Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1902 — TO BE RECKONED WITH [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TO BE RECKONED WITH

BEET SUGAR PRODUCTION AN IMPORTANT FACTOR. The Output Increased 140 Per Cent Last Year, and $50,000,000 of NewCapital Is Beady for Investment in Beet Snsar Refining Plants. Just in time to arrest the attention of those who are preparing to sacrifice an Important domestic agricultural and manufacturing industry comas an interesting statement by C. F. Saylor, the special agent of the Department of Agriculture in charge of beet sugar Investigations. From among the materials which go to make up his annual report Mr. Savior has given out the following figures regarding the Industry during the past year. The total production of beet sugar in the United States In the season 1901-2 has aggregated 185,000 tons, an increase of 140 per cent from the 77,000 tons produced during the season 1900-1. There were thirty-one factories in operation in 1900, according to the census figures, and eleven more were started in 1901. There are nine factories in course of construction for operation in 1902, as follows: Sebewang, Carrollton, Mount Clemens and Croswell, Mich.; Shelby, Ind.; Greely, Eaton and Fort Collins, Col., and Phoenix, Ariz., ranging In capacity of daily output from 500 tons to 1,000, the latter figure being the capacity at the rhoenlx plant. Other companies have been organized, with a total capitalization of $45,900,000, and would require annually a working capital in addition of $9,080,000. They would purchase from the farmer annually beets to the amount of $14,700,000, besides many other crude materials. —The number and aggregate capltal ot these prospective plants, by States, follow : No. of State. plants. Capital. Arizona 2 #1,500,000 California 5 3,500,000 Colorado 7 5,000.000 Idaho 1 500,000 Indiana 1 1,000,000 lowa 0 3,100,000 Michigan 28 14,900,000 Minnesota 5 2,400.000 Montana 1 500,000 New York 2 1,500,000 New Jersey ....... 1 500,000 North Dakota 2 1,900.000 Ohio 3 1,350,000 Oregon 1 500,000 Pennsylvania ...... 1 500.000 South Dakota 2 1,000,000 Utah.... 3 2,500.000 Wisconsin 10 3,150,000 Wyoming 2 1,500,000

83 $45,900,000 Even the most cynical among freetrade scoffers and the most ardent among the promoters of the Cuban sympathy uproar must admit the staggering force of these official figures. An agricultural manufacturing industry which in a single year has jumped from 77,000 to 185,000 tons of sugar, and which for the current year is preparing to erect eighty-three additional plants in eighteen States and one Territory, an outlay of $45,900,000 of capital, with a sugar beet purchasing capacity of $14,700,(XX) a year, Is a proposition of some magnitude. It presents integral factors worth reckoning with. Among other things, there are 177 representatives in Congress to be elected this year from these States, and two years lienee these States will choose 213 Presidential electors. Certainly there is enough in the situation as disclosed by the statistics of the Department of Agriculture to make some i>eople stop and think whether it is safe to brush aside the domestic sugar industry as if it were of no sort of consequence whether it live or die ns the result of being knocked on the head with a free-trade hammer. The figures presented by Mr. Saylor would seem to indicate that it is of very serious consequence to many people in many States of the Union.—American Economist. Proof of Insincerity. Should'there be a reduction granted on Cuban sugar, no matter to what extent, it will injure American sugar producers and add greatly to the profits of the American Sugar Trust. The injury will affect four or live strong Republican States, which will thus be tempted to retaliate upon the party In future elections, fur a successful assault upon the material interests of any section of the country will tie strong proof of the Insincerity'of the party In the principle that has made it powerful. No paity can remain great thnt openly displays its inconsistency and lacks fidelity to radical policies.—Camden (N. .1.) Courier. The Chief Ilencficlary. It has been repeatedly asserted, and not specifically denied, that the American Sugar Refining Company made large cash advances during the disordered period of the war to Cuban sugnr planters, and thnt these ndvnnces constitute what Is practically a mortgage on the sugar crop of Cuba, whereby the entire profit of the proposed reduction In the duties on Cubun raw sugars would accrue to the benefit of the great corporation or trust of which Henry O. Hnvemeyer is the head. If this allegation, which has been repeatedly made, is true, I lie action of the American Sugar Refining Company is creditable alike to Its humnnlty and its business sense, but it affords a curious commentary on the impassioned appeals for "Justice to Cuba” of which we have heard so much of late.—Brooklyn Time*. Some Old Fight. The citrus fruit growers of this and othei- States where the orange grows, are beginning to realise now what one

cent a pound tariff on that friitt. fot* wljdch they work so hard, means. They thought they knew v <efore; now they know that it means more profits on their productions. The prices on citrus fruits in the American market are higher than before, but better profits are being realized, notwithstanding the high freights to the East. Still we shall have the free trade doctrine to fight again and again.—Petaluma (Call Argus.' Vociferous and Uncompromising. According to Speaker Henderson, in a letter which lie wrote to an lowa constituent less than a month ago, the interests that are foremost In promoting the scheme of tariff reductions on Cuban products are: First—The American Sngar Trust. Second—Railway Interests which have capital Invested In the Island and are “anxious to build up the commerce of Cuba.” Third—Other interests which have taken money to Cuba with a view to building up profitable enterprises. To this list should be added the general body of domestic free traders who see In the “Cuban relief” proposition a chance to knock out the underpinning and bring down in ruin the entire protective tariff structure. Among all the shouters for “Cuban relief,” the free traders are the most vociferous and uncompromising. They know what they want. To Be Considered. While legislating in Cuba's behalf Congress should not entirely lose sight of the fact that the entire population of Cuba is but a million aud a half, and eliminating fuel, heavy clothing and other Northern essentials, the living expenses are light. Michigan has a population of two and a half millions and a score of other States In the Union each Las more people than Cuba. Congress should not legislate for the Cubans in any manner inimical to the Inwell enough to lend Cuba a helping hand, but that helping hand should not hold a knife to mutilate our own vitals, —Grand Rapids (Mich.) Herald. The Yankee Ajax.