Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-19
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
Ncbrnska's Example, Commended in
Iowa and Minnesota.


Efforts are to be made during the coming
session of the Iowa legislature to secure the
passage of an act granting bounty to home
manufactured beet sugar. 1t is argued in
favor of a bounty for an industry admittedly
very profitable, that the machinery for beet
sugar factory is very costly and can be
operated but a short part of the year, while
tho benefits to result accrue in great degree
70 all surrounding farmers and in lesser
way to the entire nation, in keeping at home
money that has before been sent abroad for
cane or beet sugar. 1t is not claimed that
the industry is in any sense experimental
except 50 far as the willingness of the farm
ers to so cooperate as to raise profitable
crop in large enough quantity may be re-
garded as doubtful.
In a recent letter to the Des Moines Regis
ter A. c. Meyer, who is a
we'll known beet sugar expert.
opens the ball for the Iowa campaign and
gives some interesting facts as to the indus
try in general. The manufacture Of beet
guglr was begun 100 years ago in Prussia
and France, in both by the crown, which rec
Cgni2ei the importance Of the trade. At
that time beets produced but per cent of
saccharine, while now they regularly pro-
duce from 13 to 16, and Prof Meyer claims
to have results Of 81 per cent by crossing of
French and German seed.
Experiments made in sugar beet culture
by the experimental stations of Iowa, Min
neSota and other western states have for
years universally given the best results,
while the two great Nebraska factories at
Grand Island and Norfolk. where conditions
Of soil and humidity are not so favorable
as in either Iowa, Minnesota or South Da-
lyota are very successful. The average
yield of sugar beets in Nebraska is fifteen
tons an acre, but 1t is believed that Iowa
and Minnesota, with less fear from drouth,
would produce a larger average through a
series pf Tho uripp maid thp fDp-
tory is 81 to S. ton If the beets show
or 2 per cent more sugar than the minimum
requirements. Fifteen tons at 81 ton
would produce $50 for an acres growth
The cost which is larger than in most crops
grown in this section, is figured at s2S an
acre. leaving a net result of 1872. That beats
wheat and corn badly.
Tho start which the industry has made
in Nebraska was due to the bounty provided
bv the Mckinley bill. Under that bill for
cign sugar was admitted free and bounty
of cents a pound was paid to the pro-
ducer of the domestic product, this bounty
to run for period of fifteen years. 1t Is
not unlikely that the new tariff OF 1897 will
restore similar conditions 1t would seem
that with such enormous profits in produc-
tion there ought to be no difficulty in C5-
tablishing an industry of this kind with
out any bounty, and yet 1t should be under
stood that the machinery needed for the pro-
duction of sugar is expensive and that 1t
would require at least S2OD,OoO to provide
plant large enough for practical opera
tion. The Sugar trust is not likely to in
augurate this industry in this country in
opposition to business already established, .
end tho wisdom of the sugar bounty in the |
tariff of 1890 has been demonstrated in the |
prompt response resulting in the establish |
ment of the large factories now in operation ,
in Nebraska. 1t is very probable that ,
smaller bounty would produce the same re !
suits, even with sugar on the free list. The !
in Nebraska opera ting under !
the present sugar tariff although deprived |
of the bounty, are preparing to erect third |
factory at ChPdron. No doubt a very mod !
crate stimulus to this business either from
or state sources. would result in the
of the industry on a large scale
in this state. where there is reason to be- /
lieve it would be more profitable on account |
of the more favorable soil and climatic con-
ditons, than in Nebraska.