The Grit-advocate., 1902-01-03
THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.

country, appeared on the editorial page
OF the New York Evening Post Of De-
cember 18th, 1901 and as every house
hold in the land is interested in sugar
the article will be of universal interest
The Evening Post bids the heartiest
welcome to every American industry
that can stand on its own bottom and
make Its way without leaning on the
poor rates. Among these self-support-
ing industries, we are glad to know, Is
the production Of beet sugar. At all
events, II was such two years ago. We
publish elsewhere a letter written in
1899, 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 at that
time. If parties masquerading as beet
sugar producers are besieging the Pres
ident and Congress at this moment,
and pretending that they will be ruined
II Cuban sugar is admitted for six
months at half the present rates Of
duty, Their false pretences 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 the
sugar factories. This was laudable
motive for telling the truth and show
ing the large profits which awaited
h1fh h., ~.
turer il the industry were persevering
ly and inteligently prosecuted. To this
end it was pointed out that farmers
could clear $65 per acre by cultivating
beets, and might even make $10O But
in order to assure the cultivator that
he would not be exposed to reverses
by possible changes in the tariff, they
proceeded to show that the industry
stood in no need of protection.
The beet sugar industry. these gem
tlemeA say, stands on as firm basis
as any business in the country" They
point out the fact-a very important
one-tht their product comes out as
finished article, refined and granuat-
ed. 1t is not, like cane-sugar grown
in the West India Islands. black and
offensive paste, which must be carried
in wagons to the seaboard and thence
by ships to the United States, where,
after another handling, it is put
through costly refinery, and then
shipped by rail to the consumer who
may possibly be in Nebraska alongside
beet sugar factory which turns out
the refined and granulated article at
one fell swoop. Indeed, the advan-
tages of the producer OF beet sugar for
supplying the domestic consumption
are very great We have no doubt that
Messrs. Oxnard and Cutting are within
bounds when they say that sugar can
be produced here cheaper than it can
be in Europe The reasons for this
are that
The sugar industry is, after all
merely an agricultural one. We can
undersell Europe in all other crops,
and sugar is no exception
1T follows as naturally as the max
ing of flour from wheat. If we can
produce wheat cheaper than Europe.
then naturally we can produce flour
cheaper, as we do.
But the writer's of the letter do not
depend upon a-priori reasoning to prove
that they can make sugar at a 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 4 cents per
pound. Yet net profit of So per ton
was mnle by the beet -supar factories