Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-05-29
FINALLY, BRETHREN.
The SOuth's Future Lies i'm Industrial
Development

Development
Finally, brethren, after the politi-
cians-pure1y as such-have finished
their plays to the galleries in the ma
tional Congress and in our esteemed
contemporary the Congressional
Record the fact will still remain that
tariff or no tariff, the future of the
South lies in Industrial development
and The Argus, along this line, pre-
sents to the consideration of it's read
ers the following very timely editorial
from today issue of the New Bern
Journal:
"a local in the Journals column
says that beets are the main product
now being shipped from the farms in
this vicinity.
Here is another raw product, easily
and cheaply raised, that calls for local
effort to run it into finished article
for the trade. Sugar beet cultivation,
with a factory nearby would prove
of immense benefit for the farmer and
for the industrial benefit of this city.
1.-The Secretary Of Agriculture has
for years advocated the American pro-
duction of its own sHgar wants, in
stead of sending abroad annually
$1OO, 900 900 for the sugar needed for
consumption in this country.
From his report to the Senate it
appears that when Congress passed
the Dingley bill, in 1897, and the De-
partment of Agriculture began invit-
ing capital to develop the beet sugar
industry, there were but. seven, and
AS result of the passage of this mea-
sure, and of the diligent educational
work of the Secretary. there are now
81 beet sugar factories, which repre-
sent an invested capital of $4,000, 600.
''In 1896 the total daily beet-slicing
capacity of American factories was
1000 tons; in 1908
In 1896 the United States produced
from beets $4,000 tons of granulated
sugar, valued at $3,261 900; in 1906 we
produced 484,O0O tons valued at $43,-
753 4OO0.
'In 1898 American farmers planted
Al 900 acres in sugar beets; in 1906
they planted 376,00 acres,
In 1895 the price paid for beets
was s4.l0 per ton, and in 1908, it was
$5.35 per toh.
''In 1898 American farmers found
market for 1000 ions of beets, and
in 1906 they marketed 4,236,OO0 tons.
''In 1898 these farmers received ST.
564 600 for theif beet crop, and in
1905 they received $21, ,604 900 for the
crop.
"In 1897 the American farmers
gross return per acre Of sugar beets
was $39, and in 1905 it was $57.
"By increasing their sugar beef
acreage 500 per cent. the farmers, by
reason of greater tonnage and in
| creased price of beets, increased theil
| cash returns 1900 per cent.
During the past twelve year:
American farmers have found a mar
ket for 24,245,OOO tons of beets fol
which they have received $121 ,000.O0
/ and the United States has producet
from beets 1921, ,199 tons of, sugar.
''The above shows what the suga
beet industry has become, and yet
falls far short Of what it is possibl
to make it. Those who ought to knoN
say that beets can be successful
grown in this section. Why not
sugar factory to take these beets, an
make this raw material build up in
dustrial New Bern, instead of shippin
away the beets in carlots and order
ing sugar for local consumption i
carlots.
"The beet shipments from here, {
best, are only moderately profitabl
l while if there was a local factor
2 there would be several profits-to tt
r farmer an assured sale at profit, an
: the factory would profit, while tt
I wage-earners, the employees of the IA
e tory, would profit. This section whi
a producer is yet too heavy COZ
e sumner, and of products that ought
: be grown and manufactured here. TT
r sugar beet factory is one industry tn
r can be easily worked for local indu
d trial benefits, and the farmers of tn
n section would quickly go into be
cultivation, with an assured mark
l. nearby for what they could raise"