Abilene weekly reflector., 1902-08-07
A Promising Industry.

PQItance OF tne Deet sugar INDUSTRY
that Is worth attention:
"A few foolish Republican papers
have allowed themselves to drift into
ridicule Of the beet sugar industry
because 1t has not yet reached great
dimensions. American beet sugar
has made highly encouraging start,
in view Of the cost Of original plants.
There is not the slightest reason ts
suppose that the industry can not be
rendered % successful In the United
States asit is in Germany and France,
two countries that produce more beet
sugar than their inhabitants can use.
No country consumes as much sugar
as the United States or pays so much
for the imported article; 80 the field
for the home production Of sugar is
one OF vast extent. The number ol
beet sugar factories in this country
has increased in five years from seven
to iorty.two and the tons produced
annually from 10000 to $4,000.
New plants projected for the present
year number So, with a capital Of $780,
900, 1000, capable Of an annual output
Of 5000 tons, and calling for $780,
100000 worth Of beets from farmers.
Why any Republican paper should Sc.
lect this interest for an exceptional
assault can only be explained by the
supposition that the editor is q secret
enemy Of the protective policy or a
silly victim Of Democratic wiles.
Twelve years ago Democratic pa
pers tried to laugh down the idea that
the United States, by any protective
measure, could produce its own tin.
plate. Americans at that time were
getting their supply Of tin plate from
the huge British trust In South Wales
and Monmouthshire, which employed
tho cheapest labor and followed anti.
quated methods. Though the cost
Of steel plates had greatly fallen, the
trust reduced their prices but little.
The United States led all nations In
Its demand for tin plate. By the Nc.
Kinley tariff Of 1890, the duty on tin
plate was increased to 2.2 cents q
pound. A Democratic howl OF deri.
sion followed. In the ensuing cam
paigns peddlers were sent out by
Democratic committees to offer tin
cups at rs cents each and to say that
the new tariff on tin plate was re.
sponsible for the increased cost. The
amended tariff on tin went into effect
July /, 1891, with the proviso that il
at the end Of six years the American
production Of tin plates did not equal
one.third OF the importation they
should be placed on the free list.
"What has been the outcome OF
the protective duty on tin plate,
the infant industry Of dozon years
ago, which was the target Of Demo-
cratic jibes and declared to be a
mythp The official answer can be
found in the publications OF the latest
federal census. In 1900 there were
sixty-six tin plate establishments in
the United States, with a capital Of
$N,4SS, 1902, employing 1896 wage
earners, paying wages amounting to
$lO,2SS,O6l year, and turning out
products valued at $41, 1882, ,O5S. The
American production Of tin and terne
plate in 1892 was AZ, 1l9, 1872 pounds;
in 1894, l66,S4S,4Os pounds; in 1898,
7S2,2S9,OOO pounds, and census
bulletin says that ut is at least
probable that the production OF tin
and terne plate In the United States
in 1900 exceeded by several thousand
tons the total production Of Great
Britain" American beet sugar is
just as certain to rise to Importance
as was American tin, and through
the same agency Of Republican pro-
lection. No real Republican chimes
in with Democrats in making sport
OF any "infant American industry"
The vast manufacturing interests Of
the United States have all passed
through that stage, aided by the pro.
tective principles that have been =
vital part Of Republicanism ever
since the party was BORN"
II 10 nall Lno kk.k A.