The letter, delivered today to Daley's office, expresses concern that Brach's Confections, Inc., has announced plans to move from Chicago to possibly either Mexico or Argentina. The letter said, ``We, the undersigned mayors of cities, towns and villages where sugar is grown and processed, want to express our deepest regret over the loss of your factory. We do, however, implore you to reexamine the facts of the relocation and your position on sugar policy.''

Gotier and the other mayors who signed the letter said, ``If Brach's intent is to go to Mexico, for example to get access to cheaper Mexican sugar, the fact is that wholesale refined sugar, which candy makers buy, has been three cents a pound higher in Mexico than in the U.S. for some time. It is a well- known fact that the relocation of companies to Mexico and other developing countries is driven by several economic issues. U.S. businesses are attracted by substantially lower costs for labor, energy, transportation, taxes and minimal costs associated with fewer health, safety, social and environmental regulations.''

The letter went on to give three reasons why Daley should not oppose U.S. sugar policy:

First, U.S. sugar policy is crucial to maintaining reliable supplies of sugar to food manufacturers. More than half of the sugar sold in Chicago is made from sugarbeets that are grown by thousands of family farmers in the West and Midwest, and delivered just-in-time at the most competitive prices. These advantages are part of the reason Chicago is known as the ``Candy Capital of America.'' With domestic sugar farmers already in financial trouble, shutting down U.S. sugar policy would threaten the supply lines of sugar to Chicago.

Second, U.S. sugar policy maintains reasonable, fair, and competitive prices for consumers. Americans pay 20 percent less than the average consumer in other developed countries for refined sugar. ``Comparing U.S. sugar prices with foreign subsidized surplus sugar dumped on a distressed world market is not a legitimate comparison. U.S. sugar producers are globally competitive with other producers ... ''

Third, U.S. sugar policy is a response to unfair and predatory foreign trade practices that threaten efficient American farmers and union workers living and working in our towns. ``Calling for an end to the U.S. sugar program is to embrace cheap, non-union labor, low environmental standards, and the dumping of subsidized products in world markets at the expense of American jobs.''

The mayors said, ``We can't believe that you would knowingly support such an anti-labor and anti-environmental agenda.''

The mayors concluded, ``Mayor Daley, most of us are mayors of one-industry towns, and in many cases that industry is a beet sugar factory and sugarbeet farmers. This industry is the backbone of our whole economy, and if we lose that industry, we lose jobs, schools, and businesses -- we lose communities. We invite you to call any of us or come to our towns and see first-hand the potential devastation your efforts would have on our rural cities and towns.''

The letter contained the following names and towns:

    Mayor Pro-Tem Toni C. Carrillo      Mayor Morrie Lanning
    Brawley, CA                         Moorhead, MN

    Mayor Pro-Tem Steve Treadway        Mayor Bruce Norby
    Brush, CO                           Murdock, MN

    Mayor Douglas Trevithick            Mayor Ole Soltvedt
    Fort Morgan, CO                     Oslo, MN

    Mayor Donald L. Dewey               Mayor Kevin Crowley
    Hillrose, CO                        Pennock, MN

    Mayor Margarito Leon, Jr.           Mayor Richard Nelson
    Wiggins, CO                         Warren, MN

    Mayor Robert J. Harper              Mayor Lester J. Heitke
    Yuma, CO                            Willmar,MN

    Mayor A. Morgan Anderson            Mayor Paul Daugherty
    Aberdeen, ID                        Wolverton, MN

    Mayor James D. Kelly                Mayor Bradley Timm
    Albion, ID                          Wood Lake, MN

    Mayor Deborah Rudeen                Mayor Ron Ulferts
    American Falls, ID                  Raymond, MN

    Mayor Douglas C. Manning            Mayor Kenneth Borowicz
    Burley, ID                          Stephen, MN

    Mayor Jay Darrington                Mayor Charles F. Tooley
    Declo, ID                           Billings, MT

    Mayor Maxine Homer                  Mayor Byran Cummins
    Minidoka, ID                        Fairview, MT

    Mayor Randy E. Jones                Mayor Bill Miller
    Paul, ID                            Glendive, MT

    Mayor Audrey Neiwerth               Mayor Ronald E. Adams
    Rupert, ID                          Hardin, MT

    Mayor Kathleen Newsham              Mayor Mike Metzenberg
    Bay City, MI                        Miles City, MT

    Mayor Thomas K. Striffler           Mayor Harold L. Mercer
    Caro, MI                            Sidney, MT

    Mayor Jim Ellefson                  Mayor Marvin S. Varner
    Ada, MN                             Terry, MT

    Mayor Al Larson                     Mayor David E. Boeckner
    Argyle, MN                          Scottsbluff, NE

    Mayor Eugene Prim                   Mayor Ed McConnell
    Barnesville, MN                     Casselton, ND

    Mayor Cliff Barth                   Mayor Webb Voorhees
    Breckenridge, MN                    Cavalier, ND

    Mayor Tom Askegaard                 Mayor Bruce Furness
    Comstock, MN                        Fargo, ND

    Mayor Donald Osborn                 Mayor Fred M. Stark
    Crookston, MN                       Grafton, ND

    Mayor Jeff Fowler                   Mayor Tom McNamee
    Dilworth, MN                        Hillsboro, ND

    Mayor Lynn Stauss                   Mayor Gail McMartin
    East Grand Forks, MN                St. Thomas, ND

    Mayor Ron M. Larson                 Mayor Bud Schmitz
    Felton, MN                          Wahpeton, ND

    Mayor Eddie L. Bowden               E. Ward Koeser
    Fisher, MN                          City Commission President
                                        Williston, ND

    Mayor Lori DeJong                   Mayor Robert Fehlman
    Glyndon, MN                         Nyssa, OR

    Mayor James H. Johnson              Mayor Matthew R. Godfrey
    Hallock, MN                         Ogden, UT

    Mayor Joe Pederson                  Mayor Ken Stockwell
    Hawley, MN                          Cody, WY

    Mayor Orville Meints                Mayor Roland Simmons
    Clara City, MN                      Cowley, WY

    Mayor Louis C. Deere                Mayor Glen S. Olsen
    Kennedy, MN                         Lovell, WY

    Mayor Ron Anderson                  Mayor James L. Milburn
    Milan, MN                           Powell, WY

    Mayor Jim Curtiss                   Mayor LaVertha Gotier
    Montevideo, MN                      Worland, WY