The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-04
Ax ,mpoRrANr eATHERING.

On the 18th of January next there will assemble in this city convention or association that will be of vast bene- fit to the people of Alabama, ana espe- cially the farmers and land owners Though the time is quite a while on' IL is not out of place now to call atteh- ton to the matter so that those inter- ested may be thinking about 1t.
 We alIude to the meeting in Montsom- cry of the Sugar Cane Growers Asso- citation, which will meet here to dis cuss everything in connection with cana and its products, to consult with each other on the best and most prac- ticable methods to be pursued, and in general have full and free inter change of opinion on ways and means of growing and utilizing one of the south's greatest products. All the States which can grow cane will be represented at this meeting. Capt. D. G Purse of Savannah is President of the Association
 |, No wel1-informed person needs to be told that excellent syrup can be made in Alabama, for all can have the prac- tical proof whenever they wish. As good syrup as can be made in Cuba, Louisiana or anywhere else can be made in Alabama. and 1t has been tried suf- ficiently to show that 1t Is a profitable crop. There may be sections of the State where 1t cannot be successfully raised as a money crop. but there Is probably not a farm in Alabama where enough cannot easily be produced for home use.
 But in a large portion of the State. perhaps fully one half, the growing of sugar-cane and the manufacture of syrup would be a paying business. Making tugar would be almost in the nature of an experiment In Alabama, SO little has been done in that line., but that affords no evidence that it cannot be done There was a time when cot ton thread and cloth were not manu- factured here. but there was never any thing to prevent 1t except lack of dis position to go at 1t.
 The same is true of sugar. It has not become an industry in Alabama, because other industries, have taken precedence of 1t. It is not an experi- ment in some other sections, Louisiana, for example. We have not the figures at hand for last year. but for 1902-3 that State is credited with 300, 900 long tons" of 2,240 pounds, and all who buy sugar know what that means in money. Yet. notwithstanding the great quanti- ties produced in the United States. and notwithstanding the beet and maple sugar, there was imported into the United States for the year ending June 90, 1903, foreign sugar to the value of s72,0OO, 900.
 Alabama has heretofore been only a buyer of sugar, and largely of syrup and molasses, but there Is no shadow of reason why that should keep up for all time to come. Alabama land and Alabama farmers can not only produce all these articles needed for home con sumption, but as our friend, Mir. J. R. McLendon. argued in a recent commu- nication published in The Advertiser, our State can supply all the home de . mand. and supply all the bordering States where no sugar is made, and then make all the cotton required
 But we only set out to remind the farmers of the importance of the meet ing set for January 25th so that they may think of 1t and be represented at 1t. It means much to them and to Alabama, and we propose to recur to the subject from time to time so that there will be no excuse for forgetful- ness. The Advertiser takes deep in- terest fin everything that will help to build up the State and make our people independent and self-sustaining, and wants the Cane Growers meeting to be the beginning of new industry for the State.