The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-09-06
WAR ON BEET SUGAR
Unfriendly Interests Aim a
Blow at the Industry.
All Friends of Beet SMEAR Are
Behooved to Stand Shoulder
to Shoulder.

lew days ago a formal announce
ment was made to the effect that the
American Sugar Refining Company com
monty known as the sugar trust, was
ABOUT TO increase its capital stock by
the amount of $15,00O,O 900, and there
has been much speculation in business
ana financial circles as to what purpose
the company has in view. 1t now seems
probable that one of the objects of the
company Is to hinder the steadily grow
ing beet sugar industry of the United
States. ''o'
This is scheme that seems almost
incredible, but there is no getting over
the TACT that the industry in question
has no more determined enemy than
those who are interested in the i'm
portatlon and refining of foreign sugars.
!t behooves every public spirited and
lalrmlnded man, in congress and ont. tO
90 what in him lies to defeat the pI ans
OF those who would fain ruin what ia in
reality one of the most important and
promising industries ever set on foot in
the Uuited States. 1t is an industry
which, if given fair play, will in a few
years time render this country indie
pendent OF foreign sugars, and in that
TACT lies the secret of the animosity of
Ine enemies OF that industry.
According to a census report, the
period of marked activity in connection
with American beet sugar production
began IN 1896. Since that time thirty
five factories have been built. The cen
sus year ending May 81, 1900, was a
bad year for the industry, for the beet
crop was a partial failure; thirty-one
factories, however, we're in operation and
they produced 35 per cent of our total
sugar production, while ten years earlier
the output OF beet sugar was less than
per cent of the domestic output.
A hopeful sign is the firm belief of
capitalists who are investing in factories
that beet sugar has passed the expert
mental stage in this country. With few
exceptions the factories builG within the
past ten years are large, substantial
buildings designed with a view to &C.
cOmmodate so much machinery that
thelr present output may at least be
doubled in the future.
The beet is now yielding more than a
third OF our domestic sugar product and
factories are earning a fair return on
their Investments, though several lost
heavily in 1899 on account of the fail
ure of the supply of raw material.
sugar industry is the American Beet
Sugar Company. This company, it will
be remembered, was Incorporated in
March, 1899, with a capital stock of
10000, 900, in 81, 600, 900 of preferred
stock and SIS, 700, 900 of common, tax
ing over various previously independent
concerns, the principal ones being those
that had been established by Henry T. |
OXnard of California
1t is against this company that the
trust and Spreckels syndicate are di-
recting their principal warfare.
The Spreckes syndicate is reported to
have given orders to it's brokers west of
the Missouri river not to sell any beet
sugar-tO sell, in fact no sugar whatever
except such as has been made by the
syndicate itself. Recently the syndicate,
1t is claimed, attempted to persuade the
grOcers of Denver to promise to make
20 per cent OF their entire trade in the
product OF the trust. In other words,
the beet sugar interests have incurred the
enmity of the sugar syndicate, which is
making every effort to ruin the business
of the American Beet Sugar Company.
Recently the syndicate reduced the
price of it's product in the west one
fourth of a cent a pound, and increased
it in the east, where there are no beet
sugar factories. This of course, forced
the American Beet Sugar Company to
cut prices. This company has recently
bought 80, 600 acres of land in the Ar
kansas valley and expects to erect a
factory there.
The syndicate handles crude sugar,
bringing it from Hawaii, Java, India
and the West Indies, and refnes it and
sells it as American sugar. So it will at
tempt at the next session of congress to
have the duty on crude sugar lowered,
and perhaps abolished. Should it sue
coed it would be disastrous to the beet
sugar industry, which is in its tender
infancy.
If it is aided and encouraged, as it
ought to be, the United States will in
few years time be producing at home
all the sugar it needs-say 100000
600 worth yearly-and will also have
large surplus for export. 1t is matter
that concerns the farmers of no fewer
than twelve california, Michigan
and Colorado being the principal ones,
in which the industry is at present most
largely represented.
The newspapers everywhere will do
we'll to take up this matter in good
time, inaugurating an educational cam
paign, so to speak, which shall show
the public in general, and our national
legislators in particular, why the reduc-
ton of the duty on raw sugars should
not be attempted for some considerable
time to come, and why all should do
what they can to help build up an in
dustry that means so much to the
whole country as does that of beet sugar
production.
1t is quite certain, however, that the
American Beet Sugar Company will
fight to the last ditch, and it is even
safe to predict that in the long run it
will win the day. 1t certainly has the
cordial sympathy of the vast majority
of those who understand the situation.
Much Hay Burned.
Fire destroyed 70 or so tons OF hay
in stack belonging to Lewis Cochran,
five miles northeast of COlfax, Sunday