Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-01-14
A Change.

The Boston Cultipdtor seems TO have seen
light in regard to the corn and sorghum
sugar question. A few months ago it had
an article ridiculing the whole matter, and
making very rude reflections upon gentle
men engaged in investigating the subject.
More recently, in reply to an inquiring cor
respondent, it reiterated the same ideas, as
follows:
We have said and do say there are serious OBJ
staces against its successful use as sugar
yielding plant; and that MIR. lie Due and other
gentlemen engaged in pushing its sugar capacity
upon the public, by advertising sorghum machin-
cry in government publications, were misleading
the people We still insist that such Is the case
The success of sorghum works at the West, partic-
ularly the present season, as reported by several
of the local papers, is not unknown to us; but
such reports written up by enthusiastic reporters,
who know little OF the matter, are OF no sort OF
value, and do not fairly represent the business.
As to this charge against Commissioner
LIE Due, we have taken pains to investigate
it. The only basis it has is the mention, in
the publications of the department of agri-
culture, of some of the implements and con-
trivances in use in the manufacture of corn
and sorghum sugars. The commissioner
himself writes eyes, have read the charge.
1t is absurd. l have no interest in any ma
chine or machinery of any kind sorghum
or other What want is that the farmers
shall have the best machines and the best
process, and don't care whom they buy of.
| am here for the benefit of the farmers, and
will give them the best help | can. don't
know whose machines are the best, but
think there must be some better than any
now made to secure the amount of juice we
ought to obtain. / want the farmers to have
would tell them 1t seems to us that this
is Just the sort of commissioner of agricul-
ture we want, if we are going to have any
at all. But if General lie Due is the kind
of man that people who know him well, from
President Hayes down, say he is, there is no
doubt that the politicians in congress and
in the newspaper offices will make his place
very uncomfortable one. There is nothing
that these politicians seem to hate as they
hate the agricultural interests and every
body who is any way active in their promo
ton. But we are glad to see that the Cult
vator, while not retracting its unfounded
charges against the department, is at last
constrained to allow that there is something
in this sorghum and corn sugar industry,
which the department has done so much to
advance. In its issue for December 9th, it
says:
The farmers in Minnesota have begun to grow
what they call Gambler cane" which produces
an abundance of sugar of first-rate quality. 1t
can be grown to profit Other farmers are GO
ing into the same line of growth. What with the
experiments now being made in corn sugar"
" beet sugar" and amber cane sugar." we hope
soon to see the North not only supply our own
wants, but to produce an overplus to export to
other countries ere long.
This is about all we could expect, perhaps,
but manly spirit would have prompted
some acknowledgment of previous errors.