The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-18
HrGHLY DGPoRTANr coNvEN-
 TION.

TION.
 At the risk of repeating itself. The Advertiser must again refer to the important convention booked for this city on January sS, as and a7. We re- fer to the Interstate Canegrowers meeting. which has been called here by President D. c. Purse. of Savannah. and which will be attended by some of the best informed agriculturists in the South. Among those who are ex- pected to be present are James Wilson. Secretary of Agricuiture; pr. H. W. Wiley. Chief of the Bureau of chem- istry, United States Department of Agriculture; Dr. W. c. stubbs. Director of the Louisiana Experiment Station. New Orleans. La; Professor B. B. Ross, State Chemist, Auburn, Ala: Professor J. M McCandless, State Chemist, At- lanta, Ga; Professor W. L. Hutchinson, Director of the Mississippi Experiment Station; Hon. John Dymond, editor of the Louisiana Planter; Hon. E. J. Wat son. Commissioner of Agriculture and Immigration. South Caorlina: W. B. Roddenberry, of Cairo, Ga; R. R. Poole Commissioner of Agriculture. Alabama. and others of prominence and knowl- edge connected with sugarcane cul- ture.
 It Is hardly necessary to enlarge on the importance of sugar and syrup in our domestic life. for they have long since been removed from among the luxuries and have taken their place with the necessaries of living, and we depend too much on foreign countries for our supply. We have not the lat est statistics at hand. but for the year 1909 the sugar imported into the United States amounted in round num- bers to s55. 900, 900, and if to that we | add the syrup it will be seen that we | pay out quite a sum of money for what | we ought largely to produce at home It is a wide mistake to assume that Alabama cannot produce sugar at home. We may not rival Louisiana, or Cuba, but the entire Southern half Of this State Is adapted to the culture of cane at a profit. So much good syrup | Is now made here, and at such compar- atively small cost, that there Is no l longer room to doubt that sugar can | be produced in such quantities as to form an important addition to the money crops of our people. besides hav- ing supply for home use Our neigh bor, Georgia, especially the southern portion. is waking up to the impor- tance of this crop and South Alabama should do the same. When the con- vention assemblies the visitors from | other States who are displaying such interest in our welfare should not only receive warm and cordial well come. but should be met and assisted and encouraged by the intelligent farmers as well as business men of l importance to the farmers than to any | other class, but all of us are directly | or indirectly interested in the encour- agement and furtherance of an indus try that promises so much for our | State and our people. Only by co-op-
 
 of all interested can any important work be accomplished, and this Is 8 work which appeals to all Alabamians. as well as to all the South.
 The people of Montgomery and of the State generally will have a warm ! welcome for Professor Stubbs, for he was intimately connected with the educational interests of our State for many years. He was for three years Professor of Natural Sciences in the East Alabama College; was Pro- lessor of Chemistry at the Agricultural College at Auburn thirteen years, and in all those years, about sixteen in all. before going to New Orleans, he was an intelligent and tireless worker for the agricultural and scientific advance ment of Alabama. The visit of him | self and the other eminent gentlemen can but be productive of much good. and we hope they will find no cause to complain of lack of interest on the part of our people.