Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-24
SUGAR RUNS CONGRESS
Every Move of Republicans In
Interest of Vile Trust.
EVEN PROFITS BY DELAY IN VOTING

Trust Agents Buying Sugar Cheap In
Cuba While Congress Is IdIe-Re-
publican Senator's Specializing In
Sugar Stocks President Largely
Responsible.
According to the Wall Street Journal
of Nov. %, the sugar trust is again
in full control of congress and is cor
rupting legislation now as frequently in
the past. Il dictates every move by the
Republicans in congress. This journal
explains the reason for senatorial delay
by saying:
Behind the innocent proposition TO
take a vote in the senate on the Cuban
reciprocity bill stalks the sug-
ar trust. The vote on this bill
will occur in the senate under agree
ment on Dec. 16 The bill and
treaty cannot possibly take
effect before the Goth day of December
and probably not until many days
thereafter.
I'm the meantime sugar trust agents
are said to be even now in Cuba and
have been for the past two weeks en-
sugar ground and manufactured not al
ready owned by the trust with n view
of bringing this sugar into the United
States under the reduced tariff, which
will be only so per cent of the Dingley
law rates. That sugar they are pur
chasing from manufacturers and grow
ers at the market price obtaining now
when it could be imported into this
country only under payment of the full
100 per cent rate of the Dingley law.
In this way the sugar trust, which con-
trolls only about twO-thirds of the sug-
ar production of Cuba, will be enabled,
it is said, to purchase One-third of the
sugar product of the island at n rate
which will enable it to export the same
to the United States ut profit - to 20
per cent greater than would be the case
if the bill were to be passed now.
This is the reason given in high
quarters for the postponement of the
date for the passage of the bill. 1t is
pointed out by those who seem to know
the reason that actuated the senate in
delaying the vote that most of the sug
ar manufacturers and producers 9th
er than those controlled by the sugar
trust itself are located far in the in
terror of Cuba. in places inaccessible to
the daily papers and telegraphic COM
munication. who, therefore, would be
ignorant of the action of the American
congress in passing the bill which puts
into effect the Cuban treaty.
Therefore the agents of the sugar
trust now at work in these remote dis
tricts and sections could buy up the
sugar crop on the assumption that It
would have to pay if exported to the
United States the full 100 per cent of
the Dingley law rates instead of the so
per cent rate provided under the bill
about to become a law
The gain TO the sugar trust from this
delay will thus amount to about three
tenths Of Il cent per pound, or 500 per
ton upon 100000 tons of sugar. Here
is a snug 100000 all in one bunch
On the two-thirds of Cubas crop al
ready owned or controlled by the sugar
trust the gain will be equally great, or,
say, S6,000,0O0 gain to the trust the
first year, a very handsome present
from this Republican congress. 1t is
not surprising, therefore. that the price
of this stock in Wall street has gone up
rapidly during the delay in congress.
Republican senators deal literally
with this favorite trust, and numerous
of those senators and congressman are
said to be dealing heavily in sugar
stocks and to be making big profits. 1t
is not surprising, then, that they refuse
to vote with the Democrats to remove
the differential duty on refined sugar,
which would reduce the profits of the
sugar trust one-eighth of cent per
pound on it's entire product. or $4,000,
600 a year, and would nearly offset the
gain from Cuban reciprocity. OF course
the Republican Legislators who are
loaded up with sugar stocks will not
vote for anything that will hurt the
trust and their stocks; hence Cuban
reciprocity will go through the senate
without a hitch, and our congress will
again be disgraced by contact with this
vile sugar trust.
This time. however, the White House
participates in the disgrace. for, while
the president most strenuously insisted
upon the passage of this legislation, he
never even suggested the removal of
the differentiaI duty on refined sugar.
BYRON w. HOLT.