The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-03-06
AIMED AT THE TRUST,
Senator Hoffman's Bounty Bill May
Result In Home Produced Sugar.


Result In Home Produced Sugar.
ID. A. Richardson of Great Falls
is in the city in the interest of Sena-
tor Hoffman's beet sugar bill. Mr..
Richardson stated to the Herald to-
day that if the bill became a law he
could promise the investment of
something less than a half million
dollars in a beet sugar plant to be To-
Gated in Gallatin county.
Utah capitalists who have success
fully operated several plants in that
state and put hundreds of thousands
Oh dollars into the pockets of the
farmers, said Mr.. Richardson, "are
interested in starting a similar pro-
ject here. From the investigation
and experiments that have been made
1t is certain that the best sugar beets
IN the world can be grown in Gala
tin county, and Tor that matter in
many other parts of Montana.
"All thai is asked of the legisla-
ture is the assurance that the bounty
will be paid for a periou of ten years,
and the necessary capital will be adj
vanced to put up the plant, and have
1t running by the llme the next legis-
ture meets. The bill introduced by
senator Hoffman does not vary from
the existing law, except that it makes
provision for the appointment of
state inspector to keep a check on
the product of the plant, his salary to
be paid by the corporation owning
the factory. The bill also provides
tnat the bounty shall continue for
ten years. TO us that is the import
ant feature as it is necessary that
we have assurance that the legisla-
ture will not Immediately repeal the
law after the plant has been erected
at Il large cost.
The Utah beet sugar factories in
a large measure supply the home de-
mand. in fact a good deal of Utah
sugr is sold in this state. The par
ties interested in the project, if the
law IS not passed in this state, will
increase their facilities in Utah and
Montana will be consumers for Utah
sugar However. if this plant is
started the sugar. will be marketed in
4tontana and it can be delivered not
only cheaper to the consumer, but
1t will be made from the products of
the farm, and the first cost goes right
INTO the pockets of the home pro-
ducers.
Around these factories, spring up
little farms, poor mems farms, and
the increased taxes that are paid by
reason or the new market for a COM
paratlVely new product more than
pays the bounty which the state is
asked to give, to encourage this in.
dustry. The byprOducts are not to
be overlooked either, as molasses
which by reason of the freight. comes
quite high in this country, can be
placed in the market much cheaper
than the product of an eastern fac
tory The cost of the sugar to the
consumer is also reduced. as the fac
tory has no freight to pay. On the
other hand beet sugar is made more
cheaply than granulateu. In quality
1t is Just as good as the cane sugar.
Another advantage that these fac
tories have is that they promote the
dairy industry. The pulp after the
constituents are extracted is excellent
feed for dairy cows, and usually
large dairy and creamery is started
in connection with the plant. In
Utah the plan has assumed such large
proportions that it has been neces-
sary to establish crushing stations at
'ti iouo NiStdHttS iIOIll DlduC, ana
the juice is run into large vats
through pipes from these branches
and the remaining pulp fed to dairy
cows.
I'm number of states bounties
have been paid on sugar beets-in
one case as high as two cents per
pound. Farmers can raise from IA
to 20 tons to the acre and receive in
the neighborhood of $3.50 per ton
for the product. Every place where
sugar beets have been raised the pro-
duct has proved a most satisfactory
and profitable one. At present there
are 30 beet sugar factories in opera.
tion in the United States and a dozen
more in course of construction. The
importations of sugar have been de-
creasing constantly during the last
decade and large part Of the pro-
duct of the country is now made from
beets."