Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1904-04-20
PHOENIX. ARIZONA, APRIL 20, 100
Is the Sugar Beet a Failure?

The New York Sun asks this ques-
tion. and answers it in the affirmative
substantially, by pointing out that the
recent annual report of the beet sugar
trust. otherwise the American Beet
Sugar company, shows that instead OF
the predicted increase of the industry
there has been a very marked decline
in output.
The sun admits that it has been
demonstrated beyond any question
that that sugar beets, rich in saccha~
rine qualities, can be grown over
very considerable area of the United
States, and that the acreage yield IS
quite up to that of other countries IN
which the industry has proved a imam
cial success. The mechanical CONVEX
sion of the beet juices into sugar is no
more difficult here than it is elsewhere,
and is little if any more expensive
Theoretically. there is no reason why
the United States should not produce
beet sugar in very large quantity
What, then, is the cause Of the un~
disputed decline and indicated failure
Of the industry? 1t cannot be said that
the small reduction in the tariff carried
by the Cuban reciprocity treaty has
proved detrimental to the beet sugar
industry, although for long time the
proposed reduction was fought bitterly
by the beet sugar interests. The Sun
reaches the conclusion that the lack
of cheap labor is the principal diff
Guilty This feature of the industry, it
may be remembered, was discussed in
these columns at the time the beet
sugar factory for Phoenix was under
consideration, and The Republican
suggested that this locality appeared
to be exceptionally we'll favored be-
cause of the large supply of Indian
and Mexican labor, 1t seems, there
fore, that the sugar industry should
prosper here, whatever the obstacles
may be elsewhere. 1t must be conced-
ed, however, that the Sun correctly
gauges the situation as it applies to
the country generally when it states
that the American farmer does not
take kindly to the sort of work requir-
ed for beet culture. While beets for
sugar mills make a fairly profitable
crop, NEST of our farmers are not suf-
ficientIy hard up to be willing to do
that kind of work for what money
there is in it. Hence the sugar mills,
dependent upon the farm supply, are
not provided with a stock Of raw ma
terial which is up to their working
capacity"
In other words, the farmer is dis
inclined to grow the beets, because he
will not get down on his hands and
knees and do the necessary work of
pulling weeds from around the tender
plants and the necessary and similar
class of work when it comes to har-
. vesting the roots. The average farm
hand will not do this kind of work
either, and reliance must be had upon
the people who may be willing to per-
form such exacting labor. Americans
poor they may be, and colonies of for
eigners are not always at hand in
sufficient numbers.
Is the setback already received
likely to be permanent, and is there to
be a permanent failure of the industry
which promised so much for many por-
tons of the country? The facts and
knowledge of the inventive ability
of American genius do not justify such
gloomy prophecy. The Sun comedies
that the industry remains in the do
main of possibilities. The time may
come when the invention Of suitable
tools will enable the farmer to plant
his field of beets and gather his crop
with horse-drawn apparatus which he
can ride while doing his work. Until
the labor is thus simplifed," it adds,
the beet sugar industry may be able
to compete with imported cane sugar
in certain areas in the west and far
west. but the country at large must
depend chiefly on the cane of the
tropics"
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A Surprise For Eastern Bankers.