, 1925-02-18
Rollins On Beets
Continued from Page Four)

ually increases his holdings to 100
acres and by constant fertilization,
drainage and other improvement
raises the productive value of land,
and if if in the same period increased
population, better transportation and
other factors also contribute to in
creased value, and if after a term of
years the value of his holdings is con-
servatively estimated at $4,000,
should he be bound to estimate his
proper rate of return on his land to
the original investment of $4,000? The
sugar company should have the same
consideration in the estimation of cap
ital invested by the farmer.
AS a matter of fact the item of
rental is charged for by the farmer
at the rate of S22, which, even after
taxes and other deductions are made,
would leave a very nice rate of inter
est on the present sale or assessed
value of irrigated land.
We also note the comparative tables
are based on an average of II tons to
the acre, a very un~eXceptional yield
on good land with good cultivation,
such as the growers cost figures in
dictate, should be taken into considera-
ton in the comparison. A man does
MT pay $22 an acre cash rental on in
ferior land, neither does he expend
the presupposed amounts of horse and
man labor on a beet crop if he is a
good farmer.
The Great Western Sugar company
is an exceptionally efficient and pros
porous company. The average sugar
company is like the average farmer
in times of depression, "flat broke!"
Idaho, Utah, Washington and Oregon
are strewn with the wreckage of the
busted" beet sugar manufacturing
enterprises.
The Great Western as an excep-
tionally efficient manufacturer is max
ing big money. The exceptional beet
grower in Great Western territory is
also making money. There are scores
of exceptional growers who last year
averaged better than 10 tons per acre,
and the growers who raised beets on
lands of the value contemplated in
the beet growers association compar-
ison, with the labor and expenditure
contemplated in the comparison, aver
aged much near 16 ON to the acre
than they did II. Should the sugar
company be penalized for its %effici-
ency, or should it be held responsible
for conditions such as short water, in
ferior land, poor labor, incompetent
management, bad luck and other fac
tors which bring down the average
of beet yields?
The average man or firm in any
line of endeavor makes a poor living.
This is true of medicine, law, mer-
chandising, contracting, or sugar re-
filming. The Great Western Sugar
company made good profit last
year. The equally efficient and fay
orably situated farmers also made n
good profit. If the price of beets
were increased 80 per cent in 1925
there would be the marginal farmer
who would just break even and many
below the margin or go broke raising
beets.
Furthermore, we would like to see
the same process of cost and income
comparison applied TO alfalfa, pota-
oes. eabboge, wheat and other COM
petive crops. 1t seems to the writer
that the showing which beets will
make in comparison with other crops
which may be substituted, all factors
such MS certainty of market, effect
on the soil, and feeding value Of by
products being considered, is the true
test Of the sugar beet rs a desirable
crop rather than the profits of the
Great Western Sugar company.
3igned: PHINEAS ROLLINS.