Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-12-04
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY.
Interesting Information on the
Subject.
Henry r.. Oxnard Answers some
Interrogatories Propounded
by Secretary Rusk.

| III inc peet sugar INDUSTRY, ana re
ceived in reply the following letter.
GRAND ISLAND, Neo.-Ion. j. Al
Rusk, Secretary of Agriculture. Wash
ington. ID. c.: My Dear Sir-I esteem
IL pleasure ana honor to be able u
write few words briefly regaroin,
the development of the beet sugar in
| dustry and the condition in which /
exists in the United States today. Tn,
beet sugar industry has become wei
established in Europe only within tn,
last half century and has become
great factor in the worlds sugar sup
ply within the past fifteen years, Sc
tnat to-day more sugar is produced
from beets than from all the other SUI
gar producing piauts OF the world
combined. This result has been orough,
about within the last fifty years by the
governments OF Europe, chiefly Ger.
many and France. subsidizing and en-
couraging the production Of sugar to
such an extent as to diminish the price
OF that article at least one-half what ii
was ten years ago.
The United States, as you we'll know
has within the past year, by wise
provision OF the Mckinley bill offered
bounty OF cents per pound for a
limited period for all sugar produced
in the United States. and by following
the example OF Germany and France
can soon hope to become independent
OF the rest OF the world for the supply
OF its sugar, thereby keeping at home
some hundreds OF millions OF dollars
sent abroad annually TO enrich the
farmers and manufacturers of foreign
countries. The cents given in the
shape OF bounty by the United States
government takes the place Of the 2
cents which formerly existed as tariff
on the importation of sugar. The re-
suit OF this legislation is that the price
OF sugar since the law went into effect
has fallen . cents per pound, the con-
sumner paying just cents less than a
year ago, and ut the same time the de-
voiopment of the homo industry has
not been sacrificed. out encouraged.
and that Is not the only advantage we
shall derive. as each factory, similar
to the one built here, means an outlay
of about $500, 900. ana the United
States will require about l, 900 of such
factories to supply it with sugar in
1900. The building OF these factories
will start up the coal and iron mines
as well rs the machine shops all over
the United States, giving employment
directly to thousands, and give Il far
greater impetus to our national pros
perity than could be obtained in any
other channel.
We will also give our farmers an op-
TO diversity their crops, and
Wa all know the advantage to be de-
rived from that source. Under the old
tariff the industry never thrived, but
with the stimulus OF the bounty, with
In the past eight months beet sugar
factories have started or are about to
be started all over the United States.
At least twenty states are, in my opin-
ION, well adapted to the sugar beet.
We have the soil, climate and capital
necessary to become the greatest sugar
country in the world, and
as soon as we have acquired the knowl-
edge OF the industry which will enable
us to compete successfully with those
countries of Europe, with the aid OF
the stimulus given by our last congress,
we can hope to lead the world in the
production of sugar in the next fifteen
Or twenty years.
But the supply OF the home article
Is not the only advantage to be gained.
refer to the effect of the beet crop on
the soil, Properly carried on, the cul-
tivation OF the sugar beet is greatly
beneficial to all other agriculture. The
deep and careful cultivation which the
beet requires greatly improves the
land, the soil becoming thereby deep
ened and the disintegration and soiu-
tlon OF the mineral constituents greatly
accelerated. The tap root of the beet
descends to a great depth. loosening
The soil which most other plants fail
10 reach. The nourishment thus OBJ
tanned passes partly into the leaves and
IS left with them on the ground at the
time OF harvest, and today in Europe,
the farmers are anxious TO plant beets,
as they find their next crop grown on
the same soil is increased 33 per cent.
The pulp. after the sugar is removed.
makes an excellent food for fattening
cattle, ana can be sold to the farmers
Tor little or nothing after paying them
literally for the privilege of extracting
The sugar.
We have in operation this fall three
beet sugar factories each with a ca
pacity OF 800 tons OF bcets daily, be-
sides which each factory uses about
fifty tons OF coal and forty tons of lime
stone daily. spending in the immedi-
ate neighborhood of the factory each
and every day upwards OF 81, 600
amongst the farmers for the beets and
aoorers working in the factory. keep
ing that amount at home which form
erly found its way to the pockets OF
the European farmers and laborers.
lhis large sum is distributed in the
Immediately surrounding
each one OF our factories ami the re-
suit has been 70 build up the towns
where our factories are located as we'll
IS the surrounding farming district.
These towns in turn build up the state.
since the esta blishment of our factor.
es, in eacn community where situated.
he demand for labor has so far ex-
'eedeo the supply that not a single in
livldual wishing TO work has lacked |
he opportunity OF finding remunera-
i've employment either in the field or
actory.
The Oxnard Beet Sugar company.
Gated at Grand Island Neb., was
'uilt and operated for short time last
ear. working very satisfactorily. This