The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-12-08

out soils of Europe, now are so produc
tive as to make our virgin soils seen
barren in comparison. While Ameri
can economists have failed to recognize
the sugar-beet as the father of modern
scientific agriculture, there are some
few who realize the great indirect ad
vantage to be derived from the culture
of beets. With the European
farmer, the main purpose in PLANTING
sugar beees is to increase the yield OF
his OTHER crops by rotation with the
beets Just as the primary purpose Of
painting barn red is to preserve the
wood"
Here is an exhibit in points:
France is the size of our three great.
est wheat-producing states-Kansas,
Minnesota and North Dakota. In 1907
France sowed sixteen million acres to
wheat as did these three states. Since
the introduction of beet culture, French
soils have been 80 rejuvenated that
from her sixteen million acres of wheat
French farmers harvested three humid.
red and twenty-five million bushels
while from OUR sixteen million acres
the farmers q Kansas, Minnesota and
North Dakota harvested but one hund-
red eighty eight million bushels"
The conclusion which we are seeking
to suggest goes to the VALUE of the
beet.sugar industry to the country. Any
body will admit that 1t would be de-
sirable to produce at home the $3.50, 0O0,-
900 worth of sugar we annually import
from foreign countries and our island
possessions and to turn this vast sum
into the pockets of our own instead of
foreign farmers and laborers. That in
itself would be q consideration of great
economic value to the nation but it
would be small indeed compared to the
indirect benefits to be derived If we
produce this sugar from beets, the cul.
tivation of which in Germany in rota-
ton with wheat, rye, barley, oats and
potatoes, has resulted in their farmers
securing from the land which they de-
vote to these FIVE crops, an excess an
nual yield worth 5000, 900 900 more
than our farmers secure from q like
area devoted to the same crops. If
from a total area devoted to these five
crops, our farmers secured as great a
yield as do the German farmers, our
farmers would be richer by 81, 400, OOO,-
600 year.
If the protection of q tariff law has
very largely resulted in the splendid |
of the beetsugsr industry |
which has been apparent during the
last twenty years, then 1t would seem |
that any sane movement today should |
go to the question of CONSERVATION
rather than to the question Of DE-
It Is true that the retail price of
sugar Is high. But it is no higher,
comparatively speaking. in the United
States than it is in free.trsde England.
L is not, therefore. the tariff which
makes the retail cost Of sugar excessive.
This excessive price is due to shortness
n the WORLDS sugar supply-and
he law Of supply and demand, as usual
works its inevitable result. If it were
Not for our own domestic sugar pro.
luction-permitted by tariff laws-it is
lifficult to even imagine what the price
# sugar MIGHT be today.
Those who would refute the PROPOSE.
ion that the price of sugar is due to
in world crops. point to the
act that American imports Of sugar
re as great, If not greater. than ever
'efore. This is true. But it is also
rue that to secure these imports We
ave had to bid against world demand
nd we have secured the imports by
aging the price.
The sugar schedule Of the tariff law
} Of vital interest and Importance, not
My to the farming industry of Michi.
an, but to BUSINESS in Michigan;
nd any attack upon the sugar tariff
sw should be most carefully scrutiny
d. Let the FACTS be presented be.
pre- premature conclusions are attempt
d. Beet.sugar factory dividends may
Q excessive; but the BENEFITS to all
he people of the beet sugar industry .
re equally excessive" and we may
,ell take care lest we "cut off the nose
, spite the face."-Grand Rapids Her.
Id.
Rev. George Laughton was in Grand
.apids Monday to address a meeting
l the Fountain Street Baptist church
, the interests Of the "Men and Relig-
IN Forward Movement. While in
rand Rapids he will be the guest of 1.
|. Keller, formerly of this city.
Supt o. B. Preston of the water and