The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-20
SUGAR REET CIiLTTRE-

Y
1t was the purpose of The State in call
inS tue attention Of our readers to the pos
sibilitics OF this industry to follow ii uD
with suggestions as they occurred to us,
and were furnished by others, until some.
thing practical was achieved.
Newspaper articles may be written for
all time, and it will make no difference
how we'll these may portray what the cul-
turc and manufacture of this root has
accomplished for other people and other
localities, nor how unqucstionably it may
he proved that our soil aud climate is
adapted to sugar beet cultivation, moth
ing Will accrue unless there is II plan
adopted to put the enterprise on foot.
We have studied over this matter long,
ard have tried scdulousiy to awaken the
interest of some of the well known bus
mess people III .hc matter, and we have
found one or two who manifest II diSDn-
sition to lend Il helping hand whenever
there seems To be enough interest aw;ik-
cned among the farmers to Justify in talk
Ing TO the capitalist about investing i'm II
sugar beet factory
The thing first to be done is to secure
the pledge OF the farmers that they will
embark in the culture of bects for a
period of years. each larmcr who pro
poses to enter into the work to agree that
cultivation OF this crop ut Il price to be
agreed on by the farmers ard manufac-
turcrs.
This is not likely to be accomplished
unless leading farmers will address them.
selves to perfecting an arrangement of
this sort in their respective communi-
ties.
If men like Captain John Lamb Mcssrs.
Walter Grant and Julian Ruilin, of Hen
rico; Judge ltcdd and Dr. Winston. of
Hanover, and many others in the coun-
ties and localities convenient to transport.
tntion, would arrange to have neighbor-
hood meetings and discussions Of the sub
iect on court days, it would, no doubt.
result in securing the interest Of the far
mcrs and also in attracting the attention
of capitalists to the matter
Colonel Whitehead. commissioner of Hg-
ricu!tnrc: Mr. O. X. Lapham, of Staun.
ton, and Mr.. j. W. Porter, of Charlottcs.
Vile have MI written to The State on
this subject, and each Of these gentlemen
have given it much thought, and we feel
sure would DO all in Their power to fur
nish information and help to put i'm or
gani2ation on foot
While we are prepared To meet any
prosperity that may come through Re.
publican legislation, and help it along
W tiic bcSO vi our hDlltN, we canu1uIN Uc-
clare our inability to see where the far
mcr, or the general business of the coun-
try. is to get any aid from such source
When the Republican party formulates
its high protective schedules, thr indus
tries, such as beet culture, and the pro-
duct of which is consumed by everybody,
will not be likely to be so favored us will
those industries which will give the ben
eiiciary the opportunity TO produce the
raw material and manufacture the pro-
duct with labor whose wages can be con
trolled from start to finish by the pro-
tected capitalist.
The cultivation and manufacture of the
sugar beet is an industry that can he
started and successfully conducted within
our own resources and energies if our
people so will it. Ii oul farmers only
produced enough and the manufacturer
only manufactured enough for the CON
SUMPTION OF the people Of orr own State,
every farming neighboyhood engaged in
the work would become prosperous and
their lands would greatly enhance in
value, While the manufacturer could not
have his capital invested in IL safer bust
ness.
We hope that our friends who have tn
Ken tins matter up, will continue to agi
tate and discuss it, until the farmers are
mad" to understand the great opportuni-
ties there is in the establishment of sugar
beet manufactures in this State.-Rich-
mond State.