The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-09

THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
During the recent campaign the Post
dntelNgencer called attention TO the fact
that there was one industry possible. to
establish in the United States which
would. IL once In operation. result in re-
faining al home larger amount OF
money annually than could be added 10
the circulation II all the silver produced
in all the silver mines OF the United States
were nanted into fun legal tender dos-
lars, and that the money. instead OF going
into the hands OF a few wealthy gentle
men. would be distributed among thou
sands OF the farmers OF the United States.
That industry is the making of sugar
from beess.
There lie considerably more in this prop
osttion than a mere campaign argument.
IL Is something In which there should be
aroused an intelligent public interest. not
alone among farmers, but among all who
are interested in the prosperity of the
country. Beet sugar has rapidly been TAX
ing the place of cane sugar. until today. of
"A total production OF sugar in the world.
estimated for the current year at 100000
tons. considerably more than one-haf. or
$4,000 Is manufactured in Europe alone
from beets grown at home.
In the production Of almost every thing
else, the farmers of the old world COM
plain bitterly of the competition of Ameri-
can farmers. Stringent regulations have
been devised In many European countries,
under pretense OF sanitary precautions,
to restrict the importation OF American
farm products. Yet In this one particular
farm product. the United States not only
fails TO enter into the field OF competition
abroad. but is forced TO import annually
to the value OF si3o.0Ooogo.
There Is nothing either in soil or climatic
conditions wherein any country in Europe,
has any advantage over vast sections of
the United States IN the production of
sugar beets- On the contrary there arr,
many portions OF this country where these
conditions are far more favorable than
they are abroad. There have been some
severe failures. n Is true. in the attempt
TO establish this industry. but in every in
stance, IL has proved TO have been the
result of improper selection OF location.
skill OF the pars of those who have al
tempted the experiment. precisely the
same factors which. at the start. have
brought failure IN the case OF other in
dustries which have since proved COM
mercially successful.
In California the growing of heets and
the manufacture os sugar therefrom has
become large and permanent, Industry.
Thousands of acres of laai are devoted
to the industry, and hundreds OF people
are employed. The three large factories
az Alvaraso. Jacksonville and Chino pro
duced during 1885 a.. 2saoo pounds OF SUI
gar from ls2.si1 tons of beets This is
considerably mere than the whole amount
of sugar annually consifhed in tie state
of Washington.
California Is 10 more favorably located
than is Washington for the production of
sugar beets. Repeated tests have been
uaie in various sections of this state with
seed furnished by the department OF asri-
culture, or prSScured from private parties.
and In the great majority o. cases the
result has been to prove that the bcets
raised IN this state contain higher per-
cen;age OF sugar. with smaller percent
age OF impurities than Is the case ~ith
those raised In California waifc the yield
per acre as a gensvai rule Is larger
The price which the California farmers
receive from their ecets is 81 per ton. This
certainly would sfrord iarrer r4argfn Of
/ prof; TO the farmers Of this state than
| they have obtained hy raising any OF The
| great staples during the last few years.
From the farmers standpoint. the in
dustry would be a profitable one. TO the
! manufacturer IL must have proved equal
| ~ profitable, for It is announced that
Claus sprockies. the sussr king. Is about
to erect another factory. near Salinas
| city, cal. which viii h the largest In the
world. Whenever Washington succeeds
| IN ealsttnS capital M eSts sllahing such
| an Industry here. the state will profit
| enormously IN retaining AZ home a large
amount - money. which now annually
goes abroad, and the farmers will have a
market foe a nsw ard profitable crop.