The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1923-03-29
SUGAR BEET GROWERS NEWS

Growers Meeting. 80 P. N. sharp.
Saturday, Junior High School, Ster-
ling. With government reports show
ing no shortage of sugar, and sugar
prices nearly doubled in q few
months. press reports accuse beet
sugar companies Of running prices up.
Why? To get contracts. What re-
suited! Eastern papers and con-
sumers demand a government inves-
tigation of sugar prices. which the
government now announces has been
ordered. Eastern papers demand the
tariff removal.
Politicians want to ride into power
on a popular tax-saving platform. The
public pays more for its sugar by ov-
er $4,000 900 90 per year, because of
the tariff on sugar. II the beet
farmer don't get his share, If the
sugar companies make millions and
the American farmer who doesn't
have its own help starves, will the
American public continue to pay? Be-
cause of the sugar tariff, beet sec
tions should be more prosperous than
many sections. Reports of the best
statisticians show typical beet sec
tions to be the worst off of any in the
United States.
The Great Western Sugar company
receives, counting a crop of II tons
beets per acre and 256 pounds of sug-
ar from a ton of beets, about $52 per
acre because of the tariff Q.76 per
cwt, 96 purity. At 274 pounds sug-
ar per ton beets they would receive
about $50 per acre. The profits of
the Great Western, figured from the
Great Western report on tonnage and
profits, made to the New York Stock
Exchange, show over four consecu-
tive years, a yearly average profit
of over $45 per acre on an eleven
ton per acre crop. Who got the tar
iff? Their report shows a loss due
to the postwar slump, but the world
can't afford war very often.
Michigan, Utah, Idaho, California
and one Colorado company have Of
fered better contracts than Great
Western. Utah. Idaho, 1852, the rest
$3.50. Why don't the Great Western
pay more? Is there any explanation
in the fact that the Great Western
Sugar company is disposing of all
their property, land, reservoirs, stock
and that Havemeyer, their largest
stochholder, fought the tariff last
time and is said to have greater sugar
interests in the Philippines and else
where than in the United States! To
close their factories would be to kill
their stock selling. to reduce the mar
ket values of their common stock to
one third of what it is now. and to
give up all their profit instead of one
fifth of it asked by the farmer. What
the farmer asks will reduce the COM
pany's profits con the above basis
one-fifth. Average profits on COM
mon stock shown for the four years
averages so per cent. This would be
reduced to 40 per cent if the farm
ers' demand for a $3.50 contract was
granted. -
The Company and their field men
have said before that you would get
no raise, and then gave it. What de-
cides the question is not what the
field man tells you but what you or
your neighbor tells the field man
about what you are going to do. Sug-
ar City. Colorado, growers refused to
grow beets without a $3.50 contract
and got it. If Northern Colorado
will do the same, the Great Western
will grant it. Other companies have.
The question now is what you had
better do to keep the tariff on.
Great Western statements will be dis
proved by their own figures at the
meeting.
Scottsbluff meeting of North Platte
growers voted 106 to 20 to stand pat
behind unanimous action of board de-
manding better contract. Scottsbluff
speaker will be here.
A. C. JARVIS,
Local Secretary.