Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-09-29
LEWISTOWN, MONT, Sept 20. 1905.
BEET SUGAR FACTORIES.

BEET SUGAR FACTORIES.
Early in the summer we heard much
about a proposition to establish
beet sugar factory in Billings. Wheth.
er the project has been given up or
not we are not advised. But similar
agitation now seems to be on in the
Gallatin valley. but what will come
of it is left to conjecture. Important
and desirable as such plant is, the
first question should be, will it pay?
Are conditions in Montana ripe for
such an enterprise? The great prob
lem is that of labor Could a plant
be operated at profit at the price
that would have to be paid for the nee
essary help. When the interest was
current last summer the Butte Inter
Mountain contained the following edi-
torial Of facts and figures which is
worthy of reproduction in that it
shows that something more than SEN
timent and enthusiasm are necessary
in considering the chances of success
OF beet sugar factory at this time.
whatever may be the advantages in
the future. The editorial is as fol
lows
Business men of Billings and farm
ers of the adjacent country have en-
gagged in the enterprise of establish
ing a beet sugar factory. Until that
project shall have been proven both
practical and profitable the farmers
in other sections of the state whose
land is now devoted to crops or stock
which bring lucrative returns may be
wise to avoid haste in sugar-rasing
experiments. Something more than
soil which will produce the beets and
money to erect the factory is requir-
ed to insure profit in the business.
at is doubtful if any other crop
raised on western land. not excluding
orchard fruits, calls for so large an
investment for labor If there was
a surplus Of workmen in this region,
or if the industry would warrant the
bringing of more labor into the state
to be rewarded with the existing scale
OF wages, the fact that much labor is
required would be an additional argu-
ment in favor OF the enterprise rath-
er than an objection to it, but there
Is not now sufficient number of
Workmen available in Montana 10
meet the small demand for extra help
on the ranches created by the haying
season. The number of transient
wage-earners, which is another term
for needy worllmen, is small through
out Montana. 1t is not desirable that
1t shall become large enough to con-
stitute menace to remunerative toll
and the character of the chief indus
tries here as we'll as the strength of
labor organizations would contribute
to prevent any large influx of work.
men of that kind.
"Beet growing, under the most ia
vorable conditions, necessitates a
great amount of work during certain
seasons for the care as well as the
harvesting of the crop. An Idaho pa
per reckons the cost of two weddings
pulling, piling and topping, the beets
at $3.50 per acre at the wages fixed
by the union in that state for the
present season. 1t does not appear
what the men thus temporarily en-
ployed find to do during the remain
der of the year, nor is it apparent
how they could be employed in Mon
tana without creating competition like
ly to be expensive to wage-workers
in other occupations. There is nc
doubt about the gains from reclaim
ing desert lands and planting them to
beets in the vicinity of a sugar fac
tory in states where the agricultural
population is greater than in this
which ought to be answered before
Montana ranchmen take land already
successfully cultivated for other crops
to devote it to experiments in sugar
production at the instigation of pro-
moters who expect their large pro.
fits from manufacturing the sugar in,
stead of from raising the beets. The
cost of labor as well as the quantity
of it TO be obtained in this state for
short periods OF each year is not the
least important among these ques-
tons"