Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-07
BEET SUGAR FACTORY
Waverly People Fear Effect of
Birdsall's Philippines Bill
Upon New Enterprise
PRELIMINARY WORK DONE
Farmers Have Pledged ThemseIve. To
Raise $500 Acres of Beats the First
Year and Bremer County Hopes to
Sec Development Of Great Industry
There.
Special IL Tines Republican.


Waverly, March 7.--Waverly Is ex-
cited today over dispatches announce
ing that Congressman Birdsall has in
troduced "a bill granting free trade to
the Philippines. Our people are heart
lily in sympathy with their congress-
man on most matters. but this was un-
ing in locating beet sugar factory in
this state. and one of the great OBJ
stacles that we have had to contend
with Is that the eastern capitalists
have hesitated at making any invest
ment in view Of the pending Philippine
legislation which was far less drastic
than Congressman Birdsalls bill as re-
ported in the dispatches. After the
Waverly factory, which is to cost
about half million dollars, shall have
! been in operation year or two, 1t is
believed in the light of the experience
of the industry in other states, that in
Congressman BirdsalTs district, there
will be located good many similar
factories
Secretary Wilson. who is deeply in
terested in the promotion OF this new
industry throughout the United States,
and especially in Iowa, has made the
statement based on his experience ut
Ames and his knowledge of our soils
that we will grow about twenty tons
of beets to the acre. The contract
price for these beets Is $500 per ton.
and 1t takes about seven tons to meet
the cost of production and marketing.
Iu other states, notably in Michigan,
Wisconsin and Colorado 1t has been
matter of but short time after the
industry has been started that numer-
Gus other factories were located near
the initial factory and in surrounding
towns. 1t may that the future OF the
sugar beet industry is not seriously
jeopardzed by the proposed Philippine
legislation, but however that may be.
1t is an undoubted fact that both
growers and investors have been
greatly alarmed ait previous attempts
to reduce the duty on sugar.
Repeated efforts have been made
heretofore to locate a factory in Iowa,
and these efforts have been mutual on
the part of the beet sugar interests,
the officials of the agricultural de-
partment and the cities of Iowa, but
most of these efforts have been put
forth by the larger cities-Des Moines.
Marshalltown. Waterloo, Davenport
and other cities, and have failed be-
cause of lack Of cooperation on the
part of farmers. At Waverly, the
proposition was taken up by the bus
mess men and the farmers heartily CO.
operated and it has not been difficult
matter to get about $500 acres sub
scribed, and the remaining acreage that
is required for first campaign Is abb
solutely assured. The farmers have
become convinced upon investigation
that no other crop can be grown so
profitably or with equal assurance both
as to yield and as to price of product.
The principal objection has been that
our farmers are not accustomed to any
form of intensive farming; but this OBJ
lection has yielded to the manifest
benefits to be derived from the grow
ing of sugar beets