The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-26
'HOCH HAS IDEAS.
Inclined to Oppose Removal Of
Philippine Sugar Tariff.
May Try to Influence Vote of
Senator Long.
An APPEALING LETTER
Colorado Man Asks Him to Use
Ifinuenee.
Governor Talks of Importance
of Beet Sugar Industry.

Governor FIoch is studying the sugar
question. He has been urged in q long
telegram from W. n. Olson, a former
Kansan, now resident Of Colorado. to
use his influence with Senator Long to
swing Longs vote against the bin ad-
mitting sugar from the Philippine Is
lands duty free.
Governor Hoch mas not reached any
decision. but the Indications are that he
will be inclined % comply with Mr.
Olson's request.
1T means a great deal to western
Kansas said Governor Eoch, 'to have
the beet sugar industry fostered in ev~
cry way. I never fully realized until re-
Gently the immense Importance Of this
matter. But if Kansas secures the right
to irrigate that part of the state, the
sugar beet industry viii at once become
Of great importance.
Already they have made plans for
building a million dollar beet sugar
min at Garden City, and it is not un-
likely that four or five other mills~wiu
be constructed all along that river val
consequently, I feel disposed to
/ oppose any legislation that Will tend
I to discourage the beet sugar business
It appears that the beet sugar men are
. L
/ passage of this bill relieving the Phil
ippine sugar from tariff. They say it
viii ruin the beet sugar industry
Prof. Olson, who has wired me about
/ this matter, was for a number Of years
/ professor at Ottawa university ana the
State Agricultural college
Senator Long was one of the lead
/ ers in the fight for the Cuban reel
procity bill, and in his fight he was en-
| dorsing the president policy. sup
/ pose he is taking the same attitude IN
/ the matter OF. the Philippine tarlm, and
| that for this reason the beet sugar peo-
| pie are anxious to have the people OF
Kansas try to induce him to oppose
the measure. Senator Longs position
in that Cuban fight was, as remem-
ber 1t, that Cuban sugar constituted a
minor portion of the sugar used IN
this coantry, and that the domestic
sugar would inevitably control the
lprlces regardless OF the duty.
tsWhen Leonard Wood came here
1 to make his speech at the Kansas
Day club, about the time Of that
Cuban fight, he said in his speech
that the reason for the passage Of
the Cuban reciprocity bill was 10 en-
able the consumers of the country to
get cheap sugar. He pointed out
how the Cuban sugar would pull
down the price of this great staple,
and so beneft the community. Erf-
dently Mr.. Wood and Mr. Long did
not agree on the effect of the pro-
posed measure.
"In common with a good many
other people, I was of the opinion
when l came into the governor
Office that the litigation between
Kansas and Colorado did not amount
to much could not see how we
had much to gain. But since I have
studied the situation somewhat, and
have learned that on the old estab-
Iished theory of priority of water
rights Kansas should have its irriga.-
ting bitches filed first, I have con-
cluded that the suit is of great i'm
portance. 1t looks as though there
was not much question but the pri-
ority of right question would be de-
cided in our favor and this means
that large area in western Kansas
can be placed under irrigation It
would be worth a vast sum to the
state to win this case