The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-10-15
Washington Letter.
'pe cial Correspondence:

WASHINGTON, ID. O., Oct. 4, '97.
Secretary Wilson, of the Department of
Agriculture, is confident that the result of
this years experiments with sugar beets
will add 800 per cent. to the beet sugar fac
tories OF the country.
II know of people who stand ready"
said he, in speaking on this subject, ITO
establish twenty beet sugar factories In this
country next year."
"That will be pretty big increase, will
1t not, Mr.. Secretary"
1T will. We have, perhaps, half
dozen beet sugar factories In the United
States now, all told, so that 1t will be an in
crease Of about 800 per cent, which think
Will be very good for the first year Of the
experiment"
"Your experiments of this year have ap-
parently been successful, them"
Eyes. Beyond question. Of course our
analyses have not progressed sufficiently
yet to show very definitely what each sec
ton has done or is doing, but there Is no
doubt In my mind of the entire feasibility
and practicability of the production Of all
our sugar in this country. The interest
which the farmers of the country have de-
veloped in beet raising, the results Of such
analyses as have already been made Of the
beets produced this year and what we know
as to the results In former years and as to
this vaar,a crop In tho oocttooa xuharo hoof
growing has already been developed, show
beyond question that 1t is entirely practica-
bic for the people of this country to pro-
duce their own sugar."
THAT means the retention in the United
States Of great deal of money which now
goes abroad?"
"Yes. A hundred millions Is good deal
of money, and especially when 1t goes out
OF the country. II we can distribute among
our farmers the hundred million dollars
which we now send abroad for our sugar 1t
will be very important thing to them and
to the country In general. 1t will be
especially so to labor. People talk about
labor and about doing things for labor and
for the cause of the workingman. What
can be done more to the advantage of the
workingman then to put into his pockets
a hundred million dollars which we send
out of the country every year for single
articleP Then add to that the amount
which we send to other parts Of the world
for other classes of farm products which
might be kept at home and the total Is
something enormous. The value Of the
products of agriculture which are brought
into the United States and which we might
produce at home IL we were to make the
proper effort is, In round numbers, $780,
100000 per year. Why not give that to our
farmers?"
O"What is being done, Mr.. Secretary, In
the way of learning the result of this years
experiments with sugar beet seed which
you sent out last spring."
1--WE are gathering the beets produced
from the seeds by sections and states into
our experiment stations, and testing and
analysing them. These analyses are going
on constantly, and will continue for some
weeks or perhaps months. 1t Is q con-
paratively slow process, but one which will
give us thorough, practical and scientific
knowledge Of the capabilities of the various
sections of the country for this kind of
work, and while the analyses have not yet
progressed very far, enough has been done
to satisfy me that the results Of this years
experiments with sugar beets are going to
be very satisfactory and encouraging.
am confident that before the end of another
year we shall have twenty-five great beet
sugar establishments In operation In the
United States, scattered all the way from
New York state to the Pacific Coast, and
producing large quantities Of beet sugar
and opening the way to the production by
our farmers of at least large proportion
of the sugar for which We now send our
money abroad"