The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1918-09-05
THE SUGAR SHORTAGE
SHOULD Be RELIEVED
BY the Government Encouraging
It's Manufacture
FLORIDA A GOLDEN FIELD
Which the Government Should
Aid in Developing. Misleading
Propaganda Being Published
MIR. Spencer's Valuable Book.

During the past month, the
newspapers of Florida, especially
the weekly papers, have been pub
fishing quantities of sugar propa-
ganda, which they probably think
is coming direct from the govern
ment, urging conservation OF sug-
ar and giving many reasons why
this country is short of sugar and
incidentally showing that we on
ly produce about one-fourth OF
the sugar we consume.
1t is the firm belief of several
prominent people in Florida, con-
nected with the local market and
food bureaus, that much of this
propaganda emanates from the
press bureaus maintained by the
beet sugar manufacturers and the
sugar refnerieS, who are some
what worried over the prospect of
establishing sugar manufactures
in the Southeastern section of the
United States, as advocated by G.
Lyman Spencer in his new book
entitled, The Sugar Situation,
which is attracting national at
tention and is being commented
on freely by leading newspapers
and magazines.
With such well known journals
as the Manufacturers Record and
Others advocating the investiga-
ton of the feasibility of making
our own sugar and showing that
sugar cane can be grown in great
quantities in Florida, at nominal
expense, sufficient to supply the
entire country with all the sugar
it can consume and have some to
export, it is not to be wondered
at that the big sugar concerns that
have extensive investments in Gu
ba and other countries, would be-
come somewhat worried over the
possibility of competition.
OF course the local newspapers
are scarcely to blame for printing
what they suppose is government
propaganda, as every paper in
Florida is pledged to support the
government in its efforts to main
tain the fighting forces at the
front and assist the allies in the
matter of all food supplies. How
ever, it would seem more to the
point if they would devote some
space to exploiting the possibili-
ties of Florida as sugar cane
raising state and, as they now
have the proofs of what can be
done in this state in the way of
producing sugar enough to supply
the entire country, through the
book recently published by Mr..
Spencer, they can easily arouse "a
splendid sentiment in favor of
having the government appoint
a commission to thoroughly inves-
tigate this important matter and
thus they will be furthering the
interests of their own communi-
ties as well as doing a good thing
for the government.
Interest has been gradually in
creasing in the raising of sugar
cane in Florida for the purpose of
making syrup, and this year it is
estimated that there are probably
a thousand acres of sugar cane
growing in various sections of the
state, although there are no re-
ports that are considered official
to show exactly what is being
grown. However, it has been
proven beyond the question of
doubt that Florida has produced
a grade of sugar cane that is high
or in sucroSe and more prolific
than that grown in Louisiana or
Cuba. and'that being the case,
there is no reason why the indus
try should not be fostered in this