The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-02-27

the other half as pay for manufacturing.
This is generally the custom. AT least
it was so stated by Cuban representa-
tives who appeared before the Com
mittee on Ways and Means of the
House of Representatives last winter.
1t was also shown that the average
yield of cane per acre in Cuba is %
tons, 10 per cent of which is sugar. In
other words for every ton of cane de-
livered at the factory 200 pounds Of
sugar is made, and by this it will be
seen that "a tons of sugar are produced
in Cuba for every acre of land planted
to cane, thus making the yield to the
planter and the manufacturer together
when sugar is selling at 2 cents per
pound, f. o. b. Cuban ports 800, or $50
per acre to the planter. 1t will be re-
membered that in Cuba the cane crop
is planted on an average of but once in
eight or ten years, and cultivated by
cheaper labor than is found in the
United States, wages in Cuba at the
present time, ranging at about 81 a
day,
Now, it is proposed by Cuban reci-
procity that this sugar shall be brought
into the United States directly in COM
petition with the sugar made from
beets The beet sugar industry at the
present time is most important one to
the American farmer, the American
manufacturer and the American labor
ing man. By careful investigation in
the State of Michigan l have found
that the average yield of beets per acre
is nine tons, and that the crop of 1901
brought to the farmer an average of
$500 per ton, or $40. so per acre, for his
beets delivered at the factory. The
crop in Michigan must be planted, cul-
tivated and harvested each year with
high priced labor; hence it will be seen
that the Cuban planter has very great
advantage, under present conditions,
over the American farmer.
Why give him greater advantage
The sugar manufacturers of the state
of Michigan have thus far made no un-
reasonable sum of money, as is shown
by the statements taken from the books
of the various manufacturers and fur
nished to the Committee on Ways and
Means at the time of the hearing before
that committee last winter.
1t is apparent that if the duty ON
Cuban sugar is reduced the benefits will
very largely go to the American Sugar
Refining Company. Should that COM
pany take advantage of the reduction
of the duty and use it as a means to
further secure control of the markets of
America it would be most powerful
weapon. and there would be only one
course for the beet sugar manufacturer
to pursue if he wishes to continue the
manufacture of sugar, and that is to at
once go to the farmer and say: "You
must deliver your beets to us for less
money, or we will be compelled to close
our factory"
If we wish to advance and better the
condition of the American laborer we
must Protect home institutions that
furnish employment to our laboring
men, and by Protecting the beet sugar
industry of this country we protect
American labor. For instance, in the
year 1902 there were imported into the
United States from foreign countries,
other than our insular possessions,
about 1,500, 900 tons of sugar. This
sugar is all refined by the American
Sugar Refining Company and the
Arbuckle refneries at cost of about
cent per pound. Now let us concede
that this cent all goes to labor The
total amount would be about 81,
900 that labor would receive for the re-
fining of this sugar.
If this sugar was both grown and
manufactured in this country it would
have resulted in the wage earners re-
ceiving the enormous sum of $135, 900, =
600, basing the figures upon the cost of
manufacturing sugar as shown by the
reports of Michigan manufacturers
which is cents per pound. OF the
total cost of the finished product, %
cents per pound goes to the farmer for
his beets, the average yield of sugar
per ton of beets being 2l0 pounds, and
IL cents per pound to the factory, which
is principally for labor.
! would be in favor, if necessary to
, Protect home manufacturers and home
labor on the farm and in the factory, of
increasing instead of reducing the duty
on imported sugar, especially so when
it is conceded by all that the 20 per cent
reduction of the present duty will not
inure to the consumer in the United
States but will either go to the Cuban
or to the Sugar Trust, and it is my
, opinion that the latter would get the
'lion's share" think it wise legisla-
tion to foster home industries, and such
can be Protected only by Tariff laid
against goods made in foreign coun-
try by cheap labor. We never have
had, and never will have, good times
when labor is not well employed and