The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-04-29
Congressman Fordney Still Interested
in BehaIflof Beet Sugar Industry.

IN behaIflof Beet sugar Industry.
The following from the Washington
correspondent of the Country Gentleman
shows that Congressman Fordney is
still actively interested in behalf of the
beet sugar industry:
Secretary Taft appears to be using all
his influence to bring about reduction
in the Philippine tariff; at no committee
hearing which has been granted him on
any question pertaining to those islands
has he failed to advocate free trade, es-
pecially in sugar and tobacco.
The beet-sugar people especially will
be interested in certain questions and
answers given before House committee,
and which Iquote verbatim:
Rep Fordney (Michigan)-With GER
tain encouragement or certain reduction
of duties on hemp sugar AMI tobacco
great deal of shipping could be encourag-
ed from the Philippine Islands to the
United States?
Secretary Taft do not hesitate to
say that as friend of the Philippines
the great object that have is to secure
reduction of the tariff, and if the ship
ping interests can be interested to assist
us in bringing about reduction of the
tariff-that is if they can be interested
in the traffic with the Philippines-th
will have to come to pressing for re-
duction of the tariff, because if they do
not, they will not have any business.
Mr.. Fordney-They are capable of pro-
ducing great deal more sugar and to-
bacco than they are now producing?
Secretary Taft-Yes, sir. 1 do not
think it would be- found that the in
crease in the production of sugar and
tobacco would be nearly so II pid as has
been thought, for the reason that you
have restricted the invitation to foreign
capital to come in there by reducing
the amount of land foreign company
can hold, or that any company can hold,
to $500 acres That is not sufficient to
attract capital for the sugar industry
They need a great deal more land to
justify the investment of the necessary
capital in modern machinery.
Secretary Taft also explained that the
rate of wages in the islands is only %
cents gold. Whereupon the following
conversation ensued:
Mr.. Fordney-W these low rates of
wages to the common laborer, would
not free trade on sugar from the Philip
pines to the United States practically
destroy the sugar industry of the United
States1
Secretary Taft do not think so.
To begin with, there are the limitations
on the labor and on the capital invested,
and the character of the sugar industry
in the islands is very primitive. 1t
would take years and years to develop
the sugar industry as it should be de-
yeloped.
Mr.. Minor wisconsin, takes us
years AID years.to develop the beet-su
gar industry
Secretary Taft-You have not been so
long at it, but you have that tariff
which will always exist in your favor,
the freight Of 10000 miles.
Mr.. Fordney-That is only about one
fourth cent pound. If you thought
that free trade would injure any home
industry here-the sugar industry, for
instance would you still advocate free
trade2
Secretary Taft do not think there
is any danger. We have in this country
to use more than 1900 600 tons of sugar
and we cannot send from the Philippines
more than 175, 900 tons, and it seems to
me that the beet-sugar industry should
not come in and try to take more than
they ought to take.
Mr.. Littlefield Maine MIR. Fordney's
suggestion was this: Assuming that
free trade with the Philippines would
injure an American industry, what then
would be your attitudeY
Secretary Taft-It would depend en-
the injury. Tam in favor of the United
States giving something to the Philip
pines We have the Philippines on our
hands and we can afford to be generous. .