La Junta tribune., 1917-04-12
SUGAR BEET PROBLEM
CONTINUED from First Pase)

II there was a profit for the sugar
company In 1914. when II paid 81. .sS
a ton for beets and sold its sugar at
S4.s7. there would be much greater
profit. II 1, paid $s.25 per ton for
be.ts when IL sold sugar at $7.05.
the average price for 1916 The fact
Is. IL there was a profit in 1913. with
sugar at 81 SO. the increase OF the
price above this. received in 1916.
S255. was practically all profit-ali
except the 6s cents per ton extra
would be about 81 cents per 100 lbs.
and would mean an extra profit OF
about t2.2s per 100 lbs Since an
average ton OF beets yields 26o lbs
OF sugar this would be an extra
profit OF ss per ton on the beets
II the farmer was paid one-third of
this profit. he would receive on the
basis s769 per ton for his beets
The farmer Is justly entitled to a
fair share OF these profits.
The price paid for cane In Louis
lana Is based upon the price OF sugar.
The price a hundred pounds of sugar
brings on the market is the price the
farmer receive for ton OF cane.
That IL, when sugar sells for $3.50
per 100 lbs. the low price OF 1918,
81 50 per ton is paid for cane. 4
bonus IS often paid In addition. Cane
brought In 1916 as high as ss to 81
per ton, while. Colorado beets
brought but ss3s. A ton OF Lou
isilna cane yields. on an average
but lI0 pounds OF sugar. while a
ton Of Colorado beets yields ESQ lbs
Upon this basis. as ton OF beets
yields almost double the sugar a ton
OF cane yields. ton OF beets should
bring at least from 60 per cent to
75 per cent more than ton OF cane
In this. IL Is conceded that the man
ufacture OF sugar from beets is a
somewhat more expensive process
when cane is s4-5O per ton. beets
should be at least $3.50. and cane at
So. beets should bring $3.50 The
average tonnage OF bee,s In Colorado
for six years. l90i-l9Os. according
10 the government report. was llL
tons, Germany l3,l and Belgium
1913 The average per acre of cane
in Louisiana Is liis tons. and In
Hawaii 80 tons: but in Hawaii the
crop requires rs months TO grow
As much as so tons OF cane are
produced of certain varieties. in some
OF the West Indian Islands. In the
Chicama Valley. Peru. 30 tons or
more are produced. The mills grind
the year round. save one month.
when they stop TO clean up, There
Was told in 1912. they could load
raw sugar on the ship. at one cent
a pound Labor is less than 25 cents
per day
The beet crop Ia profitable for the
merchant and the town becaus.
more money Is paid ont In its pro-
duc,ion and more money is spent
with the merchant than from any
other crop.
The beet crop is a good crop for
the banker. because II creates large
demand for loans. and. n judicIous
care is exercised. the loans are good
These loans have the high commen-
daiion that. like feed pen Of fat
tening cattle or sheep, the security
liqnidaics the loan.
But. on the other hand. neither
the banker nor the merchant can. In
the long run. prosper when the com
muniiy does not prosper.
The sugar company does a profit
able business manufacturing sugar
from becis. The past few years. It's
profits have been fabulous. The pros
peetsses issua3 by the companies
sent broadcast by their fiscal agents.
10 sell their securities, proclaim their
immense prosperity, and assure the
world OF this fact Figures and fig
ures are si hand.
our suggestions
To make farming and especially
beet raising profitable to all parties:
Firsi-The farmer must be paid
a better price for his bee,s.
sccond-He niue, diversity hts
crops and other resources.
Third--He mus, rotate his crops.
Bee,s should not. as a rule. be grown
more than three years In succession
on the same land. Beeis follow best
alfalfa. wheat. beans and vine crops.
Fourth-He should raise less
acreage OF bcets and cultivate them
better and fcrtiiize the land. Thus
he may grow even more beets on
les. acreage.
F,sth-Every farmer should keep
sou. vulse hoRs and fatten n few