San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-02-02
TEXAS SUGAR.
Colonel Cunningham, the Refiner,
on the Outlook.

Colonel f.. HI. Cunningham, Of
this city, and proprietor of the
great sugar mills at Sugar Lands,
$50 miles east of San Antonio, is
at present in New Orleans on a
business trip. His is the only re-
finery in Texas, and is one of the
largest in the world.
"The gentleman spent last even
ing in the corridor of the st.
Charles, discussing the action of
Congress in reference to the bounty
law and it's failure to attempt to
recommend the substitution of a
tariff" says the New Orleans Pic
ayune of last Wednesday. "There
were sugar planters from this
state with Colonel Cunningham,
part of the time, discussing the
outlook.
"The gentleman was asked about
the situation and the crop in
Texas.
ave will produce, this season."
said he, 100000 pounds of su-
gar. This is large increase over
the output of last year, although
we did not have such favorable
seasons as the planters in this
state were blessed with while the
crop was being made. am speak
ing of the crop of Texas alone.
Nearly, if not every, pound of this
sugar is refined at my mills at
Sugar Lands, and on that account
am able to estimate just
what the crop will be when every
pound has been refined.
81 seems unreasonable for Con-
gress to aim blow at the industry
that supports such large numbt r
of people as the sugar industry. Ii
the action of the Congress becomes
law there will be more ruin and
desolatiOn in this part of the south
than there has ever been before.
The sugar industry has grown re-
markedly. Thousands of dollars
have been spent in the improve
ment of machinery and in prepar-
ing the soil and making extensions
for larger crops. There has been
an enormous outlay of money in
various ways by the planters, in
the south, to say nothing of the
sugar men who make the sweet
article from beet and maple sugar.
All this was done under the
belief that the government had
made permanent contract with
the planters to pay them a bounty
for fourteen years. With this as
surance they have spent money in
improvements of all kinds. They
did not think the government
would abrOgate its contract after a
trial of three years, and that too,
when the industry has increased
with such rapidity under the oper-
alton of the bounty law. But the
senate will not allow sugar to go on
the free list, with no bounty to pro-
tect the capital which has been in
vested, and the labor, which is de-
pendent upon the continued pros
perity of the industry.
"AIl the beet sugar producing
countries of Europe pay bounty
on sugar. In Russia the planter is
required by law to export a
certain amount of his product.
Raw sugar, which is refined at my
mills in Texas, and which comes
in from Cuba free Of duty, costs 3
cents per pound. That is the price
of the American sugar of the same
grades. But the difference comes
in the cost of production and in the
price of labor. The Cubans have
not near so much expense to bear.
Their machinery does not cost as
much as ours, and where they pay
skilled labor $25 and $50 per month
we pay the same help 500 per
month. There is where the trouble
of free sugar lies. No better sugar
lands than ours exist anywhere.
There is just as much grown to the
acre here as in any other country.
The quality is good, and is perhaps
better than the sugar of other
sugar producing countries.
"Many of the congressman who
have opposed the bounty and have
wanted sugar imported free of duty
have some peculiar constituency to
please-they want to be returned to
Congress. Generally, and on the
face of things, the bounty law is
unpopular. There is a deal OF
prejudice because the Republicans
enacted the measure. No one can
express a positive opinion at pres
ont II iS not Unavailable that con-