Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-02-18

cant compared with those obtained by
the factories situated where the soil 10
rich in the proper elements, water for
irrigation abundant, almost constant
sunshine, and dry ripening and har-
vest-time. A weeks rain after the
beets are ripe deprives them OF nearly
half their sugar. In most parts of the
arid region where irrigation js possible
which are not too far north, and which
are not OF too great elevation, are the
ideal places for profitably carrying on
the beet sugar business.
Many take it for granted that the in
terests OF the sugar refiners and those
OF the beet sugar men will be deadly
opposed TO each other. Probably this
may not be found, in actual experience,
to be true.
In France, Germany and Austria q
very large proportion Of the beet sugar
factories make brown, or raw, sugar,
which the sell to the large refineries at
home or ship to foreign refiners. A
large quantity goes to England and
Scotland, and, as before stated, over
500, 600 tons were purchased by Ameri-
can refiners in 1895. Brown beet sugar
OF certain polariscope test is quite rs
valuable as cane sugar Of the same test.
The mode of refining is precisely the
same, and there is no difference In the
resulting product.
White beet sugar produced by our
American factories does not sell for
quite as much as the white sugar pro-
puced by the great refners. 1t is
sometimes little off color, and the
quality in the same factory may vary
slightly from year to year, depending
upon the quality Of the beets or the
skill of those running the factory, In
fact, the production of raw sugar and
refining and distributing it to the
public are too different trades. Sugar
refiners are usually enormOun concerns
employing large capital, high priced
men of great skill, and fitted with labor
saving and costly devices and process
es which any beet sugar factory cannot
afford. They receive raw rugar from
many sources, it is mixed up and treat
ed as whole, just rs the ores are in
large smelters, and the result Is q
uniform product from month TO month
add year to year, which it is difficult
to obtain from any single beet sugar
factory. One moderate size refinery in
Philadelphia uses liz, 900 tons OF raw
sugar annually. This is abott thirteen
times as much as the lasgest sugar
factory in the United States can pro-
duce.
1t seems clear, therefore, that build
ing up the beet sugar industry in the
United States will not end our outlaw
and great sugar refining and distribut-
ing companies. II such specific duty
is put on raw sugar that it can be
profitably produced here in large
quantities cheaper than it can be i'm
ported. the skill the capital and the
hold ct the market controlled by the
great refiners will be as necessary to
the beet sugar men as the raw product
they produce will be to the re6ners.
Rightly considered, their interests are
or should be identical. and there
should be no conflict between them in
the making of a new tariff They
should be able to agree on two things
"a seecific duty on raw sugar, and a
stiff duty against the refined sugar to
bounty-paying countries. Think of our
paying about $4,000, 900 yearly for
German sugar when that government
does all in its power to exclude Ameri.
can farm products from its markets.
The public sentiment in favor of our
making our own sugar is SO intense
that a sufficient duty to accomplish it
seemed sure 10 be enacted. The new
administration is pledged to it, it is
in harmony with republican policy,
and manifestly to our interests as q
nation. Surely the great army of
farmers and workingmen who sorely
need relief will be listende to 10y the
party which has pledged its self to its
national platform to foster the domestic
sugar industry. This promise redeem
ed, ike industry can be built up TO
large proportions to the advantage Of
the refirers now in the business, II
they and the beet sugar producers
work together for their mutual
interests, as in France and Germany.