The Portland daily press., 1878-03-22
Introduction of the Beet Sugar Industry
in the state of Maine.

in the state of Maine.
Mr.. EDIToR:-Wben an enterprise of great
magnitude is in contemplation, an industry of
national Importance to be introduced, we have no
right to expect everybody to look upon it in the
same light and with the same favor, and so the
promoters of the beet sugar industry are pre-
pared to meet opposition. While we may dsa-
gree on many things, there are others on which
the public opinion is a unit Everybody will
admit the times to be very hard, they have
been SO for the last four or five years, and it
cannot be said with any kind of certainty
that they have reached bottom, and are inn
proving.
Hundreds and thousands of Industrious men
willing and anxious to work can find no en-
ployment, and not few suffer actual hunger.
How is this state of affairs to be remeded?
Most will agree with us that production and
production only can bring prosperity and hap
py times back to the community. The ques-
ton then is natural what are we to produce?
Boots and shoes are drug in the market an
thousands of shoemakers are without employ
ment. A ready-madesuit of clothes costs al
most nothing, and tailors and tailoresses can
find no bread through employment. So we
might go through the whole list of mechanics
and laboring men. But who ever heard of
starving farmer? Within late years the far
mer has reoccupiod his natural position in the
nation again. Whatever will help the
farmer will help every working man 10 the
whole country, because if farming pays men of
every occupation will resort to it and become
independent and happy. While we find every
branch of industry outdone We find one thing
which is not so, in fact not done at all, and that
is sugar making.
The United States of America exports an.
nually one hundred million dollars of gold to
pay for its sugar. Every dollars worth Of this
sugar could be produced BY our farmers, and if
done SO to how many unemployed men in the
cities would it give remunerative work besides?
All California does not produce one hundred
million of gold annually. No state in the whole
Uniou is SO favorably situated for the produc-
ton of beet sugar as Maine. Surprising the
state of Maine should produce on its farms one
quarter of this sugar, what an immense value
that would give to farming land in Maine. But
even ten million additional produced in Maine
is not to be sneered at
Admitting the old proverb, dollar saved Is
dollar gained, the production of ten million
dollars worth of beet sugar is equivalent to ten
million dollars dug from the ground. Now
when the state of Maine enacted a law to en-
courage the introduction Of the beet sugar in
dustry in its borders, in order to reimburse the
first parties for experience they have to buy for
themselves and for those who engage in this
industry afterwards, men are not wanting to
find fault with it ami stand ready to belttle an
action which has been both wise and patriotic.
When it was supposed that gold might be
found in the Black Hills the National Govern
msnt sacrificed millions of dollars and
thousands of valuable lfes to drive the In
dams away. in order to give people chance to
dig gold there. How much gold has been dug
there ever since? Millions of money and
Thousands of valuable lives have been sacrificed.
Certainly not ten millions annually have been
dug. Here it is certain that in the State of
Maine more than ten million dollars in sugar
can be taken from the ground annually with
out the ground producing one ear of wheat,
one potato or one handful of grass less than
| it does at present. Many people are not aware
| that about five years ago every pound Of
potato starch used in the numerous cotton
| factories and print works of the United States
| was imported from Europe To-day though
potatoes sell ia New Yerk at $1.25 per bushel,
| oukfarmers In Maine make money furnishing
| them to the starch works at 20 cents per bushel
| and Maine alone can produce more starch than
| is needed in the whole United States. So we
might go on with other agricultural industries
| but consider it unnecessary.
The introduction of the beet sugar Industry
| in Maine during the present year has very
| fair chance of success. Already have our
| farmers seen the Importance OF it, and opened
negotiations for entering into contracts for sup.
| plying the beets necessary, and the capitalists
| of Portland with their well known public
| spirit are investigating this question with a
| view of locating the first establishment al
| Portland