Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-03-29
A BOON TO FARMERS.

Senator Hansbrough, OF North Dakota, 10
whom belongs the credit, possibly more than
TO any other one man in the Senate, for the
enactment of the amended denatured alco
hol law, is an enthusiast over the possibii
ties Of this industry and the field it opens up
for the farmers who raise the product from
which alcohol is made.
After reviewing the history Of the long
deferred successful effort TO pu; this legis.
lation through and the opposition on the
part of the big combinations that have
hitherto controlled Illuminating and power.
producing oils Of the country, Senator Hans
brough recently declared that the laws of
the United States respecting the manufac.
ture of this product were to-day the most
liberal OF any country in the world.
"Congress," said Mr.. Hansbrongh, "has
opened the way to this great industrial OPP
portunity, and it remains for our enterpris.
ing farmers and manufacturers TO take ad-
vantage OF 1t.
"One great advantage to the agricultural
interests OF the entire country which will be
secured as the result Of a workable law pro.
viding for untaxed denatured alcohol is that
the price Of those farm products from which
it may be most cheaply produced can never
fall below point which would give the
farmers a satisfactory profit In other words.
this legislation practically gives the farmer
policy of insurance against loss In grow
ing corn and potatoes. Corn at thirty cents
per bushel would Danish kerosene as source
Of light and heat, and gasoline as source
of power, at present prices Of these articles.
"In my opinion the most practicable way
10 which alcohol can be profitably produced
by the farmers, for the present al least, is
through the establishment OF CO operative
plants by number OF farmers in suitable
localities. believe that in such plants can
be utilized inferior and rejected grain, and
at certain seasons starch yielding vegetables,
80 as to supply the local demand for dena-
tured alcohol Tor lighting, heating, and mo.
tor fuel purposes.
81 am advised by the United States De-
partment of Agriculture that they have re.
Gently imported samples of potatoes grown
in Europe, which have been found TO give
very high percentage of alcohol, and that
there are varieties grown in this country,
with which the department Is now expert
menting, which show large starch content.
In view of the fact, as shown In the report
OF the committee on ways and means per-
iecting the alcohol laws, that in the fiscal
year Of 1905 Germany used 81 ,148, 1852 bush.
els Of potatoes in the production Of alcohol
there would seem 10 be no reason why in
many sections Of this country the cultlva
ton Of these special kinds Of potatoes for
use in the production of alcohol should
not be found profitable by our farmers.
"a matter of great importance in relation
to the capacity Of our farms to produce prac.
tically unlimited quantities Of the materials
from which industrial alcohol is made, Is the
fact that the growth of those farm crops does
not exhaust the soil. After the alcohol has
been extracted from corn or potatoes these
materials are still serviceable as cattle feed
in which form they ultimately find their
way back 10 the land.
"Some disappointment has been expert
enced over the delay on the part of our
manufacturers TO furnish alcohol.burning
lamps, stoves, heaters. and other alcohol
using apparatus, similar to that used in Ger
many. have personally investigated this
matter and find that American manulactur
ers are preparing TO put on the market in
the near future lamps in which it has been
found by carefully conducted experiments
that one gallon of alcohol will give as much
light as two gallons of kerosene. have
also seen samples OF cooking stoves, heaters,
and other alcohol-using appliances, which
will be on sale in this country at an early
date"