The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-01-16
CUBAN RECIPROCITY AND ITS RE
LATloN TO THE SUGAR IN
pUsTRY.
~ Hon. Joseph w. Fordney, Member
Of House Of representatives.

Of House of Representatives.
American sugar. That has the RICH,
ring to it. Ten years ago we might
have laughed at the idea, but through
the commendable efforts of Secretary
Wilson of the agricultural department.
who has spent time and money in put.
ting both seed and literature into the
hands of the farmers, coupled with a
reasonable tariff and backed by Amer.
lean push, the growth of the sugar beet
industry has developed to such an ex-
tent that l firmly believe this country
will, within the next ten years, produce
and refine all the sugar it consumes,
and that the sugar center of the world
will be transferred from Hamburg,
Germany, to New York or Chicago,
provided the present tariff rates remain
unchanged for period long enough to
enable this industry to get firmly on
its feet.
Its present progress is marvelously
rapid, yet the average mans time is so
absorbed by his daily affairs that he
knows scarcely anything about the
phenomenal growth of what promises
to be one of Americas most gigantic
enterprises. Take the state of Mich
igan as an example, and what is true
of Michigan can, and will in time, be
true of nearly every other state, Only
few years ago the state imported
every pound of sugar consumed, and
for this sent away money or its equiva-
lent Today twenty one thousand
FARMERS are raising beets on one hun
bred and two thousand acres, or one
hundred and sixty square miles Of land,
and they produce more sugar than is
consumed within the confines of Mich
igan. And now capital and energy are
anxiously awaiting the action of the
present congress to determine whether
to make further investments here or in
Cuba.
Amongst those who today favor, or
do not oppose, reduction of the tariff, !
there are, no doubt, some who think a
90 per cent reduction will not kill the
industry. The same thing might be
n ne OF any enterprise, but that is not |
t,ae vital point. If the cut now is to be !
20 per cent, because it will not kill, !
what will the next cut be, and how |
deep. will they cut in search of the kill |
ing pointg If we are going to protect |
American, Industries, let us protect them ,,
withacapital p. 1t really seems like /
waste of valuable time to search for
the throttling point in tariff so en- !
tireiy harmless as the sugar schedule /
In the Dingley bill And the act of
striking blow at this industry, just |
zs.it is preparing to transform itself /
from a bud into magnificent blossom,
appears so radically different from any
foszner Republican procedure, that I
srn inclined to think glance at the
situation may prevent unfavorable |
action.
Take the labor side of the proposition
md the facts Will certainly appeal TO |
every thinking man. In 1901 we import
ed close to 1,5OO,0 900 tons of raw foreign
sugar, which was refined here It cost |
of half cent per pound, representing
an outlay for labor of about ST, 900, 900. |
IL this sugar had been both grown and !
refined in this country, as is both pos
II.
reaped benefit approximating the enor-
nous sum of $l35, 100000 a goodly por
ton of which vast amount went into !
she pockets of Cuba's cheap labor, while !
another portion was paid to foreign
vessels for freight.
Review the farmers side of the ques