The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1897-03-18
The Beet Sugar Industry.

| AS ASCCs 1nuuStfys
The sugar question is deservedly attrac
ting much attention in this country. TIL,
consumption of sugar in the United States i
about 20 pounds per capita. With the pop
ulation of 10000, 900 this would make GU
total annual consumption fully 2, Ioo, 900 tons
The production of sugar in this country
does not exceed 100000 tons, and of thi
only about 10000 tons is beet sugar. W.
| import from foreign countries about 100,
900 tons, most of it being brown or raw sug
gar, which is purchased by the American
Sugar Refining Company, and by other re-
liners, who refine and sell it, directly or in
directly, to consumers Most of this vast
quantity of imported sugar solnes from coun-
tries which either buy very little from us OIL
discriminate against American products. In
| 1896 the Eastern re6ners bought SOC, 900 tons
OF brown or raw German beet sugar, for which
including freight. about $50, DOC, 900 must
have been paid. 1t is not yet definitely re-
ported what our total foreign sugar bill was
in 1896, but for the year ending June 80, 1894
it was $I2o.ooo,ooo. Generally, it takes
nearly all our exports of breadstuffs to pay
for our imported sugar. All our exports of
provisions. including meat and dairy pro-
ducts, barely pay our sugar BILL
AS we are now situated, our financial con-
dition is constantly strained and put in peril
because of the calls on us from foreign coun-
cries for gold. If we should make only one
halt of the sugar we use, the. relief, so far as
our financial situation is concerned, would be
equivalent to doubling our gold production.
tits probable that with only moderate pro-
lection the beet sugar industry will be rapid
" developed, but with the best we can hope
for it is doubtful if the production of sugar in
the United States can catch up with the con-
sumption in twenty years. BY that time our
population will certainly be Ioo, 900, 900, and
our consumption of sugar will be at least 81
ooo, 900 tons annually of which probably a.
900, COO tons will be beet sugar. Our yearly
sugar bill will probably then amount to at
least $3.50, 100000. What would the produc-
ton of 5000, 900 tons of beet sugar mean to
our farmers? 1t would mean that they must
produce annually about $4,000, 200 tons of
sugar beets, which would give them, at the
lowest estimate, $I3o, 1000, 900. 1t would en-
ploy 3,3oo, 900 acres of the best farming land
and not less than 500, 900 men in the fields
1t would also employ an army of men in the
factories, in transportation, and in other en-
ployments. It would use 5000, 200 tons of
coal, 200, 900 tons OF limestone, and call for
vast quantity of chemicals, machinery, etc.
Why should we not do all this ourselves, in
stead of allowing it to be done by foreign
countries which bay comparatively little
from us, or which discriminate against our
products? If President Mckinley can be
the fonnder of this industry it will be one
of the chief glories of his Administration.
1t is doubtful if sugar beets can be success
fully raised in many of the Southern States,
where both the days and nights are hot, the
atmosphere humid, and the autumn, or rip
ening season, rainy. 1t is also doubtful if
the extreme Northern States can success
fully prosecute this industry. The seasons
are too short, and severe winter comes too
early. But we have a large area of country
which is better adapted to the business than
any part of Europe. More than one-half the
weight of sugar in the beet comes from the
sunshine and not from the soil, and those
countries which have mild climate, COM
bined with the greatest amount of sunlight.
with minimum of air moisture are the ones
which will produce sugar beets the richest in
sugar and with the highest degree of purity.
This accounts for the tact that California,
Utah and New Mexico have beaten the world
record in raising rich and pure sugar beets.
IN. Y. Sun.