Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-26
26, 1898.
WHAT CAN WE Dor

WHAT CAN WE DO.
The Legislature has done nothing We
10 encourage the culture of sugar beet
in Virginia. 1t has no spare money wit
which TO offer a bounty to farmers, a,
other States have done. and it has beef
unable 10 decide TO what extent it ough
10 allow the use of convcts for this pUr
pose.
1t may be necessary for it TO decide
first whether authority shall be given
the penitentiary authorities to enlarge the
cell building here There is no sort OF
doubt as TO the crying need for this I'M
provement. but it remains to be seen
whether the Finance Committees viii be
able TO see their way clear to doing
FOR several years without the net revenue
from the penitentiary. III they can do
soft the new building is decided upon
a considerable number of the convicts
who are now unemployed must be used
by the prison authorities TO quarry stone,
make brick, etc. How many idle convicts
will remain after this want is supplied
is a matter Of conjecture. No one seems
able to state the number accurately.
We are quite sure. however, it would be
sufficient TO cultivate a very large body
OF land.
What with its own Farmland in
Goochland and some neighboring land
that is being cultivated on shares, we
suppose the State last year worked about
thousand acres. The force of convicts
now in the farm barracks numbers about
$50 and making due allowance for a
great number of sick and disabled men,
it would seem that in any event there
would be very many who could be en-
ployed in the cultivation of beets.
From what We hear, ii is Likely the
Legislature will decide to leave to the
Governor and the penitentiary authori-
ties the matter of using the surplus
convict labor as they may deem best
but If beets are 10 be cultivated upon
/. State account more land and lighter land
than we now have will be needed for
that purpose.
. The season has now 80 far advanced
it would be impossible 10 get factory
built in Virginia to make use Of this
years crop of beets. A factory could.
this summer had the persons who pur-
posed investing in 1t been sure Of a
good supply of beets.
Beet cultivation and factory building
must 80 hand in hand. The farmer can
not afford TO plant largely unless he has
the assurance of a market for his crop
The capitalist cannot afford to put his
money into a factory unless he is con-
WINGED that he will be able TO buy beets
enough 10 keep his factory running.
Hence, to start such an industry requires
a degree of cooperation that cannot be
secured in Virginia unless the State
gives aid in some form or other.
Objection has been made to employing
convict labor in this field of enterprise.
but we cannot imagine how a start is
going TO be made otherwise. For many
years TO come the difficulty here will not
be that too many beets are raised. but
that not enough are raised to make a
factory profitable. Ii is altogether out
of the question now TO build a small fac
tory. No small factory could hope to |
compete with the large factories of the |
country. The greater the output of a |
factory the cheaper the reducing aud re- |
Aning can be done.
The manufacture OF sugar from the |
beet Is no longer a matter of experiment !
Germany. France, and Belgium. not only |
provide themselves with all the sugar |
they need, but export largely. Ia this |
country. California has taken the lead |
in this industry. but New York is also |
coming forward rapidly; but there the |
beet farmer receives bounty from the |
State.
The experiments made In Virginia IN |
dictate that we have lands that are well |
suited 10 this purpose. and once estab-
lished here, the beet Industry would pro- /
badly bring into market many farms that
are now unstable. Certainly, the pro-
mise OF success Is sufficient to Justify
our States doing something to encourage
beet culture upon a large scale. III we
fail. the loss will not be crushing: IL NE
succeed. agriculture in Virginia may re-
eeiye stimulus that will give our people
q large measure OF prosperity
But. as we have said. the only way we
can assist this industry is by using some
OF our hundreds OF idle convicts In fes,jro
70 Its fullest extent the capabili,y Of orr
soil for the growth Of this beet. How
this assistance may be best rendered we
do not undertake to advise. II the Legis-
iature Is disposed TO undertake the de-
cssion OF the question here and now. wen
and good; but II II IL not, the next best