In January, 1897, appeared the author's first book on this subject, entitled Sugar, a New and Profitable Industry in the United States, for Agriculture, Capital and Labor, to Supply the Home Market with of Its Product. That book was received with favor, not only among farmers and capitalists and by the press, but especially in the Congress of the United States and by American statesmen at home and abroad. National legislation favorable to the development of our domestic sugar-producing industry was enacted by the Congress during the summer of 1897. This was followed by a phenomenal interest in America's domestic sugar industry, which, however, gave way to uncertainty with the advent of the Spanish war and the problems raised thereby. Provided those problems are now solved with due regard for American interests, it only needs proper direction and right management to secure for the United States large and permanent good from a vast development of its domestic sugar-producing industry. Many of those best capable of judging have been kind enough to partly attribute the promising outlook for this new industry, at the outbreak of the Spanish war, to the book referred to, to the American Sugar Growers' Society organized by the author, and to the agricultural journals under his editorial direction. This would seem to impose upon the author a moral obligation to do whatever lies in his power to help the industry through its new politico-economic crisis.
