Arizona republican., 1911-10-21
Protection and the Sugar Industry.

duty on sugar will undoubtedly be
removed. OF course the result of
this policy will be to flood the
United States with foreign sugar at
out Of the market thereby destroying
the beet sugar industry in this coun-
try. After the beet sugar industry
has been destroyed, the sugar trust
can be depended upon 10 enter into
such arrangements with foreign man
ufacturers as will enable the trust
to control American markets. and up
will go the price of sugar again.
No industry better illustrates the
difference between the republican
policy and the democratic policy than
the beet sugar business. 1t is the
rrepublcan policy to protect home in
dustries in their beginning to such
an extent as will enable them to
ling price in the market is thereby
made higher: and, as the industry
develops and is in less need of pro-
lection. it is the republican policy
| gradually to reduce tariff charges
until the duty is only high enough To
equalize the difference between pro-
duction here and abroad. Adherence
to the principle of protection has
brought thousands of American fac
tories into existence and has given
employment to hundreds Of thou
sands of American workmen. Var
been frequent in tariff bills. to be
sure: but because republican and
democratic congressman alike have
ignorantIy or sclfishly ignored spe-
cific conditions and have stood to-
gether for the enactment of high
duties on articles which did not need
a high tariff.
It was to correct this abuse that
President Taft devised the plan of a
partisan, scientific tariff board
which should make an impartial in
vestigation Of the costs of produc-
tion here and abroad and lay before
congress a report which would enable
that body for the first time in the
history of our government to enact
a scientific tariff bill-a bill which
would afford protection only where
it is needed and only To the extent
that il is needed The tariff board
will make its report to congress at
the coming session. and if the two
parties Will stop playing politics long
enough to legislate without prejudice
or bias. the tariff will be taken out
Of politics To- a large extent, and
American industries will be placed
upon a permanent basis of prosperity.
Undoubtedly duties will be lowered
very generally.
The beet sugar industry is still in
its infancy. 1t cannot thrive with
ties are necessary to enable it to
prosper will be made known when
the tariff board renders its report
Arizona. Colorado, and many other
states are deeply interested in fos-
tering the prosperity Of this industry.
We append some editorial comments
from the Denver Republican which
clearly set forth the Colorado view
point:
The trust is a sugar cane sup
porter; it has that field to itself
| There is no opposition in the cane re-
filming business and the profits are
larger and more certain than i'm the
beet business. The Arbuckle division.
which, since the death of HaVemeyer.
is at the head of the cane sugar in
dustry is moving for free sugar.
and under existing conditions the
move will meet with favor. In short.
there is danger to the sugar beet in
dustry of the west. The democratic
party and the mugwump division i'm
the other party may be expected to
join hands with the sugar cane COM
binc
The high price of sugar. retail. is
the entering wedge to cleave prOtec-
| ton at the coming session of con-
gress. This increased price is due to
a shortage abroad of the cane prod
uct. But those most deeply interest
ed in the cane industry use this
shortage TO strike at the sugar beet
industry i'm this country and to have
the bars thrown down to sugar from
all lands free Of duty.
'Duty-free cane sugar would mean
reduction in price. so low in ordinary
years that sugar beet growing would
become Improbable. This would he
TO the cane refiner's advantage. He
| would have the whole market to
himself undisputed; there would be
no danger from the sugar beet states
at home.
IF the sugar beet industry in this
| country had been a greater factor in
the worlds sugar market the recent
| increased price would not have been
possible. The amount produced year
| ly in this country is not sufficient to
fix the home price. therein is where