Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1912-05-24
ABOUT BEET
"'S $UGA Min INDUSTRY
Chief Chemist of American
Beet Sugar Company Re-
flutes Gov. Thomas
Statements


The statement of former Governor
Thomas on the sugar tariff question,
given publicity through the Rocky
Mountain News, find complete an
swer, and complete refutation, at the
hands of ii. E Zitkowski, chief chem
list of the American Beet Sugar COM
pany in an article prepared for the
Ch;eftain. Mr. Zitkowski is stationed
at the sugar factory at Rocky Ford.
His knowledge OF the subject stands
showing of lack OF actual knowledge
on the part of the man he answers.
He says:
III the sentiment expressed by the
vote of the house on the free sugar
bill reflects the sentiment of the ma
jority of the people, and we must be-
lieve it does, then, unless this senti-
ment changes, the American people
will demand duty-free sugar. What
the basis for this demand is, is diff
cult to understand and why congress
should single out this one commodity
and place it on the free list is beyond
us unless indeed congress was taken
in by the refining interests, the sugar
trust.
1T is readily understood, of course.
why the country demands revision of
the sugar schedule. We cannot easily
forget the under-weighing frauds
which the sugar trust was found
guilty of, and we demand that the in
terests be punished therefor, but the
writer sincerely hopes that the Amer
lean people will not allow spirit of
vengeance to shape their tariff poll
cies which, in turn, can only act as
boomerangs.
Tariff legislation has only too long
been used as an instrument with
which to reward the faithful and pun
ish those without the fold. This has
been the despair of all tsinkers on tar
if questions and is the principal rea-
son why nations like Germany can
outstrip us in SO many industrial ac-
tivities. Under the inevitable law of
compensation we cannot escape the
penalty and labor as well as capital
will suffer the consequences of our err
rors in tariff legislation.
Much that is absolute rot is spo-
ken and written on both sides of the
tariff question, until it finally becomes
disgusting to follow the discussion.
Either the country will be ruined if Il
single reduction, no matter how insig-
nificant. is made or, unless the tariff
is entirely removed, we shall all soon
I
it we but stop to reason, that neither
of these arguments can be true.
1t is often asserted, in discussing
the sugar tariff, that the beet sugar
industry can well exist even though
the tariff on sugar be entirely rcmov-
ed. Thus, Governor c. S. Thomas in
the Rocky Mountain News, writes as
follows:
Being in favor OF a revenue tariff
on sugar, and having little doubt that
i'll the final adjustment the financial
needs of the government will require
its retention upon fair basis, | can
not justly be accused of insincerity
if affirm that should all duty upon
that commodity be removed it would
not injure the business particle, OK
cept to relieve the consumer by re-
ducing the tremendous profits OF the
trust We shall continue to raise
beets to run the factories, and build
Others to meet the growing needs OF
growing population.
After making this unqualified state
ment he does not produce one iota of
evidence to support his contention.
II his statement is correct, that beet
sugar manufacturers could exist with
duty-frec sugar, then indeed the prof
its at present, with a protection of
aDpul ~ - per IOO pOuHuS, must NC
enormous. If the profit per bag is
equivalent to the duty then the var
ious bcetee sugar factories must, I'M
der average conditions, paw from so
to 100 per cent on the investment
yearly. These profits. being so enor-
mously high, why is it then that we
are only producing one-fourth of the
sugar we consume? Is it not likely
that under such circumstances capt.
tai would be only too eager to invest
| its money in the beet sugar industry
However, / am laying myself liable,
by such reasoning. to the same criti-
cism that Gov. Thomas does in his
article and that is unnecessary.
In hearing No. ~, of the special
committee of the house OF represent
atives investigating the sugar sc.hed-
ule will be found the cost of produc-
ton of 100 pounds OF sugar of some
80 beet sugar factories in the United
States. In order to arrive at an av-
eragc cost | have compiled this cost
| figure in the table below:
COST OF MANUFACTURE