14 THE SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



beet root, by parity of reasoning, some 480,000 would have been produced or 2,310- r - 

 000 tons of sugar, which is about 5 per cent over what we now consume. 



But with low duties and lower prices, many planters could not meet their obliga- 

 tions. An idea of the disaster is given by the sale of Rosehill plantation of 1200 

 acres and a factory whose machinery cost over $100,000, which was sold by the sheriff 

 for $15,000, while the Marshfield plantation of 2000 acres sold for $5500, including 

 stock and tools. 



Another reason why the beet-sugar industry did not develop much until 1890, was 

 that the United States department of agriculture, discouraged by a few failures or 

 blind to the merits of the beet root, led a wild-goose chase after sorghum. The pos- 

 sibilities of sorghum are not denied, but the practical realities of cane and beets are- 

 such as to eclipse sorghum for commercial purposes. After it had been demon- 

 strated that sorghum was not a reliable sugar plant, as compared with sugar cane or 

 the beet root, government spent millions of money and years of time upon it. Sor- 

 ghum could be cheaply raised like corn, was not a "back-bending crop" like the beet. 

 The American Agriculturist did what it could to stem the sorghum craze by show- 

 ing what the beet-sugar industry was doing in practice compared to the meager 

 results of the sorghum theory, but it took years of bitter and costly experience on the 

 part of government and farmers to vindicate our position. So the sorghum craze, fed 

 from national and state treasuries, swept over the country for a dozen years. 



But as it exploded, more work was done with sugar beets, until, when the McKin- 

 ley law was enacted, experience had pointed out the way to the success that has 

 since been achieved. But hardly had a few beet-sugar factories been established 

 under the McKinley act before its repeal was ordered by the people. This brought 

 the industry to a standstill until the prospect of a change in administration, the abso- 

 lute necessity of a new crop to relieve agricultural depression, and further successful 

 experience with existing factories, makes the time ripe for a grand effort to supply 

 the American market with American sugar. 



FARMERS MEAN BUSINESS. 



Farmers are now very emphatic in this demand. During the past sixty days farm- 

 ers' organizations have been founded in several hundred counties to advance their 

 interests in raising sugar beets and cane, in securing factories to work up the crop, to 

 obtain needed legislation to develop the industry and to protect it against the trust. 

 This organization is now growing with great vigor. Farmers realize what the sugar 

 proposition means to them. They are organizing to co-operate with labor and capital 

 to establish the industry. They demand whatever reasonable legislation is needed 

 to pave the way for such establishment of sugar factories. They will reward the 

 political party that stands by them and punish their representatives who go back on 

 them. They care more for their bread and butter, and will act accordingly. 



The American Sugar Growers' Society* 



OBJECTS. 



1. To secure for American farmers, laborers and capitalists the American market 

 for American-grown sugar, instead of having the American market supplied with the 



