invested in the
business in my State, and, while we are not the
largest producers. we are no more favorably
situated as TO market, transportation, etc., than
the other seats of the industry. Therefore.
what We can stand certainly all the others can
stand. 1 have investigated the matter carefully.
and am convinced that We can afford at this
time to give Cuba a concession of % per cent
on sugar without doing the least harm to our
sugar interests at home. In the first place. 1
do not believe that this reduction would increase
would cause drop in the price of sugar in this
country, and certainly they would have ef-
feet upon the worlds market, which in the end
controls the price of sugar to the American con-
sumer. Statistics show that our consumption
every year increases 615 per cent, while but for
the beet root industry there would be no in
crease Of production at home.
Nov. il is a simple proposition to prove that
with this rate Of increase of consumption no in
duction by the increased importations that
would follow % per cent reduction Cuban
sugar. It seems to be a foregone conclusion
that If we do not give Cuba the aid of reduced
tariffs annexation will be forced upon in
few years, and sound business sense suggests
that ii is safer policy TO make concessions at
this time than to bring Cuba in g. short while
INTO free trade relations with us-and that is
what would follow annexation. In taking this
position I guided alike by the interests of
the beet root industry and a national sense
OF obligation 10 aid Cuba. Proportionately 1
have as much at stake anybody else and it
goes without saying that do not want to see
Congress adopt any course that would injure
my business. But 1 have no patience with this
talk about the beet root industry being threat
ened with destruction by the movement for tariff
concessions TO Cuba. Our business is growing
too strong TO be hurt by increased importa-
ions from Cuba. At the present rate of growth
We viii be strong enough not to need any tariff
on sugar. and then on free trade basis
invade the worlds sugar markets and compete
n Europe successfully with Germany and
Russia"
Mr.. Cutler asked If the cost of labor in
The production Of sugar in the United States
was not so much greater than that in Europe
taat this country could not safely compete in
tne worlds markets.
BEET INDUSTRY FIRMLY ESTABLISHED.
The cost of our labor may be greater in the
peet root industry than it is in Germany, but it is
so much more productive that the account is
balanced up this score" he said I'm Utah
nearly all the work of cultivating is done by
boys. that otherwise would not be employed. L
some other parts of the country make their
wives and daughters DO a large part Of the
Work. Our farmers do not let their wives and
daughters perform this kind of work, and yet
the labor cost with is greater than IL is in
those communities where the women put in
The fields. We thus give profitable employment
70 the sons of farmers when they not in
echool, which teaches them habits of industry
ana thrift and keeps them out of idleness and
bad company. One farmer with the average
kzed family in Utah easily cultivate forty
acres of the beet roots, and make out of
ms than he can on twice as much land devoted
@ other crops. The industry is so firmly estab-
hshed now that feel certain il will continue to
Grow until il gets strong enough to stand alone"
BEET SUGAR CAN STANDA CUT