Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-09-15
"Suaar and Free Trade"

/ Early in the summer the Los Ange-
les Times published. editorially, an ar
Iticle on Sugar and Free Trade" by
1.-THE Hon. F. q. r. Gordon of Haverhll.
Mass. So much interest has been
manifested in the free sugar provision
Iof the Democratic tariff monstrosity
THAT we reprint Mr.. Gordon's article,
las follows;
| Next to the United Kingdom we are
| the worlds greatest consumer of su-
| gar Out of a total estimated produc-
ton of 1901, 900 tons in 1913, this ma
ton will consume 3,500,000 tons. or
iabeut 5000 900, 600 pounds. This is equal
to eighty-one pounds per capita of our
popula tioon. About one-haf of our
present consumption OF sugar IS either
domestic or insular production and, of
course, pays no duty. ON cuban SUI
gar there is a 20 per cent. reduction of
duty, which reduced duty figures at
.34S cents per pound, so that only %
to y per cent of our sugar consninp-
ltion pays the full import duty of 1855
cents per pound. The average duty be-
ing about = cents per pound on less
than 1900, 600 0o0 pounds of imported
tariff sugar, the cost per capita of our
population amounts to but 10 cents
per year. And as Uncle Sam receives
500, ono, 900 a year, or a little more, in
sugar tariff duties, which, with free
sugar, would have to be raised from
some other source of taxation, we are
actually paying net just about 20 cents
"a year per capita for sugar protection
A dollar year for family of five;
really, a ridieulously small sum to pay
for the protection of a great industry
in which more than 100000 people
gain their livelihood.
In the beet sugar industry alone
more than $l00 900. 900, of capital is in
vested, producing $4,000 tons of sugar
and paying out yearly s20, cocoon to the
farmers fer beets. Tens of thousands
of farmers produce beets on 365, 900
acres Of land.
Not only is this industry the chief
source of income for these farmers,
but i. aids in enriching the soil. MAX
ing possible the production of greater
crops and furnishing feed to an i'm
mense number of cattle and hogs
There are twenty states engaged in
beet sugar production, Colorado, Cali
fernia and Michigan leading.
The cane sugar industry in Texas
and Louisiana has an investment at
the present time of at least 5000, 900 900,
directly and indirectly, and gives en-
|pleyment to 500,0o people. Free sugar
would destroy our present adeanta-
eeous reciprocal duty arrangement
with Cuba 6full reciprocity on every
thing-not partial reciprocity, as was
proposed with Canada,) under which
our sales there of manufactured goods
have so largely increased. Our trade
with Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippines would be most Seri-
ously affected both capital and labor
would suffer, and for all this vast loss
We are promised cheaper sugar, a
promise that could hardly be made
good, for sugar now is cheaper in this
country than in part of Europe, ex-
cept the United Kingdom, and is with
in " cent a pound of being as cheap
as it is there
The average price of sugar at re-
tail in this country is 81 cents per
pound. In Europe the average is rs
cents per pound, or 81 cents per pound
HiSHtf tildH mere. IN tne united King
dom the price is cents and a fraction
1t is more than doubtful if free sugar
will reduce the price at all
With the ruin of the industry here
|and its Generalization in Hawaii, Por-
to Rico and the Philippines, supply and
demand would play SO important
part in the price that sugar might
/ even advance in price.
The present tariff maintains a vast
industry, both in the United States
and in our insular possessions, and the
cost of it all is actually not over 81
| per family per year. And yet a Dem
loeratic House, aided by a Democratic
President Ito say nothing of Republi-
can Congressman Nolan and Kent of
California; calmly proceeds to destroy
Its large pay rolls for workers and
farmers, in spite of pledges and
promises to restore, not Destroy"
al