The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-02-07


tor Mcmillan and the Michigan
Delegation.
The Tuscola County Advertiser has
received the following letter from the
Hon j. w. Fordney, member of con.
gress from this district:
Washington. d. C, Jan. 81, 1902.
Editor Advertiser-l read in the Caro-
Journal of Friday, the 18th inst, what
appears to be an interview with Henry
B. Joy, of Detroit, Mich. in which he
states that the matter of the tariff on
beet sugar is now cup to Senator Nc
Milan" and he further states that
when be reached Washington recently
he found Michigan congressman apa.
thetic on the question of beet sugar and
that they now know a great deal more
about sugar than they did few days
ago
Permit me to say, first, 1 have gone
over the situation as to the beet sugar
industry in Michigan with Senator Nc.
MILAN several times, and have always
found him Standing as stone wall
against any reduction of tariff on sugar
imported into the United States, which
would, of course, seriously interfere
with that grand home industry. And
further, that is where both senator's
stand today. Senator Mcmillan stated
to me that he had been misquoted
when the statement went out that he
favored a slight reduction of the pres.
ent tariff on sugar
Second, if Mr.. Joy made the state.
ment that he found the Michigan con-
gressmen indifferent to this important
matter on his arrival here, and that
he injected new life and vigor into the
delegation, he does the delegation
great injustice, as we'll as Injuries the
cause for which we are fighting. Such
a statement is entirely uncalled for and
unwarranted, for such was not the fact.
The delegation was thoroughly aroused
to the situation and had prepared pc.
tition and had obtained many sigma
lures of members of the house, protest.
ing to the committee on ways and
means against any cut in the present
duty on sugar, long before Mr.. Joy ar
rived. l, myself, obtained some as
signatures to this petition. We were do.
ing all in our power to influence mem.
bers who leaned the other way and
have and will continue to do so.
Further, Mr.. Joy telegraphed (as
stated in your paper of recent date) to
the sugar company at Caro-, requesting
that company TO ask merchants, farm
ers and business men to wire me to
stand by the sugar beet industry, and
on the 10Th, inst. | received 146 tele-
grams to that effect. This certainly
sent out the impression that was weak.
kneed and required some support from
my const tuents. Mr.. Joy knew better
than this. had gone over the matter
together with him, Mr. Mcpherson and
Mr.. Hathaway Immediately after their
arrival here. They all we'll knew my
position; they knew that had made
trip to Washington last September,
especially TO see Secretary Wilson
about the same question ard that had
received assurance from Mr.. Wilson
that he was opposed to any reduction
of this tariff
Senator Mcmillan is here doing his
duty to his country and his state, as
are also all Of the delegation in the
house, and i think Mr.. Joy should do
the Michigan senators and congress
men the justice to correct his state
ments by saying that he was either mis-.
taken or misquoted in that interview.
All parties interested in Michigan
beetsugar, coming here as committee,
have done their duty and have done it
well, and / will wager that no recon-
mendation looking to the reduction of
tariff on the Cuban sugar viii come
forth from the committee on ways and
means. The fight is not over yet, but
from Information obtained about the
.capitof think / can say with safety,
the sugar trust will fan in its efforts 10
crush out the life of the farmer5 and
sugar manufacturers la this country,
at least at this session Of congress.
Yours very truly,
j. w. FoRDNEY.