The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1908-09-23
sHAFoRTH AND SUGAR eEETs.
"Honestjohn" Had Opportunity To
Vote for Protection to the Great
Industry and Refused to Vote.

Honest john Shaforth went out
to Arvada night before last to open
his campaign for governor on the
Democratic ticket. 1t was not an
auspicious opening. 1t was pretty
much of a hole-andcorner business.
MIR. Shaforth had the misfortune TO
take up the sugar beet question for
getful of his record and his party's
record in congress on this very ques-
tion. Congressman Robert w. Bonyn
of the First congressional district, WI
will be heard from often in this cam
paign with respect to Mr.. Shaforth
and the latter's position Oh questions
of moment and Big Mitt ethics had
his attention called TO the talk made
by the Democratic nominee and ne
produced the documentary evidence
against Mr.. Shaforth as a member OF
congress and against the Democratic
party as a national organization.
The Fifty-third congress was Dem
ocratic and the Democratic Wilson
German bill was enacted Aug. 81,
1894, which by section 1S2 repealed
the bounty on sugar grown in the
United States. When the Republican
national convention met in 1896,
it said on the sugar question: we
condemn the present administration
(referring to the Cleveland admins
tration under which the Wilson-Gor-
man bill was passed) for not keeping
faith with the sugar producers of this
country. The republican party favors
such protection as will lead to the pr
duction on American soil OF all the
sugar which the American people use
and for which they pay other coun-
tries more than S1O0,00O.000 annually.
"As soon as William Mckinley was
inaugurated as president he called
congress in special session to enact
a new tariff law and as the result tn
Dingley bill was passed. which by its
provisions carried out the pledge in
the national Republican platform of
1896 in regard to sugar. Confessedly
the provisions of the bill have had
the desired effect. Even Democrats
in Colorado, almost without exception
admit that TIE protection afforded
by Republican protective tariff law
known as lie D.ngley bill, encourag-
ed and developed the the beet sugar
industry. - the t.me the bill was
passed we had but six sugar beet fac
tories l., ,ne ULit I'd States and pro-
duced annually only 10000 tons OF
beet sugar. Now we have sixty-four
factories and produce annually 500.
900 short tons of sugar, 100000 tons
of which are raised in Colorado. Thi
marvellous result is admittedly due to
the Republican policy of protection
accorded to the industry by the Rep
ublican Dingley tariff bill.
"Mr. Shafroth was a member of
congress at the time the bill was en-
acted. We naturally have right TO
expect that he was one of its fore
most advocates, now that he is so
strongly opposed to any modification
of its sugar schedule. Alas and Alack
The Congressional Record, on Page
557 of volume 80, shows that when
the roll was called on this bill, con
tanning the sugar schedule which has
worked such wonders for Colorado,
our distinguished representative sat
in his seat and contented himself by
responding present page 557, Con
gressional Record, Volume 80, Part
u, refusing either to vote for or a
gainst the bill, and by publishing in
the appendix to the Congressional
Record a speech in which he said a
mong other things, You all know as
well as l do that the American peo-
pie care little about the question OF
the tariff (Appendix, page 260, Con
gressional Record, Volume 30, Part
~.
True to Democratic precedents. nc
that the law is in force and has ac'
complished what our Republican
friends said it would, he indorses 1t
and opposes a modification in its sug
ar schedule, even as to the Phillip
pine islands.
Since the passage of the bill the
Philippines islands have been ac-
Quired. There are many who believe
that as long as the islands belong
to the United States our markets
should be open to them. President
Roosevelt recommended bill for tha
purpose. 1t came before the ways an
means committee of the fifty-eigh
congress. That committee reported
a bill providing for a reduction in
per cent of the rate paid under the
the tariff on PHILIPPINE sugar to %
per cent of the rate paid under the
Dingley bill until April IL. 1909. af-
ter which time 1t should be admitted