The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-11
Beet Sugar and the Tariff Dis
cussed by Farmers.
Andrew Shearer, of Marshall,
Opposes Resolution.
OBJECTS TO TARIFF.
He Stood Alone, However, When
Vote Was Taken.
Farmers Therefore Want Sugar
Tariff to Stand.

The only real tilt in the entire series
of meetings Of the State Board of Agri-
culture this year happened late Friday
afternoon when the committee on reso-
lutions made its report. A resolution
favoring the state fair proposition, sim
liar to the one adopted by the stock
breeders, passed without opposition, but
when another one, supporting the new
sugar beet industry and asking the
Kansas congressional delegation to op-
pose the reduction of the tariff on raw
sugar came up, Andrew Shearer, the
Marshall county Populist statesman and
candidate for congress, jumped to his
feet and started a fight on the reSolu-
ton.
The resolution had been prepared by
I. l.. Diesem, of Garden City. who is
himself beet grower and understands
the situation. The resolution was as fol-
lows:
Resolved, That it is the sentiment of
the State Board of Agriculture in an
nual meeting assembled that our dele
gates in congress for the state of KAN
sas be requested to vote for and uphold
the present tariff laws on raw sugar inn
ported into this country, which is a
protection to the growing and manu-
facture of beet sugar in the United
States, and especially a help to this in
dustry in Kansas"
Mr.. Shearer is being groomed for the
Fifth district congressional nomination
by the Democrats, although he is him
self PopuliSt. AS the principle of pro-
lection has always been opposed by the
Democrats, Mr.. Shearer evidently con-
sidered it his duty to oppose anything
that looked like protection. even If Kan
saS is to be benefited by it. He also
did not seem to know that it is the in
fiuence of the sugar trust itself that is
trying to have the tariff taken off of
raw sugar.
Mr. Shearer said he did not believe in
having a tariff on anything that is a
staple article. He claimed that the
tariff greatly increases the price of
sugar, and he didn't believe in making
the people pay a big price for their
sugar in order to help anybody. He
thought that If the sugar industry need
ed fostering the government ought TO
pay bounty to sugar producers instead
of putting tariff on 1T.
John f. Willis. a member or the
committee on resolutions, said that the
majority of the committee were oppos-
ed to the tariff on general principles.
but in this specific instance they
thought it good thing and therefore
recommended the resolution
Mr.. Willis, it will be remembered,
was the first Populist candidate for
governor and came very near being
elected.
resolution, got UP and made a telling
speech in it's favor. He explained the
good results that have been obtained
from experiments with sugar beets the
bilities before western Kansas If the
beet sugar industry can be developed
But" he said, ''the Havemeyer sugar
trust is afraid of the beet sugar indus
try of the west. At present the United
States imports vast quantities of raw
sugar from other countries. When the
beet sugar industry once gets. well
started we can grow our own sugar,
but the sugar trust wants to throttle
the industry before it gets on a sound
footing. For that reason it is asking
congress to take off the tariff on su-
gar. 1t takes the raw sugar which is
imported into this country and refines
it. If the trust can keep the sugar in
dustry from getting a good footing in
the United States it will be able to
dictate it's own prices for sugar.
prophesy that if the tariff is taken Off
of sugar the people of the United States
will be paying more for sugar in five
years than they are today when the
tariff is in force. We are not asking
for change in existing conditions, but
simply a continuation of the present
tariff
When the adoption of the resolution
was put to a vote, the only negative
vote was that of Mr.. Shearer, although
President Taylor intimated that he
would have voted in the negative had
ho tho chance