The Coconino sun., 1918-01-18
THE COMMERCIAL RISE OF
 THE SOY BEAN.

 large importance in the trade of the world is the soy bean and its products, particularly soy bean oil and oil-cake. For many years soy oil has been car ried on the free list in our tariffs by the Republicans because it was not until 1910 that any extensive work was attempted in the manufac- ture of this oil in this country, and by the Democrats in harmony with their general belief in the policy of free trade. But inasmuch as con- siderable quantity of the beans were grown in the United States, the Re- publican tariff law of 1909 exacted duty of 45 cents bushel eco lbs.) on the legume, while the present Democratic law carries them on the free list.
 The bulk of our importations of soy oil comes from the Orient, particular ly Japan, and the sales of this prod uct which they have made in our mar ket during the past two years, when compared with previous years, are truly astonithing. In 1913, the last fiscal year under the Republican tar if law, orr imports of this oil total ed 12,000y)00 pounds valued at S636,- 900, growing the following year to 16,000,000 pounds, worth $S31 ,000. In 1915, 100000 of the oil came in, worth s90C 900, and then the Japanese got down to real business. The fol- lowing year, 1916, we imported 98,- 100000 pounds of soy bean oil, worth $5,12S,00o, of which Japan and her Chinese territories supplied S3,000,- 900 pounds, and during the fiscal year ended with last June the enor- nous total of 163,O00,0O0 pounds of this oil was imported by us (worth $11,411, ,000) of which Japan and Jap anese China furnished 49,5OO,000 pounds. Thus importations from the Japanese alone exceed twelve fold our total importations of oil in the year 1913.
 Large consignments of this bean oil are being taken today by our soap manufacturers, who, pressed by the scarcity of fats, have found it an ex- cellent substitute in oap-making-in fact the ability to advertise soap made of vegetable oils has aided ma terially in increasing sales. This scarcity of fats doubtless accounts in some measure for the tremendous in- crease in our purchases of oil from Japan, but the question arises: What is to prevent continuance of these abnormal importations after the war? :? And the answer is: A protective tar tiff on soy oil measured by the differ ence in the cost of producing it here and in Japan.
 There are sufficient reasons for the imposition of such tax, the first one being that it is within the range of our national possibilities to become practically self-supporting so far as the soy bean and its products are con- cerned, and they are many, consisting, as they do, of oil, oil-cake, cattle feed, vegetable milk, soy flour, soy sauce-food for man and beast. In fact, it can be made one of the great est of our crops, and if the mills which produce the oil are defended from too intensive competition from the Orient, they will be assured of steady operation, while the mills which for a season are busted with crushing oil from cotton-seed, can, with such encouragement, operate all the year around by adding the soy bean to their activities. Its develop ment in the south would be Codsend to those in the cotton belt who wish to offset damages resulting from the boil weavil. To quote from Bulletin 439, U. s. Department of Agriculture; "As the range of the weevil is grad uallyextending eastward, where condi- tions are more favorable for greater damage to the cotton crop, it is read lily seen that the quantity of cotton seed available for oil and meal pro- duction will be affected to a greater or lesser extent. The soy bean offers an excellent opportunity to the plant CT to adjust his plantation manage ment so that he can offset the wee vii damage and with profit to him. self furnish the cotton-mill owners a source of oil and meal" And finally be it said that in whatever ground this kindly plant takes root, the soil is benefited by it's presence.
 The soy bean industry should be na- tionaliZed, and protection will do it.