Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-03

AAh0S - SSss
formerly paid the fiat price OF $3.50 Of
S. per ton for their sugar beets. the
practice generally followed now 10 tt
pay on a sliding scale on the basis Of
test, starting at $3.50 for IL per cen,
beets. and that 1926 per ton Of 1900
pounds for Is per cent beets Is about
the average price in this country. Will
in Europe the price in 1911 per ton OF
2,240 pounds has been from eos to 24s
equal to SASS to 1856 per ton. with the
leading price Els to 22s Cd per ton. the
equivalent Of 35.1l to $5.4s. This DEM
onstrates pretty clearly that our FAR
mer, who grows sugar beets, Is now
practically on a free trade basis, and a
reduction in duty does not necessarily
mean q lower price On beets for the
farmer. It might be pertinent In this
connection to refer to the fact that
while our domestic beet sugar men
fought very hard when the S~ay.e-A!d-
rich tariff was before congress to pre-
vent any reduction in the tariff or
sugar, they had previously tried tc
have sugar beets (Which is the product
in which the farmer is interested)
placed on the free list, and were sue
cessful in having the duties reduced
from 25 per cent to 10 per cent ad
valorem. This was done so that the
Michigan beef sugar factories could
import sugar pects from Canada In
competition with the Michigan farmer;
Compare the farmers position with
that of the factories. The ad valorem
duty on raw sugar, in which the fac
tory is interested, is about 90 per cent:
the ad valorem rate on sugar beets In
which the farmer is interested Is 10 per
cent. A 10 per cent ad valorem rate OF
duty On sugar beets valued at 1926 pei
ton. testing 10 per cent and containing
300 pounds of sugar. would be at the
rate OF II cents per pound of sugar as
compared with the factory's protection
on refined sugar of 100 cents per
pound. This shows the shallowness OF
the beet sugar factories claim that
they want higher protection on sugar
only for the benefit of the farmer.
The American Sugar Industry
the recognized organ OF the
American beet sugar industry
is the authority for the state
ment that over 1oo.o 600 farmers are en-
gagged in %cultivating sugar beets In
this country. AS the crop Of 1911
produced on $4,000 acres, 1t would
indicate that the average acreage per
farmer devoted to sugar heets was a
trifle over five and o~ne-fourth acres.
This shows that as a class the tndiv1d-
ual farmer produces sugar beets on q
comparatively small scale. They re-
ouire extensive" and intensive" cul-
tivation. In our western states the
field labor is very largely composed OF
Japanese and Hindus, and in the other
states, Russians. Mexicans, and emil
grants from the continent of Europe
are to a great extent employed in this
work. 1t is customary. for men,. women
and children to go into the fields and
do the wedding, thinning. and topping
so we must not get the idea that 1t is
the average American workman with
a family to support that is doing this
work. The beet sugar factories only
operate about three or four months IN
the year. and no argument is required
to show the iaboring man how unsatis-
factory such employment Is.
To return to the factories position:
We tote that for Is per cent beets'
from which they get SIS per cent ex-
traction. or 255 pounds of refined sugar
s5.25 has been. paid. This makes tnsa
nrst cost AZ the rate of 2.06 cents per
mound of sugar, by which 1t will be
seen tina allowing a cent a pound ,or
the cost Of manufacturing and market
ing it is not a very difficult thlng 10
produce beet sugar at a cost OF around
3 cents per pound. and II ha pee
shown that this can be don AS the
process Of turning sugar beets lhto
sugar is purely a mechanical one. II
can not be contended that the high
price of American labor materially m
creases the cost of operating a pee'
sugar factory, as it Is the BOAST OF ene
beet sugar manufacturers that IRON
the time the beets enter h factory on
one side. and refined sugar Is ready 1oi
shipment at the other side. II Is nov
touched by a single human hano. AZ
a matter Of fact, the total labor cost IN
a properly equipped beet sugar FACTORY
is about 3-16 cent per pound OF sugar
produced. Therefore we are not hanol-
capped in this respect as
with producers in Europe. so 1T is ap-
parent that a reduction from the pres
emf tariff on sugar will not cripple oui
arme-s and that the factories cry OF
..ruination," if there should be any
change in the present rate Is entirel!
h foundation. Where beet sugar
factories in this country are properl!
located, thoroughly equipped, and hon
estly capitalized, they have nothing &c
fear from a material reduction In the
duties on sugar. Therefore the present
sugar tariff is not for the legitimate
protection of the industry, neither is II
an equitable revenue measure. we
clearly see the promoters reasons fol
desiring protection" In the capitaliza-
ton of our beet sugar plants. which
exceeds s116, 900. 900. These factories
produced only 45O,5s5 ons Of sugar tr
1910. A cane sugar refinery in Ne"
York, with &c., oo. 900 capitalization
can produce an equal amount OF re-
fined sugar. This shows how the pro-
moters of our domestic beet sugar in
dustry have capitalized the tariff. ant
require It to be continued, only tina
they may pay excessive dividends OF
watered stock. With normal prices II
1910. at least one factory paid a 100 pc
cent dividend, and the Michigan Suga1
Company declared a stock dividend o
IS per cent in addition to their regular
quarterly dividend Of TX per cent OF
their capital stock.
Are Children Worth Saving?
Are h children Of the United States
worth o%ne-eighth as much as the bugs
Hon. Andrew ]. Peters, q memoe 0