The morning news., 1899-10-18
THE SUGAR QUESTION.


BE Saved-Can America Produce
Its own Sugnrs-Cane and Beet su-
gar Discussed-Is There Profit in
RehninG Sugar From syrup:
Qutman. Ca, Oct. 16.-Editor Morning
News: There has grown such an intensity
Of interest in the sugar question amongst
all classes of citizens, both South and
North I feel constrained at their earnest
solicitation to again appear before the
public in advocacy of its encourage
The importation of sugar the past fiscal
year will nearly if not quite reach the
S20C,000O00 mark. Why should it be so in
regard to an article that enters so largely
into daily use among all classes of the
American people? What would be the re-
suit If this vast sum could be kept at
home? Would our farmers not become the
richest agrcultursts on the globe? Would
not all of our industries feel the impulse? ?
Would not cur cities feel a once the re-
vivifying influence such vast sum dis
tributed among our Southern farmers in
addition to the cotton wheat corn and
vast crops of the West produce i'm build
ing up our every interest and encourag-
ing others? Such would certainly be the
result to follow as a natural consequence.
Then, Is it the part of wisdom to depend
upon other countries to furnish us with
an article Of daily consumption in every
household in the land, when we are blessed
with enough cane-growing lands to not
only supply our home needs, but produce
a surplus sufficient for expectation 10
cause a large amount of foreign money to
flow this way?
This question admits of but one answer.
and that is At Is foOlhardiness to keep our
longer in obscurty. Capitalists have be-
come interested in the sugar question and
the more 1t Is discussed, the more interest
viii be manifested in its early utilization.
There are seemingly but few people who
have any idea of the area of sugar cane
lands within the United States, and to
what extent ii reaches perfection that is
not approached by any other cane pro-
ducing countries.
1t is safe to say that in Georgia alone,
there are at least 10000 square miles on
which sugar cane can be profitably grown.
while the whole state of Florida con be
classed az sugar cane producing lands.
The Everglades, which are soon 10 be
drained and the lands contiguous to them,
embraces twelve to fifteen million acres
of sugar lands, that are not equalled in su-
gar content i'm the world. Cane has been
known to be grown in that section for
eight years without replanting.
Sugar Cane and Beet Culture Com
pared.
In growing the beet its planting. cult
waiting, harvesting and conversion into
sugar is far in excess of the expense OF
planting, cultivaling and converting into
sugar cane crop. Again the contingeu-
cies are much greater than that of cane
crop. A drought a the time Of seed
sowing not only delay their termination
an lint hut
ly reduces the product Again, with the
most favorable weather for painting and
"A fun stand secured, a protracted drought
during the growing season lessons the crop
more than nalf. Again, if a drought oc-
ours during the early part of the grow
Ing season, and later rains set in, a new
growth will set in, and it will lose the
greater part of its sugar content. which
consumes the sugar and changes il into
starch. There is no work more laborious
than that of growing beets and none more
expensive. 1t is done entirely by hand;
pulling weeds, thinning, etc. etc, which
makes the expense or cost of cultiVating
an acre equal to ten acres in cane. In
cultiVating cane there is no hand culture
necessary; the process is as simple as il
can be; the work being performed by the
plow and the hoe. Besides there is an
other important factor against beet grow
ing. The beet makes q heavy draft upon
the land, while cane does moi. Southern
Georgia and Florida alone can supplement
the great money draft upon the United
States for imported raw sugars. and in a
very few years time export refined quail
iiy of the best and purest sugar known
to The world The only thing lacking is
a refinery at Savannah. On a gigantic
scale which will afford a market for all
the ''mush sugar. that can he grown in
Southern Georgia and Northern Florida
nj
writer has talked are right in
line for a uniformity of grade.
which can only be arrived at by reducing
their syrup to much sugar. We have the
lands, the climate and all other conditions
necessary to make true what is here said
Then will Savannah do her part in en-
gaging capital to bring into existence her
own and the country's redemption? There
is unquestionably dark and forebo ling
commercial cloud lowering over her bor-
ders. She can dispel it if she will And
in order to do so she has no time 10 lose
The present is her opportunity. She must
either take advantage of the God-given
time or another city will take the lead
in establishing a sugar refinery Further
than this to develop the sugar indus ~
would give employment TO many men in
the city. and at the same time serve as
an incentive TO immigration, the like of
which has never been witnessed in TIE
S0uln. ! ne lued OF making SlUU to $40
per acre as profits will draw them as moth
ing else could Especially when their hab-
itations will be in as healthy. if not the
very healthiest, country to be found on the
continent.
Is There Profit in Refining Sugar:
"Tne American Sugar Refining Company
was organized January. 1891 under the
laws of New Jersey. The net earnings for
eleven months. in 1899, were $S,6l5, ,S37, since
which time the company has issued no
statement of its operations" 1t began by
paying a dividend of z per cent. then 1OIb
per cent. and then 21l9 per cent. 1t sup
plies about II per cent. of the output in
the United States, as against 80 per cent
formerly" Let il be borne in mind that
their operations are confined strictly 10 a
fraction of a cent profit per pound; while
a refinery at Savannah will have a margin
OF several cents per pound, even though
The farmer get 25 or 80 cents per gallon for
his "mush sugar," which can be counted
on as being certain to make eight to eight