The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-11

To
Continued From First Page.
stamp out competition from the hated
beet sugar people,
Sugar Duty Necessity.
No, our factory cannot operate If the
sugar duty is removed The sugar trust
knowing this and also that no other beet
sugar factory can operate If this duty is
removed, takes, all Of sudden, very
kindly to. the conditions Of the poor Gu
bans. Its heart pulsates in sympathy for
them. The trust sends out circulars and
| newspapers, and it spends thousands of
dollars to urge upon the people Of the
United States the necessity of allowing
Cuban sugar to come into the ports OF this
| country free Of duty. OF course the
sugar trust does not do this out Of pure
love. At the same time the country news
papers are being flooded with arguments
and personal letters, denouncing beet
raising. The sugar trust cares more about
killing the beet sugar industry and thus
securing control of the sugar market of
the country than it does for Cuba. But
it does not look SO bad for the trust to
cloak its real intention in sympathy for
Cuba, and then 1T can win easier by fool
ing the people little. No, our factory
cannot operate If sugar duty is removed
or reduced. Congress should leave the
tariff alone.
How Tariff Affects the Farmer.
II there is one industry through which
the farmers of the United States receive
direct benefit from the operations of the
present tariff law it certainly is the beet
sugar industry. To repeal the tariff or
reduce it would be to strike blow at our
farmers. Several industries in Mime
sofa have produced large wealth, of which
the farmers have received only an insig-
nificant part. Lum bering has made
large class of men rich, while the farmer
and the teamster have received only ordi-
nary wages. The -four industry has made
fortunes for many, but the farmer has
not always receive profit for his wheat
The beet sugar industry is the only field
where the farmer appears to be able to
make something for himself. Is he to be
robbed of this field also by repeating or
reducing the tariff on raw sugar from
Cuba? The American farmer cannot COM
pete with the cheap Cuban labor in the
sugar plantations of that sunny island.
beets as cheaply as the Cuban mestizo can
raise his cane, and the American sugar
factories cannot survive such a compe-
tition. The American farmer gave his
sons to help Cuba in war. And now he is
be asked to to sacrifice himself and fam
lily and part Of the earning power OF MS
farm to help Cuba in peace!
Mr.. Havemeyer's Argument.
president Haveneyer, of the sugar
trust, said at the annual meeting OF the
trust at Jersey City last Wednesday that
the removal of the duty on raw sugar from
Cuba would result in saving to the con-
sumner of nearly cents per pound, or in
all $4,000, 900 per year. The duty on raw
sugar from the Hawaiian islands was re-
moved by a reciprocity treaty lasting
twenty-five years. Did this removal OF
duty save the consumer $S5,0CO,O0O a year.
Did this removal of duty bring sugar
down nearly 2 cents a pound? Did this
removal of duty give you Scent sugar?
sugar for higher prices during that period
than ever before. and the profits on the
sugar went entirely into the hands Of the
trust When in 1898 to 1895 sugar was
practically free, did President Havemeyer
and his trust save the country $4,000, OOO
year? Did he then sell sugar at 3
cents per pound? In that free trade
period, millions Of workingmen did not
have cents to pay for sugar. There
were public soup kitchens at that time,
and the people needed Scent sugar badly.
But Hayemeyer and his trust kept the
price where it is now.
Judging the future by the past, the
Americna consumer would never get Sne
slightest advantage from a reduction in
the duty on Cuban sugar. Should con-
gress remove the duty on Cuban sugar or
lower it, the past clearly shows that no
part of this duty would go in the shape of
cheaper sugar to the consumer. The duty
would only be transferred from the Unit
ed States treasury, where it goes to-day,
into the pockets of the sLgar trust, and
to certain extent into the pockets of the
Cuban sugar planters, though only to the
extent that the trust would see fit to
grant. 1t appears to me little suspi-
cious too that President Havemeyer new
er said anything about saving $85, 900 600
until now, when the beet sugar industry
is so prominent. If it is hardship to
pay cents pound for sugar now, why
wasn't it hardship to pay cents during
the days of the Hawaiian treaty and 81
cents in 1893 and 1867 The trust does
of the people, and free Cuban sugar would
go to swell each year the $12,00O,00O divi-
dends of the sugar trust. President
Havemeyer knows just as we'll as any
other sugar man, that Scent sugar is an
impos sibility, and he talks only to kill the
American beet sugar industry. With this
industry destroyed the trust will be the
sole source of supply for the American
people. And is that condition of at
fairs to be sought for by any of us?
Profit for the Farmers.
eyes. Our factory is source Of profit
to the farmers.
eve receive every day letters from
farmers to this effect. Our people begin
to understand now to raise beets, now.
The beet crop has increased from year to
year. Last years crop was bigger than
any previous crop, and this year we will
have all the beets we can handle. Our
farmers begin to like the new crop and
new factories have been proposed. If
congress doesn't change the tariff, Min
nesota will produce all the sugar it can
consume inside Of four years. But I
will let the farmers speak for themselves.
Here are some letters from farmers where
beet raising is very general. think they
will constitute fair answer to your
question as to whether our factory is a
| source of profit to the farmer:
Jordan, Mimi, Dec. H. 1901 planted
twenty six acres Of sugar beets this spring.
1 have now received $1,51s39 from the fac
tory for same. That is about $58 an acre.
am more than satisfied with beet raising.
I shall raise thirty six acres next year.
$780, Henry Arens.
Becker Mimi, Dec 10, 1901 received
check the other day for beets raised on if
teen acres of my farm at Becker. The dis
| lance from Becker to the factory is fifty
miles. 1 netted about $40 to the acre. I am
perfectly satisfied with the returns believe
beet raising is paying proposition, provided
l I41 - No. will