The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-06-14
WEDNESDAY, JUNE IL, 1905.
BEET SUGAR FACTORIES.

Beet sugar propositions have been
discussed in Montana for several
years past, and some ten years ago
the state legislature passed an act
providing: "That for every pound
Of sugar manufactured within the
state of Montana, out of beets grown
within the state, there shall be paid
by the state Of Montana to the person,
persons, company or corporation
manufacturing the! same, the sum of
one cent per pound, as bounty" AT
the same session, in 1895, the state
legislature made an appropriation Of
$1,000 to pay sugar bounty, but, so
far as known, not a dollar of it has
been claimed for sugar manufactured
in Montana.
1t Is believed, however, that a sugar
factory will be in operation in Mon
tana next year. The peope of Billings
announce that a million dollar plant
will be built in that city, with a ca.
pacity of about 1900 tons of beets
every twenty -four hours. Contracts
have been made with farmers to de-
vote 10000 acres Of their land to beets
next season, whichswill probably pro.
duce a crop of some 10000 tons.
This supply oflbeets, according to a
Billings authority, will yield over
1000, 900 pounds ofusugar.
a recent newspaper article says the
people of the United States consume
$3.50, 600 tons of sugar annually, and
the amount is contantly increasing.
The United States consumes around
rs per g OF the worlds output of
saccharine, and to promote domestic
economy beet.sugar factories aud
%beet-sugar husbandry are making
conservative growth in the western
and Pacific coast states. Wheat
farming pays nominally $40 per acre,
while from sos to Shopper acre can be
realized in theIsugar.be beet industry.
The numberiof sugar-beet factories
now in operation total as. distributed
as follows:-- Five in California, 8 in
Colorado. three In Idaho, l6 In Michi-
gan, \ in Minnesota, 3 In Nebraska, l
In New York, l each in Ohio, Oregon
and Washington: 4 in Utah and 3 in
Wisconsin.
Assuming that the average annual
output of each.factory is 5000 tons, it
would take 500 factories OF equal ca.
pacity to meet home consumption.
The south produces SOC, 900 tons oil
cane sugar, and to equal the curren,
demand would require 400 additional
beet.sugar factories of 600 tons ca,
pacity.
To continue to send abroad S125,
100000 annually to enrich the foreigl
sugar industry is neither good politi
cal economy or common sense. II tn,
100000 IONS OF sugar necessary I,
supply domestic consumption wer
manufactured at home by American
labor and exploited by American CAPT
tal it would greatly argument our in
dustrial development and prosperity
No agriculturallindustry has conferre
the stable prosperity that Is enjoye
In localities where sugar factories Ut
established. 1t Is paramount with tn
canning and creamery plants, whic
have added great wealth to commun
ties where operated. The averas
hanf.SMIYnt foI1 nrv. annually IiStvi)
utes $3.50, 900 to its patrons. The n,
profit per acre Of sugar beets is 8;
to 500.
The great drawback to the sugar
beet industry is the large amoun {
labor necessary to produce u goo
crop. In Germany. the great seat {
beet.sugar manufacture, the people al
accustomed to manual labor, while
America the average farmer wants
perform all his agricultural opera
lions with machinery. American hu
baudry is away from rather than tt
ward the direction.of hand labor. IT
prime necessity in.sugar-beet culture
plenty Of hard labor. which is wa
ranted, as a good crop is highly r
n~umerative.
In Michigan, Colorado, Idah
Utah, California and Wisconsin 4
beet.sugar industry is steadily c
banding uutil.itt has become one
the great agricultural u
these commonwealth. With Amer
q genius to invent labor.savil
dapted to the industr
sugar-beet factories are destined
increase until ourlhome manufactori
shall be able to supply q large sha
of that required for domestic co
sumption.
HAMILTON, June l0.-Eighty.eig