Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1916-05-26
THE PRICE OF SUGAR.

common people are, and how easy u
is for the classes to impose upon us
and rob us of the last dollar we can
rake and scrape, in order TO buy fine
homes. automobiles and comforts for
our dictators. No, we haven't turned
Socialist, or at leas not altogether
But if the Socialists are the only peo-
pie who have the hardihood to protest
against unjust discrimination, it is
about time that a lot of US turned
Socialists.
A case in point is the exhorbitant
price we are paying for sugar--a sta
pie commodity, which enters into the
living expense of every family in the
land. II is fact often noted that we
can buy Utah and other Western sug-
ar on the Chicago market cheaper
than we can buy it at home. In fact,
Il is a question whether or not we
could buy il from Sears, Roebuck e. |
Company and freight it back here and
still effect saving on the local price
The local companies disclaim all re-
sponsibiity in the matter by asserting
that the trust, with headquarters in
New York City, fixes the price, and
that they dare not alter it, or the trust
would fix price so low in their ter
ritory that it would put them out of
business. Another argument in favor
of quietly enduring the rank injustice
is the great benefit that the sugar in
dustry is to the western country, and
particularly to Utah and Idaho. But
we fail to see the justice in "Robbing
Peter to pay Paul" We are not all
sugar producers, but we are all sugar
consumers, and there is no good and
sufficient reason why we should pay
more for sugar in Utah than they do
in the east
The following interesting item APP
peared in Salt Lake paper recently
and will shed some light upon the sug-
ar industry of this country. 1t shows
the tremendous profits accruing from
the present method of handling the
sugar market, which enables the pro-
ducers to pay big dividends on shame
fully watered stock, while the common
people are burdened nearly beyond en-
durance to stand up under the high
cost Of living, to which the high price
Of sugar adds no small share:
COLORADO SUGAR FIRM
TO CUT BIG "MELON."
Great Western Will Distribute Com
mon Stock Now Valued at
$11,140,000.
Denver, Colo, May.--The largest
"melon" ever cut in the west by cor
poration will be distributed in July by
the Great Western Sugar company
which will then apportion among the
holders of its common stock the re-
mainder of that issue now held in the
treasury. apprpoximating S,4o6,oOt
In par value and now worth nc present
prices about $11,140.000.
The news which comes from prom
inent officer Of the company explain!
the startling advance in Great West
ern common, which sold yesterday a.
$3.50, as compared with $32 less thar
two years ago.
In addition to declaring stock div
idend at the July distribution, the
Great Western, because of increased
earning power, will increase the cast
dividend rate to 10 per cent.
Every newspaper in the western
country should enter vigorous pro
test against the system of highwa.
robbery that is being pursued on thu
part of the sugar companies; the at
tention Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission should be called to thu
matter, and if the federal government
can afford no relief, then the peopl,
should take the matter into their owl
hands and boycott the product, unit
they are made fair and reasonably
living price.
That corporations of this kind cal
build up huge monopolies Of watere'
stocks and still continue to pay biz
cash dividends out of the manufactur
and sale of a staple commodity lik
sugar in this boosted democratic land
while their practices are winked a
by our representatives in Congress
and the administration is a disgrac
10 our civilization. No wonder that W
have radicals and anarchists in tn
land!
We raise our voice in protest an
demand an honost deal for the con
sumers of this part of the countryl
We regulate the railroads and pre-
scribe their charges, why should no
the sugar trust be handled? And b
the way, aren't the trusts in genera
having about the smoothest time RICH
now that they have enjoyed for e mum
Der Of years? The trusts used to b
the big argument Of the Democrati
party before il came into power. Won
der why their campaign policies ar
not enforced now?
COMMENCEMENT WEEK.