The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-02
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
Dick Hopkins Goes After the
Sugar Trust.
Garden City People Have to Pay
Freight ON Sugar.
FACTORY IN TOWN.
The Sugar Never Even Loaded
on a Car.
FACTORY IN TOWN
j. w. Creech, of Harrington, Out
for Lieutenant Governor.

Dick Hopkins of Garden City, can
didate for lieutenant governor, made
the southwest trip with Governor
Stubs last week. In his preliminary
remarks to me governors speech Mr..
Hopkins made some startling state
ments about the workings of the sugar
trust in which he undertook to show
that the people of Garden City, with a
sugar factory in their town, were
forced to pay freight on sugar from
New Orleans in addition to the regular
price And this, mind you, on sugar
that had never been loaded on a car.
Mr.. Hopkins speech in full on this
subject was a S follows:
1.-THE time has arrived in American
politics when every candidate who
aspires to a political office which has to
do with legislation should state openly,
unequivocally and without hesitation
where he stands on the political issues
affecting his constituents. And he who
refuses so to do should not receive the
support of the voters. I apply this test
because the Office to which aspire has
TO do with legislation. AS an aspirant
for the office of lieutenant governor F.!
think the people should understand
those principles in which believe be-
cause the lieutenant governor is by
virtue of his Office the president of the
state senate and is in position to exert
a tremendous influence on legislation
that comes before that body.
There are many who view the tar
fff as the most important problem to
be solved by the American people.
There are others who argue that the
question of state taxes is the important
issue. But in my opinion the greatest
problem confronting the people of
Kansas and the people of the nation is
the question of transportation in con-
nection with trusts and combines and
the question of freight rates. The last
decade has witnessed the growth of
gigantic mOnOpOiieS, com binatiOnS and
trusts; it has witnessed the building
and extension of great railway SyS-
TENS The growth has been of such
rapidity that the laws of the state and
nation have been Signally inadequate
to control them within proper limits.
I will give you a specific example of
a condition that exists in this country
today; one that ought to arouse
public sentiment Notwithstanding how
deep it may sIumber. We have at
Garden City the only sugar beet mill
in the state of Kansas, Something
like $4,000 acres Of land are utilized in
that vicinity for the growing of sugar
beets. This is one of the most mod
ern sugar factories in existence. The
beets go in at one end of the factory,
while at the other end their product
comes out as refined graduated sugar.
There are in the United States three
zones or districts within which the
selling price of sugar is fixed by the
trust One is the New York district,
one the California district and one the
New Orleans district. Kansas is with
in the New Orleans district. And
every pound of sugar that you use is
paid for on the basis of the New Or
leans market plus the freight from
New Orleans here
I'm Garden City We have the same
freight rate on sugar as Hutchinson,
Kan. And here is the point that I
want you to take home with you and
not forget: That sugar which is manu-
featured in Garden City, though never
placed upon a car. though never trans
ported a single mile, can be purchased
only at the New Orleans price plus
the freight from New Orleans to
Hutchinson, Kan 1t seems almost in
conceivable that We as a free nation
should be confronted by condition of
this kind The sugar factory at Gar
den City is owned by an independent
company whose existence would be alb
solute1y impossible unless its product is
disposed of at the price made by the
trust.
This is only one example of a prob
lem that we must solve. I want YOU
peopl, to understand that if I should
be elected lieutenant governor that
every energy and ability at my COM
mand will be exerted to secure laws
for the regulation of such evils as this
And so long as 1 am in public life my
voice shall be ever raised in behalf of
those measures designed to stamp out
such iniquities and inequalities 1 shall
ever strive to secure to the people a
square DEAL And if the voters do not
L
should have the opportunity of voting
for the other man. Let no candidate
sail under false colors, let him procure
no votes under false pretenses. But
let him come out in broad daylight and
state where he stands on public ques-
lions or be branded always as a men,
Der Of that political crowd who conduct
their campaigns behind closed doors
and away from the public gaze"
The race for lieutenant governor
will take on increased public interest
from now until the primaries. The
entrance of J. w Creech of Harrington
into the running will cause REINFORCED
activities on the part of Glenn of Trib-
une and Hopkins of Garden City.
Creech is a great friend of Wagstaff
and has a strong following among
the machine men all over the state.
To start out. Mr.. Creech announced
from his headquarters in Harrington