The Lamar register., 1913-06-11
tel ~ NA4c aaHf 49,
LIGHT ON SUGAR CAMPAIGN
Domestic Producers, Fighting To
Save Industry, Court Publicity,
The Charges Made by President
Wilson Not Substantiated by
the E'AcAS


to affect tariff legislation in ordel
to overcome the interests OF The
public for their private profit. can
not justly apply " the Producer
OF sugar under the American lag
A number of domestic sugar prudut
ers have been in Washington tol
several weeks seeking by open argu
ment and by the presentation ol
facts to prevent the annihilation OF
their industry. Some of them are
residents of Hawaii. and represent
the commercial bodies of Honolulu
and HilO and are backed by a reso-
luton of the Hawaiian legislature.
Others are Engaged in sugar pro
duction in the Southern and West
ern states and in Porto Rico.
The first thing they did, in pub
fishing the facts. was to print their
names aud addresses and their bus
mess location and to state that
they ARE publishing advertise
ments in four Washington papers
and are printing and distributing
pamphlets setting forth facts in
regard to the domestic sugar in
dustry. The money required for
this purpose has been contributed
voluntarily by the American sugar
producers. No refiner has ever con-
tributed a cent to this work" Not
only have their names and objects
been made known in this publica-
ton. but they are well known in
every newspaper office Of Washing
ton aud In the offices of the press
correspondents. There Ia nothing
secret In their plan of operations
aud nothing to hide from anybody.
and the records of this working
body, known as the Domestic
Sugar Producers. are complete and
open to inspection. Its modest
finances are as open as the day.
II congress wants to find out what
is done with the money expend-
ed and where 1t comes from, the
way to the counting room IL clear
and the books are open.
II such an organization il u
lobby which threatens public viz
tue In any form. what is plain
body of representative citizens.
engaged honestly In legitimate
campaign of education; campaign
which is most obviously needed, es-
pecially in view of the presidents
own misinformatiOn on the sugar
question. to keep the United States
from visiting upon hundreds of
thousands of plain citizens a fin
ancial hardship which they have
done nothing to deserve, and
which. II incurred. will benefit no
one but a most inimical combine
trust7
What can the sugar producers le-
ultimately do when threatened by
50 complete calamity to their
means of livelihood by hostile leg
islation at the national capital, ex-
cept to send representative citizens
here to plead their case? The
process is usual, necessary and JUS
tifiable. All have the vested priv
ilege when their constitutional
rights are endangered, to send hir-
ed attorneys here to plead their
cases in the supreme court. By the
same reasoning they have a natural
right when their Industries are
imperilled by a tariff measure to
send their 6ellow-citizens there to
urge their cause before congress.
and thus ty to avert the threaten
ed calamity. This may be "indus-
trious" on their part but it Is not
'insidious. Labor has often done
this without rebuke. Periodical
publishers of the country have done
it when their properties were
threatened and nearly all Glasses OF
citizens have found 1t necessary or
occasion to appear for or against
proposed legislation. In day when
so much stress Is laid upon appeals
to the people. surely an appeal to
the representatives of the people
10