The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-04-26
ABOUT FREE SUGAR.

Had President Wilson deliberately
connived at the confusion OF his own
friends and followers in Michigan he
could not have fathered any one policy
30 successfully as free sugar The con-
vention that nominated him on a
tariff for revenue platform proffered
this solemn reinsurance to the inves-
tors and manufacturers and prouucers
OF America
We recognize that our system of tariff
taxation is intimately connected with
the business of the country, and we
favor the ultimate attainment of the
principles we advocate by legislation
chat will not injure or destroy legiti-
mate industry.
IL will not be denied by any democrat
chat the beet sugar industry Of Mich
gan Is Legitimate industry. 1t
can hardly be questioned that the ad-
mission OF sugar tree of duty will sin
jure' that industry, il not destroy"
it. Congressional investigation has
shown that the average cost of produc-
ing pound of beet sugar in eleven
plants in the United States is 3.54
cents. OF this "a cents goes TO the
farmer and IA cents to the manufac.
turer. The cost OF producing pound
OF beet sugar in Germany is 2. IA cents.
according to official reports. Obvious
~ Germany could send duty free sugar
into the United States at cents a
pound or less and make a reasonable
profit Only those concerns in the
far west which are said to produce su-
gar ut less than the average cost. and
which are better protected by freight
rates from the seaboard, could with.
stand such competition.
Any doubt on this point Will be
quickly removed by perusal OF the
testimony taken during the congress
sional investigation of the sugar bust
ness by the Hardwick committee. when
the officers of several large refineries
testified, as did Secretary Heike of the
American Sugar Refining Co.. that the
removal of the duty on sugar would
destroy the beet industry absolutely.
and urged such removal for their own
benefit.
Wiley Extols Beet Farming.
SO well is this menace to Michigan
recognized by President Wilson's best
friends and supporters in this state
that many Of them have petitioned him
10 remember the pledge of the party for
the protection Of Legitimate industry
and have pleaded for moderate tariff
On sugar rather than no tariff at ALL
Among the petitioners are Chairman
Shields Of the democratic state com
mittee, and such prominent Wilson
workers as Chairman Hemans of the
state railroad commission, George f.
Hummer Of Holland and H. f Rowev
of Lansing. These men speak for II
factories in Michigan which, in less
than two decades, have come 10 ehal
lenge the supremacy of Colorado and
California in the beet industry. and
which produce nm annual output equal
10 the value Of the whole wheat crop of
the state.
These men speak for an industry that
promotes agriculture by encouraging
aeep blowing. intense cultivation and
scientific crop rotation. when / con
slider the beneficial effect of this sugar
industry ON other agricultural indus
tries. said DR.. Wiley before the Hard
wick committee. 81 would go as far as
it would DO profitable TO the farmers
OF the United States to maintain that
industry. Il is fair TO assume that if
IL were not profitable for the farmers
of Michigan to raise sugar beets they
would MT have planted more than $50,
600 acres with beets last year And
yet the only hope held out TO MiUhi-
gan v Wilsonian petitioners Is the pre-
sidentiaI offer of an immediate reduc-
tion of 20 per cent in the sugar tariff,
and postponment OF the free entry of
sugar for three years.
Will The Price be ReducedS
Surely there must be good reason for
the Wilson sugar-program. The demo
Gratis who tried 20 force free sugar
through the last congress said the re-
moval OF the duty would lower the
price and so help to reduce the cost of
living. Speaker Clark said sugar would
cost the consumer two cents less
pound with the duty and Leader I'm
derwood said one and half cents The
average duty being 1875 cents a pound.
these gentlemen had evidently convin-
ced themselves that free sugar would
save for the consumer more than the
duty.
There Is more of hope than common
sense In this absurditg. Free hides
have not reduced the cost Of boots and