The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-05-28
BITTER : SWEET

Sugar that infamous millionaire
maker" of the First World War is
in the news again. Only rev
weeks ago Miss Elliott issued
warning protesting that recent adj
yances in refined and raw-sugar
prices are not Justified, and
threatened government action ito
prevent the sugar situation from
getting out of hand" The problem
of sugar, as is indicated in this ar
ticle. is a complicated one and in
wolves some basic reorganization of
the industry. For sugar is lie
galized" monopoly, protected by tar
ifs and palitical pressure groups.
One of the bitterest monopolistic
pills the democratic public has to
swallow is sugar-cOated.
Sugar first entered the world mark
ct to an appreciable extent in the 18th
century. It's history typifies the COLA
boration between political and econ
omic forces in the creation and main
tenance of monopoly. Sugar has
ranged first on the list of taxable i'm
ports since tariffs came into being.
Tariffs, originally designed to supply
government revenues, have long since
lost that function as their primary
aim and have become political instru-
ments for the preservation of monop-
olies. Tariff-inspired increased sale
prices in sugar created an incentive
for domestic planters. Tariffs also
gave rise to the pressure for the an
nexation by the U. S. of territories
comprising the plantations of Amer
lean planters in foreign islands.
Such motivation bore fruit in the
artificially maneouvered revolt" in
Hawaii in 1898. by chance" an
American warship just happened to be
in harbor, and troops were landed
Five years later congress annexed
Hawaii with suitable pomp.
That was the beginning Sugar in
terests again became the driving force
for monopoly Imperialism in Cuba |
Right after the Spanish American war
we placed Cuba under marital law for
four years. From then on troops and |
marines extended Sugar interests on
the island at various times up to 1920. |
Sugar Lobby
There is more than enough evidence
of collision and interlocking agree
ments in the sugar industry. The in
ternational sugar cartel has it's most
powerful influence in the American
sugar lobby. The sugar lobbyists have
been quick to see the advantages of
social measures to their
own gain Such New Deal measures
rs soil conservation and farmer bene-
its were made to pay off the sugar
instead of to the farmer
or whom they were designed
In 1886 when intensive lobbying be-
gan prior to the expiration of the
Tones- Costigan Sugar Act, such points
Is this came out in heated Senate de-
yates:
"The audacity of one little group
of manufacturing monopoIists, the
cane refiners, in demanding legal
lied monopoly illustrates the diff
ficuIties /. in dealing with corporate
aggre cations of wealth which con-
troll the necessities of the daily life
of our citizens"
Political deadlock finally broke
yhen sugar interests railroaded a bill
through congress which met their de-
hands. Roosevelt signed the bill I'M
er protest registering this final re- ,
in the form of press re-
ease, September 1, 1887: s
"The sole difficulty relates to a t
little group of seaboard refners t
who, unfortunately, for many years I
were able to join forces with do n
nestle producers in the mainten- n
ance of continuing and powerful Fl
lobby in the national capitol and y