The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-02-19
BEET-SUCAR INDUSTRY
Governor Pingree Thinks Michi.
gan Should Try 1t.
WOULD MAKE MUCH MONEY BY 1T.

Legislation-Lee's Bill for the Execution
of Murderers by Electricity-Other
News of Interest from Lansing.
Lansing, Mich, Feb. 16-Governor
Pingree is very much interested in the
bills providing a bounty for beet sugar
of Michigan production. He believes
that the bounty is the proper way of
getting this industry started, and has
no doubt whatever that it will be a
great thing for Michigan. He is con-
WINGED that there is money in it, and
says that the state that makes the start
is the one that will reap the greatest
benefit. lie is not altogether sure that
this sugar beet industry does not afford
solution for the much-vexed convict
labor problem. In conversation with
your correspondent few days ago he
said:
wouldn't it be n good thing for the
state to set the ball rolling by establish
Ing beet sugar plant. Let it be located
in the heart of that section of the state
which needs developing and which
promises the best returns in the way of
sugar beets. The farmers would then
have sure market for their crops and
would be encouraged to make their land
y. Id the best possible returns. What if
q beet sugar pla,1t does cost several
hundred thousand dollars? 1t would be
4 permanent and growing investment.
Not only that but it would pave the
way for a permanent and growing in
dustry which has never been tried by
the farmers of Michigan. and would
cause worthless lands 20 yield hand
some returns. My experience has been
that the people never kick on the out
lay of money in the way of permanent
investments which are sure to yield
good returns. 1t is the frivolous and use
less expenditures that they protest
against.
The Purchase of Belle Isle.
II have had nearly eight years OK
perience in Detroit. and make this state
ment advisedly. Take the purchase CT
Belle isle, for instance. That cost us
1891, 191. That's a big sum of money
but the people of Detroit would not sell
the island for SIC, 900. Even as times
are now we could get $4,000, 900 for it,
enough to pay the entire bonded in
debtedness of the city and leave us a
balance of $1,000, 900. Not a very bad
investment was it? And yet some peo-
pie howled when it was made. You
don't hear any howl now, though. SO
it would be with the beet sugar factory,
in my opinion. If the state established
such plant it would not only provide
the convicts with work in which they
would not compete greatly with free
labor but the farmers would be fur
nished with q market for their crops
at a good price.
II believe in the convict farm idea,
too. That was mentioned in my mes
sage to the legislature. There is no
reason why these convicts could not be
set to work farming in stockades. Let
them build the stockades out of logs
or lumber just as the prison stockades
were built during the war. / was in
two of Them for long time and 1 know
something about them. Then when it
was not the proper season for farming,
the convcts could replace the tempo
rary stockades with overhanging brick
walls, and we would have something
permanent. We build at all seasons of
the year now, winter as we'll as sum-
mer, and there is no reason why this
building could not be done when it
is too cold to farm.
Best Work for ConYicts.
THE state has use for all the farm
produce the convicts would raise so
that competition with the farmer would
be reduced to a minimum. They might
do a good deal of experimenting in the
way of raising various crops not now
raised in Michigan, and give the Michi-
gan farmer the benefit of the expert
cnce thus gained. This would have a
tendency to raise the standard of farm
ing in Michigan, and with such raise
would come better prices for the better
produce. People have always got to
depend on the farms for what they put
in their stomachs. There is nothing
temporary about the farming industry.
and for this reason ii is one of the very
best kinds OF work the convicts can be
put at"
Again, referring to the sugar beet in
dustry, Governor Pingree mentioned
the marvellous growth OF the industry
in Germany, France and other foreign
countries where the annual production
Of beet sugar has assumed enormous
proportions. He expressed himself in
favor of paying n bounty of l cent per
pound for all beet sugar manufactured
in Michigan, such payment, however,
to cease whenever the congress shall
provide a bounty for the country gen.
orally. He also thought it might be
well to fix in the bill the minimum price
per ton Michigan farmers should be
paid for their sugar beets.
The committee on state affairs in the
house has reported n substitute for the
Dudley beet sugar bill. The substitute
provides a bounty of | cent per pound
10 manufacturers, IS, 900 being appropri-
ated for this purpose for each Of the
ensuing two years. The bill also pro-
vides a minimum price Of 81 per ton
to be paid to Michigan farmers for their
beets.,
BARRIERS Want Legislation.
The BARRIERS of the state are after
legislation this year. Two years ago
a number of Detroit BARRIERS came out
here and secured the enactment OF
law requiring that all barber shops be
kept open on Sunday. Now the same
fellows are sick OF their bargain and
want tho law repcaled. The indications