La Junta tribune., 1908-02-01
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uouSr a. isoNhy HVib i"1e '>''
of representatives Of all the beet
growers associations in the valley.
from Pueblo to Garden City, Kan.
The meeting was attended by full
" 1000 growers and was by far the
most interesting and enthusiastic
meeting held since the beet industry
started III the valley eight years ago.
Hon. w. b Ebbert. president Of the
Otero County Beet Growers Associ-
alton, presided over the meeting and
c. b. Ryan. was chosen secretary.
Senator Jack Crowley, who is
always the farmers friend, was an
active worker at the meeting. There
were many matters of interest 10
the growers discussed, but the main
object of the session was to get a
satisfactory contract with the sugar
companies for 1908. IL was clearly
demonstrated by the growers that
the farmer cannot, in justice to him
stii, a'kh eiC eoiitf at tiae 10 bth'k
presented to the growers now which
only pays them $3.50 per ton for
beets and that if no better price can
be gotten, they will have TO quit
raising them.
A report was brought in by the
committee appointed at the morning
session which demands of the Amer
lean Beet Sugar Company that the
1908 contracts be the same as the
1907 contracts. which is flat rate of
S5 per ton. The report was unani-
mously adopted and committee
consisting of w. p. Ferguson. of
Holly; F. NJ Harsin, of Rocky Ford;
George Lackey. of Rocky Ford; Levi
Dunbaugh. of Las Animas, and +.
l.. Reede. of Vineland, were ap-
pointed by Chairman Ebbert to pre-
sent the growers demands to the
American Beet Sugar Company and
the Holly Sugar Company at once.
The committee held consultation
with Manager Weitzer, of the
American Beet Sugar Compang, and
w. NJ. Wiley. of the Holly Construc-
ton Company, last Sunday and pre-
sented their demands. but neither
agreed to make the concessions de-
manded. A great many beet con-
tracts expired with the year 1907.
and the growers seemed to have ar
rived at the almost unanimous de
cIslon to cease growing beets unless
the demand for So flat pri.e is
granted. and some of them are
already making arrangements TO put
in other crops.
The farmers claim that owing to
the increased cost of production il is
not possible to raise beets at a less
rate than s. per ton, and that the
per centage system. which was in
vogue previous to. two years ago.
always was unsatisfactory. The
beet companies have been paying SIS
per ton flat for beets during the past
two years, regardless of sugar con-
tent, and they claim that under the
flat rate the growers consider ton
mage solely and pay no attention to
developing the sugar content Of
beets. This, of course, if true, re-
suits in loss to the sugar COM
panies.
The sugar companies of Northern
Colorado and the one at Sugar City
are already making contracts fer
1908 on the same basis as last year,
which was the S. per ton flat rate.
and it will be very difficulty to con-
vince the farmers Of the Arkansas
Valley that their companies cannot
manufatt ire sugar on the same
basis with equal profit.
tits currently reported that the
product of a ton of beets of average
sweetness is three sacks of sugar
valued at IS sack. One sack goes
to the farmer for his labor and crop.
One sack goes to the factory for the
cost of manufacturing. And the
third sack. it is claimed. represents
the profit of the stakeholder of the
sugar company. These figures are
said to be authentic. and. if true, it
issurely an injustice to the farmers
to reduce the amount paid to them
while no change has been shown in
the cost of manufacturing and no
decrease in the selling price os the
product to the consumer.
II Il, bny,al for tha han.G. oS III