The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-05-26
CALIFORNIA BEET SUGAR
VIEWS OF A CORRESPONDENT ON
THE INDUSTRY.
What the Beet Sugar Men Promise the
Farmers.-lIow the Promises Have
Been Carried Out in the Past.
San Francisco, May IS, '97,

United States.
1t will be remembered that there
was organized "A beet sugar corpora
| tion about fifteen years since, with
an immense capital, and Claus Spreck-
els as President.
The effect of the promises of the big
company to erect dozen or more
sugar plants created boom on paper,
but from appearances it was all
bluff" for the great Occidental Beet
Sugar Company went to sleep.
Is the present move another bluff?
Has Claus Spreckels already sold
out to the Sugar Trust? Is the new
boom being engineered by the Trust
with Mr.. Spreclels as director gene
raj?
Henry Oxnard, one of the OXnard
Brothers, alleged owners of the Chino
beet sugar plant of Southern Califor-
mia, is now in Washington with j. ID.
Sprecltels working to have the Ha-
waian commercial treaty abrogated
Mr.. Oxnard denies that the Trust owns
the stock of the Chino Company.
Mr.. Robert Oxnard, who is secretary
of the Western Sugar Refinery, sup
posed to be owned by Claus Spreck-
els, affirms the statement of his broth
err, but admits that the Trust handles
all the refined sugar of both COM
panies. Recently representatives of
the Trust have been inspecting the
beet sugar industry very carefully
They inspected the prospects of
Spreckels' new enterprise at Salinas,
where has has commenced to build the
largest and most complete sugar plant
in the world, according to his own
statement.
1t is now admitted that the Trust
has purchased "small" interest in
Spreckels' Watsonville beet factory:
but knowing ones "wink the other
eye" not believing that they would
buy any but a controlling interest.
Many believe that Claus Spreckles has
completely sold out to the Trust, con-
ditionally.
The Alameda Beet Sugar Company
at Alvarado, Cal, is as yer independ-
ent of the Trust. Mr.. Louis Saroni,
who handles all of the output of the
Alvarado plant. is strongly in favor of
the Hawaiian treaty.
The farmers in the sugar beet dis
They are aware of the fact that Mr..
| Spreckels paid less for beets at his
factory when he received from the
Government S. a ton for his output,
under the Mckinley act, than before,
and grasped the opportunity to re-
duce the price of beets from S. to
abrogated. Their effort to obtain a
better price for their product was de-
feated by Mr.. Spreckles leasing large
tracts of lands and employing Chi.
nese labor to plant beets.
Many thought it wrong to deduct
Il per cent for dirt. and that in cases
Mr.. Spreckels compelled the growers
to dig their beets before they had ma.
tured, causing serious loss. Owing to
the low prices prevalnng for other
farm products, it was useless to de-
vote the land to other purposes.
According to lr. Rudolph Spreck-
els, the Watsonville plant paid so per
cent last year, and the farmers think
they are entitled to better share OF
the profits for wearing out their land
to enrich Mr.. Claus Spreckels.
Mr.. Spreckels held out to the peo.
pie of Salina, Monterey County, Cal.
that if they could get certain mum.
Der of acres pledged under contract
them the largest factory in the world
After much persuasion and loss OF
time, the citizens finally succeeded in
meeting the demands of Mr.. Spreckels
and the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company were induced to agree 10
haul beets at 80 cents ton to the fac,
tory within twenty-five miles.
Now the people are wondering what
would be the result if Mr.. Spreckels
has sold out to the Trust.
In future letter I will endeavor tC
show that the possibility of the beet
sugar industry is limited. Is it not
probable that were there lands suit
able for raising beets for sugar, where
climate and other conditions made il
possible, that the industry would moi
be of more Importance than at pres
ent? w. A. GREENE.
Weekly Star. "a per year.