The Monte Vista journal., 1914-05-09
April 81, 1914.

lhe Chleftain,
-. Pueblo, Colorado.
Sir:
have before me copy Of The Chief
tain OF Tuesday, April l4th. On the
page | find an editorial headed,
The Sugar Question" which is, in part,
as follows:
Previous to, and after the cleo
ton, Congressman Heating declared
that the duty on sugar should be
removed.
Judging from subsequent devel-
opments 1t is reasonable to suppose
that Mr.. Heating convinced the
president that growing sugar beets
and producing sugar from them is
not legitimate business in Colo
RADIO.
when in Colorado, however, he
always insisted that free trade would
not injure the business of growing
beets.
1--WE do not pretend to know all
the ins and outs of either the sugar
beet or beet sugar business, but we
can comprehend an ordinary sum in
arithmetic, such as is given by Mr..
Hoover in this mornings issue of
the Chieftain.
Perhaps Mr.. Heating has learned
in Washington how to raise beets at
something like SLIGO per ton less
than the prevailing prices that have
been paid for them. II so the farm
ers and land owners will no doubt
be eager to know about it."
The ordinary sum in arithmetic" by
Mr.. Hoover to which the editorial re-
ers, is printed on the same page, and is
rs follows:
MATTER OF MATHEMATICS
Q3y W. d. Hoover)
"The equivalent Of one ton Of beets
testing 10 per cent sugar, in com
mercal granulated sugar, is about
240 pounds.
"The tariff reduction therefore,
depreciates the value Of beets in the
following manner:
"The reduction, March l, 1914,
was 34c per 100 pounds, 24Ox;Ac-
S.Sl6 depreciation per ton OF beets.
May l, 1916, further reduction of
Sl.O0 per 100 pounds of sugar or free
trade will take place, 24OXSl.OO-
s2.40 further depreciation in the
value of ton Of 10 per cent beets.
adding the two reductions, have:
1916 plus s240-s22l6, total de-
probation OF ton OF beets.
This depreciation shared equally
between beet growers and sugar fac
tory is: One half OF s3.2l8-Sl.6O8, or
the amount sustained by the grower.
"The prevailing price Of 10 per
cent beets last year was $3.50.
Under free trade, $3.50 less sl.GO or
$3.50 therefore is the highest possi-
BILE price that might be paid Tor 10
per cent beets."
The Chieftain concludes its comments
IN Mr.. Hoover's article by saying:
at is quite evident that the beets
to be grown this year will be the
last of the business unless some
thing is done promptly to insure ad-
equate protection against tropical
competition and trust aggression"
The Chioftain's comment il, to say the
least, a tritie vague, for it must know
that the provisions Of the Underwood
tariff bill can not be repealed 80 long as
Woodrow Wilson is in the White House
unless the advocates Of high protective
tariff succeed In getting two-thirds
in both houses OF congress.
think you will agree with me that this
is highly improbable.
So the problem confronting the beet
growers Of Colorado may be stated briefly
CAN COLORADO, UNDER FREE
TRADE CONDITIONS, PRODUCE
Reef SUGAR IN COMPETITION
WITH THE WORLDLY
| have repeatedly answered this ques
tion IN the affirmative and nothing thai
Mr.. Hoover or the Chieftain has pre-
sented has caused me to change IN,
mind.
think we have right to inquire
Who is tins Mr.. Hoover who has be
come the self-constituted adviser OF thu
farmers OF the Arkansas yalleyf Fortu
pately, the testimony produced in thu
suit OF the United States government
,oi,,at tha Sugar Trust furnishes ma