Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-08-25
Protect THE
SUGAR INDUSTRY
And Increase Returns to Beet
Growers of Country
PRESIDENT OXNARD
GIVES HIS VIEWS
In Testimony Before the Congress
Sugar Investigating Committee
FOREIGNERS Dictate Price

The following is clipped from the
American Sugar Industry. Mr.. Ok
nard referred to and quoted by that
publication, is one OF the leading
spirits in the beet sugar industry,
and has been and is today very prom
inent in American Beet Sugar Co. af-
fairs. What has been done in the
Arkansas valley, in sugar production
and increased land values, seems to
be growing. i'll Michigan. The arti-
Gle originally appeared in the Bay
City Tribune of Michigan:
In his testimony before the house
sugar investigating committee Mr..
Oxnard was asked what would make
sugar cheaper. He answered that all
that was needed was to let it alone
until the beet sugar industry became
able to compete with the world, ad-
ding that the advances in that indus
try in the United States had been
rapid and that they would go on il
the industry were given chance.
Mr.. Oxnard in his testimony be-
fore the same committee stated that
California alone could produce all
the sugar consumed in the United
States, and to take the tariff off su-
gar would ruin the beet sugar indus
try.
The domestic industry has exper-
fenced hard fight for existence ever
since it started and this conflict is
being still waged by the foreign cane
interests and importers who are
spending hundreds of thousands OF
dollars in creating sentiment against
beet sugar for the purpose of driving
out the industry and controlling the
market for 3,35o,ooo tons of sugar an
nually.
The only weapon these people have
to urge against the home industry is
the tariff, despite the fact that one
half the sugar consumed in this
country last year paid no tariff charg-
es whatever. and the greater portion
of the remainder came from Cuba un-
der tarig concession equivalent to
"a cents per 100 pounds. In fact
only $4,000 tons OF suga. which came
into this country last year paid the
full tariff charge. The importers
and cane refners who are clamoring
regarding the tariff are careful to con-
ceal these facts.
The acreage planted to sugar beets
this season is 28.S per cent greater
in Michigan than last year, being ap-
proximately $4,000; larger in fac.
than any other state in the Union. In
other states there has been an ap-
proximate increase OF IS per cent.
Harvesting is in progress in Cali
fornia, and the results arc 3atisfac-
tory. 1t will be nip and tuck be-
tween Michigan and California this
year in sugar production, estimates
of experts placing the same figures
against both states, although with
larger acreage and the promising
in this state at present
lead to the inference that it will head
the list when the final results are
footed.
1t will be impracticablc to make
much progress if the industry shall
not be protected against destructive
foreign competition. If through lack
of adequate protection, the industry
should be rendered Improbable an
industry in which S75,ooo.ooo is in
vested and which is developing rap
idly, putting large sums of money
into the pockets of American farmers
and working people. will be crushed.
and once the foreign sugar interests
obtain control of the market they will
dictate the price OF sugar as they
have done in the item of coffee,
soaking the consumer. It is 4 great
stake they are playing for.
Meantime the beet industry III
Michigan this year will put more than
S.. 600, 600 into the pockets OF farm
ers, to say nothing of the 100000
or more pal the railroads Tor
freights, and large sums paid tor sup
plies and labor in field and factory