The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-29
Beet Sugar and the Tariff

The National Farmer of Bay City,
Mich, contains some interesting in
formation in it's issue Of March IA,
concerning the free sugar bill allied
with refiners of foreign raw cane
sugar. In connection with this it
might be said that the passage of
a tariff on beet sugar will be of
special interest to the citizens of
Mankato and the farmers in the sur
rounding county in so far as the es-
tablishing of a beet sugar factory
by the Minnesota Sugar Beet COM
pany, is considerably dependent on
this tariff. If the tariff remains in
force, it is highly probable that the
factory may be built at Mankato.
In part, the article which appear
ed in The National Farmer is as
follows:
Congressman Fordney, champion of
American industry, and man who
is thoroughly conversant with the
sugar issue now pending in con-
gress, says the free traders in the
house admit having entered into an
unholy alliance with the sugar re-
iners, "the sole beneficiaries of
such legislation" Mr.. Fordney also
declares that the preservation of the
purity OF the Anglo-Saxon race and
the stability of the government in
Cuba are menaced by the Under.
wood bill. He predicted that If the
bill became a law it would lead to
the annexation of Cuba by the Unit.
ed States
In this connection he pointed out
that under existing treaty stipulations
Cuban sugar enjoys preferential adj
vantages in the American market.
He argues that if Cuban sugar is
deprived of a market in the United
States, as would be the case if the
product was admitted free from all
countries, turmoil and excitement
would follow in Cuba, thus forcing
this government to annex the island.
This measure might we'll be ell.
titled AN act to surrender revenue,
destroy competition and create mo-
nopoly, said Mr.. Fordney.
Summarizing the objections OF the
republican members of the commit
tee to the Underwood sugar bill. the
Fordney report said:
| ut is the boldest attempt in the
history of our republic to surrender
an important and growing industry
! to foreign importers and foster a
monopoly.
| ut is against the domestic sugar
importers and solely in the inter
ests of the refners of imported raw
sugar, commonly known as the
sugar monopoly and if enacted into
law it will deprive the government
| of more than $52,OO0,O00 of much
needed revenue.
Every pound of beet sugar made
in the United States is the finished
product-granulated sugar. 1t is the
only competitor which the refining
interests have. If the competitor is
put out of the way the refining In
terests will have a monopoly OF the
sugar industry of the United States.
Under the operation of this bill
the New York importers could re-
duce the price OF sugar temporarily
| to the amount of the tariff taken
out Of the treasury which would be
transferred to their pockets, and
! without losing a cent themselves,
the price would be held down until
| the domestic beet sugar industry Is
crushed, and then, without compet'
ton, the consumer would pay for his
sugar as he is now paying these
same importers for his coffee. Tho
free traders in congress now pro-
pose schedules to bring upon the
multitude of persons engaged in the
beet sugar industry in Michigan,
Kansas, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Ohio
and California and in the production
of cane sugar in Louisiana. To say
that the revenue thus lost by the
removal of the duty on sugar could
be made up in some other way,
such as Chairman Underwood's bill
! for extending the corporation tax,
would be small consolation for the
thousands of individuals who would
be overtaken by financial disaster
through the destruction of a large
and growing industry which is pro.
tected in every sugar producing
country in Europe, and which, II
protection is continued in the Unit
| ed States, would soon cease to be
Imported. AS an "insurgent" sena.
| tor is quoted by the American Econ.
omist, "that is the biggest fool prop
osition ever offered to congress by
responsible party" But with few
exceptions it has the support of the
entire free-trade party in congress.
To throw away $52,O00,000 of reve-
niue, and to destroy an industry that
distributes within the confines of the
United States alone, excluding Por.
| to Rico, Hawaii and the Philippine
Islands, 90,OOO,OOO last year. nearly
all in wages and salaries, is an act
of blind folly.
According to the census returns
the beet sugar industry in this coun-
try increased 557 per cent In ten
years. At the same ratio of increase
| it would be only a comparatively
short time until this country would
produce all of the sugar 1t now con-
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