The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-11-06
Beet Sugar Versus coallus Stations.

|
From Patton's Monthly.
That there are perhaps two sides to
the question of protective tariffs in
America, all reasonable men admit.
That the fostering of young industries
by means of the tariff has been good
thing for the people of our country in
the past, no men who are both unbiased
and reasonable deny. Whatever is true
of the past is equally true of the present,
whenever conditions are similar; and no
one who is bipartisan in his attitude at
tempts to deny that it should be both
good politics and good business to pro-
tect industries in the United States
which are not beyond the experimental
stage, or which must surely be injured
if the present duty upon foreign goods
is reduced.
| A special session Of congress is about
to convene for the purpose of consider
ing matter Of as vital concern to the
industrial interests of the people of the
United States as anything which has
arisen for many years 1t is the ques
ton of the ratification of the pending
reciprocity treaty with Cuba; and the
thing of paramount importance involved
is the evident intention of the President,
together with certain strenuous states
men, to trade off the interests of work
a.day and peaceable Americans who are
| fighting the great industrial battles, in
order to secure coaling stations, and to
provide the means to fight the navies of
the world.
A delegation was sent by the Michi-
gan Sugar Manufacturers Association
to Washington not long since, instruct
ed to oppose the measure with all their
strength, but by reason of certain
pledges made, it is said, by the President
and the finance committee of the senate,
their opposition was withdrawn. We
are informed that these pledges were to
would not be further prejudiced for
term of at least five years, either by a
reduction in the present tariff or by any
other treaties admitting sugar free or
under reduced tariff.
We wish to submit a few statements
of fact to the people of this country.
One hundred million dollars were paid
out in the year just passed for raw sugar
that was brought into the United
States. We hope that these figures may
be properly weighed; and that the read
er will then turn and consider another
fact with equal care. 1t has been fairly
and reasonably computed that if the
principles and promises of the republi-
can party are upheld, our country
should, and will produce every pound of
sugar that it consumes by the year 1915.
Upwards of fifty great factories, built
at heavy cost and employing many
thousands of workmen, have been es-
tablished under the protective sanction,
and under the promises of the republi-
can administration. These factories
and these workmen are asking that adj
ministration to redeem the pledges.
And the question is not merely one of
redeeming pledges made, or of the fos-
tering of infant industries; but concerns
as well a larger and perhaps even more
important body of our general public.
1t will be wise for the president and
congress to take serious thought upon
this matter before they act. 1t is not to
be expected that the farming communi-
ties of Michigan and other beet raising
states, will look with patience upon any
diplomatic trades which strike the death
blow to their means of livelihood. A
reduction of 90 per cent in'the tariff up
on raw sugar from Cuba would wipe
out the profits in the manufacture of
beet sugar in America; and, in case it
should not have the effect of destroying
the industry altogether, it would GER
tainly reduce the price for raw beets
which the factories would pay to the
farmer.
We do not know whether coaling
stations in Cuba are a vital essential to
our government; but we are fully per-
suaded that they are of far less conse-
quence than the prosperity of our indus
trial institutions. 1t is pertinent
question to ask of the promoters of this
measure why the farmers of the United
States, together with the beet sugar
manufacturers should be asked to pay
the entire bill of costs.
A Sure Thing