, 1893-11-25
HAVANA.
From The Louisiana Planter q Sugar
Manufacturer.
Havana, October 23rd, 1898.

NbCCO " DAHNN -
York and London. this market has ruled ex-
ceedingly dull from want of orders from
abroad, and prices,l though firmly upheld by
sellers, retain their previous character on the
basis Of 81 cents per pound, which holders OF
the 80, 900 tons still left for sale are certain
to obtain as soon as some demand commences
to prevail.
Prospects for the Coming Crop The con
dition Of the cane fields has continued to I'M
prove beyond all expectations, as The lack OF
requisite care in the cleaning of same was
amply compensated by the fine weather that
has prevailed throughout autumn and the
timely and copious rains fallen since the COM
mencement Of this month. The belief re-
garling q very large crop next year Is
generally entertained in all the most impor-
tant sugar producing districts on the island,
provided planters are able to inaueura'e
grinding in due time; but no fear should be
entertained tn the subject, as am so accus-
toned to hear the same complaints reported
"very yea, that they do not affect nae in the
Least. The fro, is that the Cuban planter
either knows who're to find money when he
really needs it, or has learned the way to do
without il, the case bel 6 that ] have not even
once head Of a ulantagion tEat he'd failed to
take Of all Of its cIcr On account Of monetary
dficulti, s. and were such / ching to happen
next year it would certainly surprise me very
much.
In some districts in which the effects If the
drought Of the past mouths were more keenly
felt, it s said that The cane is already ripe
enough to allow it 70 be ground. and this
Circumstance VIII certainly reduce it, yield
farther on, as il is we'll known hat the cane
that ripens too early is generally poor in
juice if allowed to stand on foot a certain
lapse Of time.
Tenants rersus Planters Difficulties be-
tween cane growers and owners Of central
factories are everlasting as soon rs settled III
one locality they Immediately spring up again
in another, or in several Of the same time
to day, those at Remedies pretend to establish
themselves the scales the cane is weighed
upon, in order not to uso those OF the factory.
and besides. instead Of d arrobes 123
poundsl Of sugar as heretofore given them,
they pretend 5 arrohes (l25 poulds( per cart
load Of 1900 pounds Of cane II is likely that
The manufacturers IN said locality, as well rs
those IN others, viii lie compelled sooner or
later to submit to thtir exigcncies.
Prices for Sugar ] was lately taken by
surprise on reading in New York letter.
dated on the l4th ana published in The
Planter of the Dist inst, in which the author
after reproducing some on the pre-
sent situation Of tie sugar market taken from
the circular Of Messls. Willett & Gray,
seriously asks why, III presence Of the large
consumption and reduced stocks IN all the
markets Of the world, sugar is not sold to-day
at 8 cents per pound, as it was IN 1876, after
the persistent drought which so considerably
reduced production.
The reason is obvious. In 1876 none Of the
most important ar-consmning countries
felt the effects Of the crisis, which, in 1893,
has already compelled nearly 400 banks and
companies of dlttei emit classes to suspend
pa ments or altogether go to bankruptcy in
The United States. In 1876 silver was quoted
in London at Ga pence, and its price to-
day does not 20 over 80 pence per ounce
standard. In 1875 the European govern
ments did not sllow to their producers the
coneid rable drawbacks they now grant them
on exported sugars, nor did that of theIUnited
States pay to national producers a bounty #
2 cents per pound and, finally, in 1876, the
faderal government at Washington were not
on the eve Of thoroughly reforming the Gus
tom house tariffs of the country, as they now
intend to.
All the above reasons, which plainly explain
the differences between both years, 1870 ard
1898, by compelling American refners to
establish their sales upon the cash basis, to
restrict their production to: hand-to- mouth
business, as fast as the demand for consump-
ton dwindled down on account of the crisis,
l. L.