The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-12-02
FACTS ABOUT THE
SUGAR INDUSTRY
Shipping Beets to Dis
tant Points Causes
Much Loss
MORE ACREAGE

report of the French government on
the sugar industry of France, ex-
planning just how and why the
French sugar beet industry, before
the war, had fallen far behind it's
competitors, and since that time has
been merely existing.
The findings of the government 8
Investigators are that certain unwise
practices by manufacturers and beet
producers are responsible for the
near-destruction of the industry, and
the thing condemned as having a most
"regretable effect" is the competi-
tion among manufacturers for the
purchase of sugar beets. The re-
port points out that such competition
is unnecessary and injurious to both
manufacturers and beet growers.
"The manufacturer" says the re-
port, understands the necessity Of
entertaining good relations with his
producers and he is always disposed
to make concessions which are in ac-
cord with the best interests of his
factory. But the keen competition
which the manufacturers enter and
which has been Called "the beet
race" has prompted them to make
concessions which are highly danger
ous."
1t is pointed out that when beets
which should be delivered to a
nearby factory are shipped to a dis
tant point, there is loss in trans
portation of the beets. When several
factories compete for the same .beets,
it means the maintenance of several
times the necessary number of re-
ceiving stations, scales and agents.
The additional cost of all this natur-
ally goes in to the cost of making
sugar and comes out of the manu-
facturers' profits, upon which is
based the price he pays for the beets.
In other words, it all means small
and more expensive production of
sugar at less profit to the manu-
facturer and the beet grower.
The investigators, in making their
report to the government, strongly
urge that by cooperation between
manufacturers and beet growers,
some means be found to eliminate
this indiscriminate competition for
beets, which is emphatically de-
nounced as an injury to all and
jeopardining the industry.
Britain Prefers Beet Sugar to Cane
The following excerpt from the
October, 1919 issue of The Interna-
tional Sugar Journal, published in
London, England, will interest peo-
pie of western communities where
beet sugar is manufactured and sold.
A higher price is asked for cane
sugar in this country, due to which
many local people have imagined it
is superior to the beet, while the
Britishers highly prefer the latter:
"As is known, there still exists
among many manufacturers of jam,
confectionery, biscuits, condensed
milk, etc., prejudice against cane
sugar. In view of the increased i'm
portation of cane sugar into the
United Kingdom from the British
colonies, it is desirable that in the
near future a thoro investigation
should be made into the question,
preferably by an official body. 1t
should be established definitely and
convincingly whether or not can
be used for all the purposes for
which beet sugar is suitable. 1t may
be found in the case of certain con-
fectiohs that some grades of cane
sugar are not suitable, and If this is
so the reason should be stated, and
the means by which this defect may
be overcome or minimized by the
manufacturer of the sugar should be
Indicated"
The Sugar Situation
In the Island of Foremosa, the
principal industry of which is sugar
making, refined sugar sold as low as
$4.0O in the year 1914, while this
year, due to shortage of nearly 18
per cent in the crop the market is
raising and is expected to reach the
height Of $4,000 per picul (133
pounds) equivalent to $3.50 per
hundred or 22h cents per pound. In
view of this, the United States does
not seem so bad Off after all, tho it
will be necessary to keep up the local
production of sugar by increased beet |
acreage in the future.