The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-04
THE SUGAR SUPPLY.

Government and individual expert
mentation in the production of sugar
from sorghum cane and beets in the
west, primarily and principally in this
state, seems to have stimulated the citi
zens of Nebraska to test the capabilities
of the climate and soil of that state for
producing that necessary article of uni
versal consumption. The first expert
ment of any extent in that state was
made at Grand Island and it is said to
have been a great success. And now
comes Professor Wiley, the government
chemist, with the statement that sugar
beets may be as successfully grown in
Iowa as Nebraska. We have but little
doubt of this, and it goes TO emphasize
the advantages possessed by Southern
Kansas, in soil, climate, water and other
conditions for the production of sugar
yielding crops over any other
state or section. Tests have been
made of the per cent Of
sacCharine matter in both cane
and beets produced in the various states
that have experimental with those crops,
and the result has been to show that the
Kansas yields have been uniformly
greater than any other, not excepting
the southern ribbon cane.
The practicability of the production of
sugar in the United States elsewhere
than in the gulf districts, where the in
dustry has been successfully carried on
for many years, having thus been thor
oughly and indisputably established, it
only needs to be granted a reasonable
degree of encouragement TO develop it
sufficiently 10 supply the home demand.
As long as il shall continue it is claimed
that the bounty provided by the McKin-
lev bill Is better than the old duty for the
American grower, and if ii is continued
a few years the industry ought to estab-
fish itself so that it viii pay withou5
either bounty or duty. OF course, it is
expected that the bounty is only tenn
porary. but since that plan of encourage
ment has been adopted, 1t ought to be re-
tanned at least five years. BY that time
the manufacture of beet sugar ought to
! be permanently and safely established as
| a paving industry: and it is believed that
/ in five years the sugar industry will have
successfully and finally passed the stage
of experiment. The United States is
fully competent to grow her own sugar,
and if the present conditions are not dis
] turbed for a few years the desired end
will have been accomplished.
Professor Cowgirl, the state inspector,
who has given the subject closer study
/ than any one else in the state perhaps.
said a few days ago in answer TO the
question whether or not it would
pay Kansas farmers to raise
sugar beets on large scale, said:
That depends on whether it will pay
better TO till well a moderate number of
acres ana make a comfortable living and
something TO lay by for rainy day"
/ or 10 skim over a quarter section or more
and take ones comfort in finding fault
/ with the country. Now. the German
farmers were doing very well at raising
wheat when men now living were bows.
! When the great country west of the
/ Ohio got fairly to producing wheat and
| especially when we west of the MiSsis-
sippi sent our millions of bushels into
the markets, at prices which, while
low. still gave us comfortable living.
/ the German farmers were astOunded and
mortgages and bankruptcy took the place
of moderate prosperity. Then the beet
sugar industry was developed and lands
! which seem destined TO be abandoned
on account of American competition in
the grain markets became worth $500 To
$500 per acre. IL may be that cheap
wheat from India will make It necessary
10 protect the American market for
American wheat, but IT will be no r
prise If. now that we have learned how
it is done. within the next twenty years
we produce sugar in such quantities and
at such prices as shall seriously
effect the prices of European sugar
lands. Our American farmers will
for time. have 10 follow the tedious
European methods Of cultivatiRg and
harvesting 6eels. But even now they