The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1895-09-13
CUBAN RESURRECTION AND SUGAR
PRICES.

| tllltles IN Ouoa Inere mas oeel
no little conjecture as to its
effect upon the price of sugar in
the United States. A slight
rise has been anticipated and
from recent reports from the
New York market it would appear
that the anticipations of those
watching the trend Of affairs have
been more than realized and that
by the time the next cane harvest
is ready for grinding considerably
higher prices will obtain. The
New York sugar statisticians, Will
lett & Gray, state that the Cuban
sugar crops of last year was one OF
the largest ever made, 1,00S,O 600
tons having been already account
ed for in the market with more to
come. The coming crop is esti-
mated at not over 100000 tons and
it is very doubtful if this ever
reaches the market.
Referring to the attitude of the
insurgents toward the planters, this
firm speaks as follows:
The insurgents have now forbidden
the grinding of cane if it is raised, and
give good evidence OF having the
power to enforce their edicts. We
have seen copy of their manifesto to
planters signed by their commander
in-chief, and it certainly is not sooth-
ing to the feeling of neutral locker
on in Cuba. 1t forbids the shipment
of all products from plantations to any
city in Spanish control. 1t forbids
the grinding OF any cane of either
this or the next crop, under penalty of
the burning OF the cane fields and
plantation buildings; and what is
more convincing, it says that any
planter going contrary to this edict
will be considered traitor to the
Cuban cause, and If caught will be
tried by court martial and exc
cuted if found guilty. Under such
pleasant prospects one planter of
whom we know left three days cane
cutting in his field unground and will
cut no more. Field work for the next
crop is virtually abandoned with such
prospects in sight, and the money for
such work is not forthcoming. The
cane, left to nature, will grow with
the weeds and will contain some sugar,
but how much of it will ever see the
United States is very problematical
question. Under these conditions we
must consider the next sugar crop of
Cuba as entirely in the control of the
insurgents, and the sugar consuming
world must anticipate from Cuba and
the beet countries such falling off in
production as has not been known in
years.
AS Cuba furnishes one-half of
the sugar consumed in the United
States, this practical wipipg out
of one of the principal sources of
supply means higher prices for the
consumer, also better demand at
higher prices for the sugar product
of other countries. The cheaper
ing of sugar by improved refining
processes has caused an increase
in consumption of over fifty per
cent. in the last fifteen years. In
1881 the sugar consumed in the
United States amounted to forty
four pounds per capita, while in
1894 the figures went up'to sixty
four pounds per capita. An in
crease in price may result in a
slight falling off 10 the amount of
sugar consumed, but that will not
amount to much. Once people
have become accustomed to the
daily use of an article of food, they
will 90 deeper into their pocket
books rather than give it up on &C.
count of higher prices. While the
sugar outlook is not particularly
hopeful to the householders of the
United States, and while it is prob
able that the market will be so
manipulated that the middlemen
will reap a greater proportion of the
prices than the raw sugar
producer, the people of this coun-
ry may be hopeful in the truth of
he old adage that "It's an i'll wind