The morning call., 1893-04-05
THE QUESTION OF SUGAR.

The returns from the trade centers of
The sugar crop of 1882 are now to hand, and
we can figure on the present supply. For
some years 1t has been usual to reckon tile
worlds sugar crop at something over 6,000.-
OOO tons, rather more than half Of which is
beet sugar, and rather less than half cane
sugar. In the season Of 1922 this figure
was exceeded, The total product being
about 6,2S5, 000 tons, of which 5,490,000
were beet sugar and 9, 795.000 cane sugar.
This year the crop is reckoned at 6, 10000
tons, of which 8, 400 600 are beet sugar and
2,7600o0 cane sugar. Thus the world goes
into the season of 1854 with 125, 600 tons
less sugar on hand than it had twelve
month ago The deficiency is almost wholly
in Germany. They write from Magdeburg
that the estimated falling off in the crop may
be Offset by an increase in the beet.sugar
crop of California, regarding which they APP
parently have no information. That crop
will not be large enough to cover the de-
fciency.
There is 10 article OF general use whose
consumption increases so fast and so uni
formly with the growth of population and
civilization as sugar. Primitive races use
no sugar. To this day the Chinaman drinks
his tea, the Arab his coffee, without sugar.
But as the comforts of civilized society de-
velOp a demand arises for sweet solids and
sweet liquids, and the demand becomes
imperative. 4 few years ago the consump-
tion Of sugar in this country was reckoned
at twenty-five pounds per head; it is now
over siNtv rounds. Doctors used to con-
denim the use of candies; now they recon-
mend them in moderation because they
make blood. By the almiXture of sugar
with fruits, the life ot those valuable
products of the earth is perpetuated in
definitely. The apricot of Alameda be-
comes worthless in a few days after it
ripens If 1t is let alone; mix it with sugar
and it will remain a nourishing and palat-
able food for years. Hence every year the
consumption OF sugar increases. and. if it
is to be kept within the reach Of the modest
purse, the supply must be made to keep
pace. II is this fact which underlies the
uneasineSs caused by the recent report of 4
falling eff in the crop of 1S92-93
Fer some years in this country the supply
Of raw sugar has been SO large and the COM
petition among retners so brisk that sugar
has been too cheap to attract attention. At
the close OF the war it was different. In
common with other commodities sugar then
sold at an inflated paper money value. In
1864 raw sugar actually sold in New Y ork at
% cents pound. Now the same article is
only worth fraction over 3 cents, and the
standard grades-granulated and Standard
A-are selling at retail at about 3 cents
both at New York and here. AT this price
few people pay attention to the item OF
sugar in their grocery bills. But it may be
well to remember that the price is not Ike
the laws of the Aledes ard Persiaus. The
sugar trade has been so perfectly organized
by the sugar trust that on a slight preteXt
the price might easily be advanced. If
the returns Of 1854 should show further
reduction in the CROPS, it would be the
easiest thing in the world to mark up the
price of sugar at any rate to the figures of
five OF six years age, when huusekeepers
who were addicted to pies and pudGings
found their sugar bills serious matter.
The situation should teach Californians
the duty of extending their beet acreage.
Since the Spreckels took hold of the beet
sugar industry it has been success as a
business proposition. There is Dig money
in growing beets and converting them into
sugar by tie new German processes, which,
it IS said, enable an expert refiner, buying
his beets at the present market price, to
turn out refined sugar at a cost of less than
cents pound. There is only one sign of
formidable right away That is the possible
development of the manufacture of saccha-
rina. Saeoharine is a product OF coal tar,
which is far less bulky than sugar and
three hundred times sweeter. When we
say that it is IAN inner enhydride of ortho-
sulphamine bepzoic acid" we have ex-
planned what il is in language suited to the
meanest capacity. II is white powder,
which can be used in cooking, in the arts
and in medicine. II is certified TO be harm
less. and it has the advantage over sugar
that it does not produce fat. At present
there is only one factory-on the Eibe, in
Germany-engaged in its manufacture. but
when it is successfully introduced 10 publ C
notice others will be established, and by
and by it may become as familiar to the
public as antipyrine. Under present con-
dtions it is important that the beet-sugar
interest be encouraged, either by bourties
on the home product or duties on the foreign
DrOduct