Sharp County record., 1891-01-29

AS the price of sugar is so much lower
in England than with us, its consump-
ton is much greater. England con-
sumes seventy-four pounds year per
person, the United States fifty, France
twenty-eight, and Germany twenty.
One reason for the large consumption in
England is the fact that vast quantities
of sugar are used there every year in
making fruit jam, more than 800 0OO, 900
pounds being consumed in this way
alone. Much of this was exported to all
parts of the world, and in this way the
actual consumption of sugar in England
is not SO great as the figures make it
appear We are ourselves large consum-
ers of English jams and preserves. En-
glands consumption per capita ought,
therefore, to be slightly reduced, and
ours somewhat increased.
The cheapness Of sugar in England is
not due simply to the lack Of duty on
sugar it is further caused by the sugar
export bounties of France and Ger
many. Our own drawback on refined
sugars has also had the same effect as
IN export bounty, the American refner
being able to sell his product to the
English buyer at about $3.SO per 100
pounds cheaper than the home buyer.
George Medley, an English economist,
says; 81 hold that it is in a great meas
ure owing to the folly Of other nations
that we occupy the commanding posi-
ton we now do in trade, manufactures
and navigation, and that were it not for
that folly we should not be anywhere
near it, absolutely or relatively" Dow
Bramwell has estimated that foreign
nations by their sugar bounties make
England present Of about 1,OO0,O 900
every year.
The great fruit jam industry of En-
gland and Scotland has been built up
as the direct result Of cheap sugar. In
London alone more than 6,000 worlkmen
are employed during the season in MAX
ing jam; and it was estimated even six
years ago that there were 1000 persons
m the jam making business Of England.
Besides these there were 10000 persons
in the single county Of Kent who were
interested as growers, pickers and
packers Of small fruit for the jam in
dustry The great production of jam
has given the working people cheap
and wholesome substitute for butter.
This may be seen from the following
words of an English country grocer;
Wo have Just ordered eleven tons OF lam,
Years ago wo never used to keep H. When
II was high we could not sell II. Now IL ls an
article OF food for quito poor people. At tho
school treats children used to think bread
ana Jam great pleasure, now thoy would
rather have bread and buttor, they are so
accustomed to jam.
The production of small fruits In the
United States is hardly less than that of
England. A conservative estimate
places the value Of our yearly crop OF
Strawberries, cranberrlcs, blnckberries,
currants, etc, ut $4,000, 900, This value
would bc much greater but for the fact
that the growers are often compelled 10
sacrifice their fruit In n glutted market,
and are even fortunate at times II they
get back their empty baskets from the
markets without actual loss
The abundance Of small fruits with
us gives US an opportunity to become
one of the greatest Of jam producing
countries. But the tariff stands In the
way with its high duties on sugar and
on tumblers and earthenware Jars The
sugar duty will soon be abolished, and
one difficulty will thus be removed. But
Mckinley has made tho question of
packing moro difficult than ever The
old duty on tumblers suitable for pack.
ing jam was cent per pound, equal TO
about as per cent; the Mckinley duty Ia
~ cent per pound, equal TO about ~
per cent II common brown earthen.
ware jars ore used the duty Is e5 per
cent, In both old and new tariffs, but Il
these jors are glazed the old duty WINS
90 per cent, and The Mckinley duty Is
90 per cent,
II Is interesting TO calculate Just how
much tho tariff operates toward pro.