The daily sentinel., 1905-10-10
NO LONG TIME CONTRACTS.
SAYS j. II. MCIINNIE.


James r. McKinuie. president of
the Western Sugar and Land com
pany and one of the principal stock
holders in the local factory has given
OUT Tour very interesting statements
settins forth his reasons for issuing
oruers 10 the agents of the company
10 the eneet that no contracts for the
growing of sugar beets shall be made
LOT more than one year in advance
The following interview with Mr. Nc
kinnie appears in the Colorado Spgs..
Gazette on Sunday:
James r. McKinnie. president
OF the Western Sugar and Land com
pany, has issued orders to the CON
tracing agents of that corporation
not to sign contracts with Colorado
farmers for sugar beets for more than
one year in advance. The policy OF
the company in the past has been to
sign for from three to five years
The reason given Tor the change by
MIR. McKinnie is what he considers
the uncertainty of the sugar beet in
dustry's future.
AS the matter now stands" said
MIR. Mckinnie, conditions might
arise which would close every beet
sugar factory in the country. Mr.
Tart. ii is said will urge congress to
remove the tarin from Philippine
sugar. This is protection for the
chinese coolie and for everybody eN-
cept the American farmer. The
Chtnaman can make sugar for the
Philippine manufacturer for one cent
per pound. In Colorado we cannot
make for less than l-2 cents. We
cannot hope to meet that sort OF COM
petition.
mo other one industry has done
so much in the last few years to ad-
vance the prosperity of the farmer
of Colorado, Utah and Idaho as the
sugar beet. 1t has done much for
the farmers of Nebraska, California
Ohio. Michigan and Wisconsin. They
are building a factory in New York
and one in Arizona. California and
Oregon each have two factories in
course of construction
We naturally expect all western
senator's and congressman to fight
the Philippine sugar. That the tariff
Will be removed from Porto Rican
sugar | haven't the slightest doubt
/ do not anticipate that Cuba will
ask for any further concessions at
the next session of congress.
The existing uncertainty cannot
otherwise than have disturb
ing effect on the industry through
out America. The only way we can
protect ourselves is not to make any
binding contracts for any long per-
iods of time. Our company is not
the first to make the rule against
contracts for more than one year and
1t Will not be the last, II is what
one would naturally expect under the
circumstances. The American farmer
is the one who suffers first and the
one who suffers most Mr., Taft has
not said what he would ask of con-
gress, but there is a feeling among
those Interested that he is preparing
to ask for free Philippine susar,
which is certain to be the death knell
of the American sugar beet
Mr., McKinnie has heard nothing
of a call for a meeting of the sugar
beet people of the west in Denver
next week and does not imagine such
meeting will be held. He was not
here when Mr.. Havemeyer visited
Colorado Springs on his way from the
Grand Canon in Arizona. Mr.. Have
meyers visit might have been partly
on business since he has extensive
interests throughout Colorado. In
deed he virtually controls the sugar
beet industry of the state.