The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-12-27
The Beet Sugar Industry.

~
Messrs. oxnard's and Cuttings views
on the beet sugar industry In this
country appeared on the editorial page
of the New York Evening Post OF De
cembcr II last, and as every house
hold In the land is interested In sugar
the article will be of universal interest.
THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
The Evening Post bids the heartiest
welcome 10 every American industry
that can stand on its own bottom and
make It's way without leaning on the
poor rates. Among these self.suppori-
Ing industries we are glad TO know, In
the production of beet sugar. AZ all
events, II was such two years ago. We
publish elsewhere "A letter written In
lS9o, and signed by Mr.. Oxnard and
Mr.. Cutting. the chiefs of this indus
try on the eastern side of the Rocky
Mountains, showing that this was the
happy condition of the trade az that
time. III parties masqucradlng as beet
sugar producers are besiegIng the
President ana Congress at this mo
mcnt, and pretending that they will he
| ruined II Cuban sugar Is admitted for
six months NJ half the present rates or
duty their false prctenccs ought TO be
exposed
The letter OF Messrs. Oxnard and
Cutting was probably written for the
purpose Of Inducing the farmers OF the
| Mississippi Valley To go more largely
Into the cultivation of beets for tho
sugar factories. This was n laudable
motive for telling the truth and show
| Ing the large profits which awaited
both the beet grower and the manufacL
turcr II the industry were persevcr-
ingly and intolligcntly prosecuted. To
this end II was pointed out that farm
crs could clear S05 per acre by cult
waiting beets. and might even make
800. But In order to assure the cult.
vator that he would not bc exposed 10
reverses by possible changes In the
tarln, they proceeded TO show that the
industry stood In no need OF protection
The beet sugar Industry, these gen.
tlcmen say. Stands on M firm n basis
az any business In the country" They
point out the fnct-a very important
0nc-th0t their product comes out M q
finished article. refined aud granulntcd
IL is not, Ike cane sugar grown In the
West India Islands. n black and ofrcn
sive paste, which must be carried In
wagons To the scaboard ana thence by
ships TO the United States. where. af.
ter another handling. u is put through
n costly refinery. and then shipped by
rail- to the consumer. who may posi-
bly, be In Nebraska. alongside n beef
sugar factory, which turns out the ~.
hned and grnnulated article at one fen
swoop Indeed, the advantages OF the
producer OF beet sugar for supplying
the domestic consumption are VERY
grcot We have no doubt that Messrs
Oxnard and Cutting nrc within bounds
when they say TINT sugar can be pro
duccd here cheaper than II can bc In
Europe" The reasons for this mr.,
that
"Thc sugar industry IT, after all
merely m agricultural one. We can
undcrscll Europe In all other crops
ANA sugar Is no exception"
1t follows ns naturally ns the making
OF -four from wheat. If we can pro
ducc wheat cheaper than Europe. then
we can produce -four cheap
or, MS we do.
But the writer's Of the letter do moi
depend upon a-prlOrl reasoning TO prove
ihnt they can make sugar at profit
without tariff protection. They point
TO the fact that under the Mckinley
tariff Of 1890. when sugar was free OF
duty, the price Of the article was four
cents per pound Yet net profit OF 81
per ton was made by the beet sugar
factories under those conditions. not
counting any bounty on the home pro
IuctiOn Of sugar. They boast that
hey made this prof; while working
indcr absolute free trade and they
ave right 10 be proud OF this result
II their skill and industry. Many
jcet sugar factories had been started
u byROnc years. back In the sixties
ma seventies Of the nineteenth cen
ury, and had failed, because the pro-
cct0rs did not understand the bust
loss. Since then great progress has
,c"n made. both here and abroad. In
he cultivation and manipulation OF the
'cct. What was impossible thirty
ears ngO Is now entirely feasible The
Industry Is already on solid and en-
uring basis There are factories In
he United States. these gentlemen
I'll us In their letter. capable Of using
JOODO tons Of bects per annum at
rOht OF 50 per ton. and this would
make n profit OF Sl,OJO.0OO as the In.
ONE 10 be earned under absolute free
'adc
II must be plain TO readers OF this
tier. signed by the captains Of the
Get sugar Industry. that the people IN
Washington who are dcclalming
gaihst the temporary measure which
Ic President OF the United States
rges for the relief OF the Cuban peo-
e. are either grossly ignorant OF The
inject or are practising gross decep.
on. The tcnable ground FOR them is
say: Other people are having pro
ction that they do not need. and
.crefOre we ought 10 have more than
o need" This would he consistent
ith the letter OF McssrF. Oxnard and
i,tIn2 but nothing else Il SO.