Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-03-07

ing the labor cost in the two in
dustries mentioned. A statement
recently issued containing statistical
information about labor in the Phil
ippines gives the fact that the labor
employed in the growing of cane
and beet sugar and in tobacco
culture is semi-cool1e and semi
slave labor and receives from eight
to fifteen cents per day. The state
ment is also made that labor en-
ployed in the American industries
is from eighty cents to $500 per
day.
An article in one of the leading
publications under a recent date
states: There are in the Philip
pine Islands many millions of acres
of phenomenally fertile lands per-
fectIy adapted to the growth of
sugar cane and tobacco. These
lands now covered with valuable
timber and purchased at 81 to 50
per acre or less can be cleared of
timber and made ready for cultiva
ton by labor at ten cents per day.
while land in this country suitable
for the growing Of sugar beets and
tobacco is worth from $50 to 5000
per acre" 1t is further commended
that the passage of the Philippine
bill would be entirely in the inter
est OF the trusts and against the
Interests of the American farmer
producing the tobacco and sugar
beets, 1t being claimed that the to-
bacco men would invest their money
In Philippine lands and that the
sugar trust already has invested.
Members of the Wisconsin delega
ton who voted against the bill had
this state of facts in mind and had
investigated the situation as it af-
fects the tobacco and beet sugar in
dustry of Wisconsin The claim
that the bill will benefit sugar con-
sumers, is held to be ridiculous
from the fact that the sugar trust
is already prepared to take advant-
age of the importation of raw sugar
by the erection of refneries at
points on the Pacific coast, and
thus would be able to meet and
destroy the only competition they
now have to contend with from
the sugar beet men. Congressman
,Babcock and other members of the
delegation wh) voted against the
bill, carefully investigated the en-
tire question Of tobacco and sugar
beets and the production of these
commodities in the Philippines.
before opposing the measure.
All important legislation is mat
ter of slow processes especially in
the senate, where debate sometimes
continues for days and in the mean
time routine business IS interpersed-
1t is no easy matter to secure the
right of way for a particular meas
ure when the objection of one sena-
tor will prevent consideration. In
respect to the rate bill however.
which at the present time absOPbs
attention, the senate feels disposed
to clear the track for its being voted
upon at as early date as possible.
The debate continues from day to
day and the amendments will be
received and the entire question
disposed of as soon as possible. 1t
was a queer move in politics to
place the bill in the hands of
Senators Tillman of South Carolina,
but it is believed that bis manage
ment of the measure will result in a
satisfactory law. The main quest
ion now under consideration relates
to the power of the courts to review
the decision of the commission
when a rate is made. Both Wiscon-
sin senators are taking an active in
terest in the legislation and no
doubt speeches will be made by
them during the tendency of the
bill