The Greeley tribune., 1907-01-17
CALL ron ARBITRATION.

harping on the matter OF the beet
sugar industry, but there is not a
question that is of so supreme i'm
portance to the community In an In
dustrial way as is this question now
before the managers of the Great
Western Sugar factories and the
farmers committee. 1t is not a
question in which any hotheads or
prejudiced persons should have too
leading a part. There is too much
at stake for both parties to allow
anger or i'll Judgment to enter into
the discussion.
The question seems fairly we'll
settled that members of the beet
growers associations in this part of
the state will not silo beets in the
field. Some of the most conservative
and substantial farmers say they can
not silo the beets at the price offered
by the company If that is the case
of course we cannot blame them. 1t
is as much a business proposition
with the farmers as 1t is with the
sugar company. With them 1t is a
question of making profit on every
pound Of beets grown. With the
sugar company it is question Of
making profit on every pound Of
sugar refined. When one or the
other, through some of the many
elements Of uncertainty that enter
Into the business, loses money or does
not make profit, the business loses
its attractiveness for that party, and
whichever one it is, that party will
start out to remedy the defect. The
simple way out of this would appear
to be for the one to raise the price
for growing the beets and for the
other to cut down the price. But
there, at once, the trouble begins, rs
witness the present discussion.
It should not be forgotten, how
ever, by either party that the other
side may have some troubles all its
own. of which the other is not aware.
The company is, for one thing, sub
ject to the whims of a huctuating
market. which at the present time ia
said to be the lowest since the Civil
War. 1t is also subject to many
other elements that tend to cut out
any profit that might otherwise be
made in the business. 1t is wholly
dependent upon the farmers for the
raw material, without which the
factories would be so many piles OF
junk.
The farmers are subject to the
whims of changeable climatic condi-
tions that may mean the difference
of several tons of beets to the acre.
They are subject to shortage OF
water, and to destructive insects, all
of which must be figured in before
dividends are declared. No wonder
then, that they would like to have a
price set on the product sufficiently
high as to cut down the chances OF
loss to the minimum, or to even
practically assure profit.
But the two parties must not lose
sight of the fact for one moment
that one cannot get along without
the other in that particular industry.
And then when not alone the
parties to the discussion, but every
body in this part Of the state con.
slider that on the industry depends
the distribution direct of SO. 900, 600
In the sugar industry and profit or
loss upon another 81, 200, 900 in the
sheep feeding business may hinge
upon beet pulp for fattening, and all
this with practically no diminishing
of other crops. the problem becomes
one that should be handled only with
the greatest diplomacy.
1t is a matter then that might we'll
be left to sort of board of arbitra-
tion, that should not altogether be
composed Of interested parties. but
one In which the interests of the
community at large should have a
fair voice. The community has a