Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-04-04
CAN SETTLE FATE
OF SUGAR INDUSTRY
Thomas and Shafroth, Colorado SEN
ators, Hold the Votes Which
Can Stop Tariff Cut

The fate of the sugar industry of
Coloradoi lin which millions of capital
has been invested, says Aaron Cove
of Denver, rests with the two United
States senators from Colorado, John
+. Shafroth and Charles S. Thomas.
II these two men vote to take the
tariff off of sugar, sugar beet fields
in the state will be.a thing of the past
and the huge factories, where the raw
product is converted into sugar, will
either be torn down or stand as al
monument to impress coming enera-
tions with the fact that one of the
greatest industries of Colorado per-
ished because two of its senators vot-
ed ior the interests of their party
and not for the commercial better
ment OF their state and the welfare OF
the people whom they served.
Mr.. Cove is one OF the authorities
on the tariff question in the West. He
returned to Denver recently from
Washington and he is thoroughly ia
miliar with governmental affairs. He
has wide personal acquaintance
with members of the present congress
and while in the nations capital he
made it his business to determine Just
what the new administration is pre-
pared to do or not to do for Colorado.
Il wish to criticise no one" said
Mr.. Cove. Ex-senator Thomas OF
Senator Shafroth cast an anti-protec-
ton vote in the senate / will not CEN
sure either of them. l would feel
that they had voted as their con-
sciences directed and that they were
sincere.
But it is right and just that the
people OF Colorado be advised OF the
ne at u
ton. The senators of this state are
clothed with great power at this time.
On the votes OF Colorado's two sena-
tors depends the fate of the beet SUI
gar industry of the state as well as
zinc, lead and wool.
There are "a senators in the upper
house OF congress. OF this number
there are so democrats, and A repub-
Leans. But the democrats in the SEN
ate do not all favor taking the tariff
off these products. There are two
democratic senators from Louisiana
who are opposed to anti-protection.
If the Colorado senator's vote against
tie bill to take the tariff off sugar
then the vote would stand 40 for and
IS against the measure. In this way
the beet sugar industry of the state
would be preserved. The whole ques-
ton is in the hands OF Senators
Thomas and Shafroth.
at has always been the history in
this state that, the good of the state
was the first matter to be considered
by is senators and after that came the
question OF party affiliations. Every
senator that Colorado has sent to
Washington has made Colorado first
his motto.
1T has been the principle of Sena-
tor Thomas to oppose the protective
tariff. He claims that to take the tar
iff off OF sugar and other products OF
the state will not injure the state nor
the people in any way and will have
but little effect upon the prosperity OF
the West As far as Senator Shafroth
is concerned, every public act OF the
former governor and every public ut
terance has indicated that he will lay
aside his party prejudices to vote for
the best interests OF the people who
elected him.
There is another thing that enters
into the question that concerns Colo
RADIO which is yet matter of specula-
ton. There are two vacant seats in
the senate which await the action of
the Illinois state legislature. If IL
linois sends two democrats to the
senate it is probable that they will
cast anti-protection votes. On the
other hand there is chance that
oin with the republicans to defeat
the bill passed by the house for free
sugar.
Senator Thomas has, declared that
sugar needs no protection. ! hope
that he will conclude that this an
nounc ement made last December
was from incomplete evidence and
that he will learn the truth.
"If the tariff is taken off sugar the
home industries cannot operate at a
profit and the ultimate result will be
that the sugar beet industry in Colo
rado will perish. We are now on the
ragged edge of the precipice. If the
tariff on our products is removed, 1t
would not be safe for the manufactur-
ers to say to the farmers, we will
have to give you less money for your
crops The farmers would not agree
to such a proposal, but would tell the
manufacturers that they would quit
raising beets and use their fields for
the raising of other products. The
farmers are independent and would
not listen to any proposed reduction
in the selling prices.
at seems that the contest over the
tariff question is not a political strug-
gle, but that it is being waged be-
tween the great commercial interests
of the country. 1t is reasonable that
when the beet sugar manufacturers
can put sugar on the Eastern market
at 2 cents a pound cheaper than cane
sugar, that the cane sugar manufac-'
turers would enjoy seeing the beet su-
gar industry destroyed. The removal
of the tariff from sugar would mean
that the sugar industry of the world
would be placed in the control OF four
individuals. The cane sugar men
have fought against the sale OF beet
sugar-thcy have said these beet isu-