The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1902-01-24


izing money.
RECIPROCITY WITH CUBA AND The
SUGAR QUESTION.
President Roosevelt, in his message
to congress, urged reciprocity with
Cuba as plain duty toward the young
republic about to assume the duties
aud responsibilities of independence.
The ground for this policy is that Cuba
must have the benefit of our markets
to become prosperous and successfully
maintain her long-sought independ-
ence.
Without this her industries, of sugar
aud tobacco raising, will be paralyzed
and her independence jeopardized.
Besides, with reciprocity, our trade
with the island viii be doubled, and
products supplied to her now largely
from European countries will come
into her markets from the United
States. A cordial feeling towards this
country viii be fostered and she will
be fostered and she viii be prosperous
and happy.
This nation has had such treaties
with other countries; the policy is not
new; and the presidents recommends
ton is both wise and patriotic For
over 20 years we had such treaty with
the Hawaiian islands and the policy
resulted in friendly and peaceable an
nexation, which proves the saying that
'peace has it victories as well as war"
In the eastern part of the United
States there is the Havemeyer sugar
refining trust; and in the western part
Of the United States the Spreckles
and Oxnards cane and beet sugar trust.
The Oxnards claim that if Cuban raw
sugar Is admitted free of duty it will
build up the Havemeyer sugar refining
trust, and that it viii ruin the young
and growing beet sugar industry in the
west. Then the Louisiana sugar cane
growers also register their protest
against the admission of Cuban raw
sugars
The only way out Of this difficulty is
to take of the tariff on both raw and
refined sugar coming from any eoun-
try to the United States. 1t will not
destroy the beet sugar industry in the
west, and it Will put both the Have
meyers and the Oxnards on their good
behavior, and they viii still make large
profits on their capital invested.
In support Of this position the fol-
lowing facts are given: The Oxnards
pay the beet farmer 8 per ton for
beets. 1t costs, all expenses paid, 8
per ton to make the beets into sugar,
and the refined sugars made directly
from ton of beets is worth on the
average SO, giving the manufacturer
a clear profit of s. per ton. This is a
large margin of profit, and all the Ok
nards viii have to do is to give the
farmers a large share of the profit,
that's all, and the industry will go on
and prosperous. The Oxnards are
speaking ten words for themselves and
none for the farmer.
During the operation of the McKin-
ley law, for a time there was a bounty
of two cents per pound on sugar made
in this country. At Chino, southern
California. the Oxnards have a large
sugar beet factory. In 1895, during
the Mckinley and Bryan first cam
paign, the beet farmers there had to
pay the company 81 per pound for the
seed, rent the land Of the company and
farm the beets under its direction. The
farmer got only $3.50 a ton for the
beets and incidental charges of .
cents q ton were made which reduced
the price paid to the farmer to 1925
per ton.
The Oxnards and not the farmer got
the two cents bounty, which on ton
Of beets amounted to s. per ton, as
there is go pounds Of sugar. on the
average, In 8 ton Of beets- Many Of
the beet farmers came out in debt to
the company, and as everything was
mortgaged to the company on fulfill
ment Of an iron-elad contract, they
lost their little al. AT the same time
in northern California, other factories
were paying q ton straight for beets.
Now these Oxnards made the follow
ing profit: Cost Of beets, $50; cost of