The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-24
4 SURPRISING REPORT.

There is reason 10 believe that the larg-
er part of the American people who have
given any attention TO the appeal Of the
friends of Cuba for a lower duty on its
sugar and tobacco will be slow TO believe
the report that the ways and means COM
mittee will not give the people OF the island
any hope of relief. A great many friends
of protection and reciprocity will feel. If
this report is true, that the committee is
pursuing a course which is designed to
injure the protective policy in the judg-
ment of many people. The Republican
party has never proceeded upon the theory
that any industrial interest which does not
afford encouragement that it can, within a
reasonable period. supply the country with
all Of it's product that is needed for con-
sumption, or put upon the market a suf-
ficient quantity of its product TO cheaper
the worlds price is entitled TO the protec-
ton of a high duty. The high duties on
iron. imposed years ago. were warranted
by the growth of the iron interest and the
inexhaustible raw materials for iron pro-
duction in the United States. The duty
tin-plate was warranted by the evil
dence that in a few years the home in
dustry could supply the home market.
So far as the public is informed, the
only reason for not reducing the duty on
Cuba's raw sugar is that Mr.. Oxnard
claims that II will ruin the beet sugar in
dustry Yet, in 1899, Mr.. Oxnard made fig
showing that beet sugar can be pro-
duced as cheap in this country as in Eu-
rope and does not need a protective duty.
Now he declares. otherwise. Therefore,
the Oxnard judgment should have no
weight with the ways and means commit
tee. Such being the case. why did not
the committee apply the true test of pro-
lection and ask if the past progress OF
the beet sugar industry offers a reasonable
ground TO believe that in ten to twenty-five
or fifty years, it will be able TO supply the
American market? 1t is not a question
whether a few capitalists who have put
their money into sugar plants shall get
IL out. but whether the beet sugar pros
dustry can supply the home market doz-
en- years hence. If there is no such reason
able prospect, it is not just, and it is not
N accord with the protective policy OF such
as Blaine and Mckinley 10 cause the
millions of American sugar consumers to
pay nearly twice the worlds price for
sugar in order that a few companies that
have embarked in the industry shall thrive
1t is the case of tens of millions of peo-
pie against a very few tens of thousands
Now the increased price necessary to sus-
tain this industry goes into the treasury
as tax, but the treasury is nearing a place
where the sugar revenue is not all wanted
After twelve years of exploitation by ex-
perts. Oxnard's and the Agricultural De-
partment's, the beet sugar industry put
upon the market during last year 124, sol
tons of sugar. The country consumed
2325,OOo tons. That is, the beet sugar in
dustry furnished one ton of every $50 con-
sumed. In view of these facts, and the
progress of the beet sugar industry dur
ing the past ten years. the question for the
ways and means committee is: rs there
a reasonable prospect that in ten years
of the United States at nearly as low
prices as the rest of the world pays?" If
not. the committee. in refusing justice to
Cuba, is not protecting a great industry,
but keeping alive that which in it's practi-
cal results is a monopoly.
AS for the cane sugar interest of Louis
lana. it has had the protection of a duty
ranging from 80 to 100 per cent. for nearly
fifty years. The output of cane sugar last
year was not so large as it was in 1925,
nor large as in 1SS7-SS. The largest
crops in recent years have exceeded that
of 1S61-62 only twice. An industry which
does not grow and promise to result in a
general reduction of prices is not en-
titled TO protection, because growth and
general benefit are the basis of all claim
I