The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-23
Senator BristOw Fights for
Beet Sugar Industry.
Arraigns Free Sugar Schedule
in Tariff.
If American Sugar Business
Destroyed.
Denounced Methods by Which
Bill Constructed.


Washington, Aug. 23.-In arraign-
ment of the free sugar provision of the
pending tariff bill, Senator Bristow of
Kansas asserted, one day this week,
that the enactment of this measure
would turn over to the big refiners alb
solute control of the sugar market of
the country, and would enable them,
freed from the check now imposed by
the competition of American grown
beet sugar, to exact high prices from
consumers. He denounced the meth
DDS by which the bill has been con-
structed in secret caucuses as infa-
nous. BristOw said in part:
Il cannot understand how anyone
can believe that it is for the best in
terests of our country to destroy our
home production of sugar. First, it
will lessen the amount of the sugar
supply of the world and result in an
increased price everywhere. This is
clearly demonstrated by the great adj
vance in the price of sugar in 1911.
The world produces about 1S,OOO,OOO
tons of sugar per year; we consume
approximately one-fifth of the entire
worlds production. In the sugar year
1911-12 there was a shortage in the
worlds production of about million
tons, and the price of sugar in the
per 100 pounds, an advance of about
SO per hundred.
1.-The enactment of free sugar legis-
lation would reduce our production at
least a half million tons. A shortage
of a half million tons in our own pro-
duction would inevitably have cor
responding Influence upon the worlds
price and the benefit expected by the
advocates of this bill in sweeping re-
duction in prices would not be realized.
Would Give Refners Monopoly.
THE greatest objection to the de-
struction of the American industry,
however. is that it would give the cane
sugar refiners a monopoly of our sugar
market. Tropical sugar is produced
in . raw state. shipped to the United
States and there refined, and then put
upon the market as refined or granu-
lated sugar. The refining business is
controlled by three concerns, with
headquarters in New York. They CO.
operate in fixing prices. Their only
competitor in our market is the Ameri-
can beet sugar producer. When the
refiners control the market they fix
the price as high as the market viii
stand, regardless of the cost of pro-
duction to them. Their resources are
so tremendous and their financial
strength so great that no cane sugar
producer in any country would have
the hardihood to fight them in a COM
mercial warfare for the control of the
sugar producer eliminated they would
be supreme in the, sugar markets of
this country. A few years ago, when
they learned of the possibility of beet
sugar production in our country under
the protective duties that existed, they
started this campaign for free sugar.
Their purpose is to destroy the beet
sugar industry. 1t is their only COM
petitor in this market. The legisla-
ton proposed in this bill will destroy
i. II
the refiners are for it. And it should
not be forgotten that it was the cane
refinerS that robbed the United States
treasury few years ago of millions
by a system of false weights. They
will profit more by this legislation
than all others for it will put out Of
the way the only competitor in our
market, and then they will raise the
price as high as they can. In fact, up
TO this time the greatest advantage
which the beet sugar producers have
been to the people is in beating down
the excessive prices which the refiners
charge when they control the market.
This is illustrated by the rise in the
price of refined cane sugar. when the
beet product is exhausted and the de-
cline in the price whenever the beet
sugar is being put upon the market in
large quantities.
Vote for Free Sugar Vote for Trust
when you place sugar on the free
list you place in the hands of these
sugar refiners the weapon with
which to destroy their competitor;
and, having destroyed their competi-
tor, they will exploit this market to
their hearts content. However worthy
may be the motives of those who vote
for free sugar, they are, in fact. vot-
ing directly in the interests of the
sugar refining trust and handing over
to it, for exploitation and pi1lage, the
greatest market for refined sugar on
the earth.
IT believe that the duty of s1.95
per 100 pounds, when it was imposed
in 1897, was justified. Since that
time we have developed the sac
charine strength of our beets and i'm
proved the methods of extraction so
that now the cost of producing 100
pounds of beet sugar in the United
States has been reduced, and as large
a duty as was necessary in 1897 is
not now needed.
Proposes Gradual Reduction.
believing that the present duties
should be lowered. I have submitted
an amendment which reduces the