The Topeka state journal., 1913-09-02

THOMPSON TALKS
Junior Kansas Senator on
the Tariff.
Says He Will Vote for Party
Bill.
HAS been MISREPRESENTED
Hard on the Sugar Factory at
Garden City.
But Rest of State and Party De-
mand Free Sugar.
HAS been MISREPRESENTED

Washington, Sept. 2.-Declaring
that local fnteret would never again
govern the making of an American
tariff, and that the tariff is a thing
merely tolerated for the necessary
purpose of raising revenue, Senator
Thompson of Kansas today in the
senate in a long speech forcibly scout
ed the idea that he or any other west
ern Democratic senator intended to
vote aginst the tariff bill because of
the sugar and woolen schedules.
while all the property l have in
the world, and the best friends I have
on earth are located in the sugar sec
ton of my state, yet / must, as a SEN
ator, disregard my personal interest
and the interest of my personal
friends he said.
There are not more than 1000 peo-
pie. in Kansas directly interested in
the raising of sugar beets; while there
are about 100000 people who have
no interest whatever in the business
and must purchase sugar.
Free sugar will result in saving
to the people of Kansas of $1,1OO,0O
a year-more than the entire cost of
the Garden City factory, the only one
in the state"
Thompson reviewed the Payne-A1d-
rich tariff and the ruin it brought to
the Republican party, and invited the
progressive Republicans to vote for the
to the former, warning the progress
sives that the people were watching
their conduct in this test.
Retorting to the claims of Repub
hcans that the farmer was being dis
eliminated against, he showed how at
present the farmer must sell in free
markets whilst buying every article
he consumes or implement he uses
in the, highest and most monopoly
ridden market in the world He had
printed in the record lists of articles
necessary on the farm which will be
made free by the present bill
Senator Thompson said that the mes
sage of the Democratic party was:
Thou shalt not steal
These words were written on Sinai
by the hand of God, amidst a cloud of
smoke and flashing Hghtnings. These
words are as sacred and al.today as
when first written centuries ago. They
form the principal ethos of modern po-
1itical thought
Senator Thompson's speech was as
follows:
Been Misrepresented.
Mr.. President, it is not my purpose
to discuss in detail the various sched-
uleS of the tariff bill or any one sched-
ule in particular. [ simply desire to
present. in a general way, the tariff
question presented by the bill under
consideration, in order that my vote
may be fully understood.
perhaps. been more often misrepre-
sented by the opposition press of my
state than those of any other senator.
The Republican and Progressive pa
pers, without the slightest foundation
or authority. were quick to assume and
boldly announce to the public that be-
cause I reside at Garden City, where
we have the only sugar refinery in the
state. I would vote against the clause
in the bill providing for free sugar aft
er three years. and would eventually
vote against the entire bill If it includ-
ed this provision. The Republican
press seem unable to get over the idea
that every senator must be guided only
by local conditions.
These Misrepresentation were so
general that my constituents became |
somewhat alarmed as to my position |
and, contrary to my usual custom.
felt it necessary to give statement to |
the press.
I have always stood for a material |!
reduction of the tariff, on sugar as !
well as all other necessaries of life. |
and I favor free suger when it can
be obtained without serious injury to !
the industry and the price of sugar |
to the consumer can be lowered |
thereby.
am not influenced simply by |
what is best for the people and the |
industry at my home city and coun- !
ty, but by what is best for the indus |
try ana the people Senerally through |
out the United States. The only diff |
ference between President Wilson |
and myself on this question arose |
simply over the consideration of the |
length of time a satisfactory condi- |
ton can be brought about consider /
ing the welfare of the industry as
well as the benefits to the people as a
whole to be derived from ultimate |
free sugar.
1t was to meet my views that in the
Democratic conference / introduced |
an amendment to the sugar clause
proposing to adopt the sliding scale |
of the pending bill up to 1916, and /
thereafter to reduce the duty 25 per
cent each year until free trade in
sugar was reached.
Duty Before Personal Interests.
The reason for the misrepresenta-
tions on the part of the press and the
erroneous impression received there
because of the way tariff bills have
question has formerly been regarded
issue" and not of national character
or Importance. While all of the prop
erty : have in the world, and the
best friends I have on earth are To-
Gated in the sugar section of my
friends are engaged or interested in
in the performance of my official
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