The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-27
sugar Against CoRee.

In days gone by coffee and pistols for
two" meant fight upon the field of honor
At the present time, in one particular in
stance, coffee and sugar for two means
a fight in the field of commerce. The su-
gar trust and the biggest coffee concern in
the country have exchanged challenge and
acceptance, have chosen their weapons
coffee and sugar-and are about to begin
the work of puncturing each other. That
is. to all outward appearances a desoer-
ate fight is about to begin. 1t is possible,
however that a compromise may be ar
ranged whereby both of the principles will
gain victory. and without either being
hurt much.
Arbuckle Brothers, the coffee concern,
control a very large line of patronage.
Their customers naturally want sugar to
go along with the coffee. The Arbuckles
reached the conclusion short while ago
that the sugar trust was too exacting in
it's demands, and concluded to set up a
sugar refinery of their own from which to
supply sugar to those of their coffee Gus
toners who might desire to purchase it of
them, or to be independent of the trust.
They therefore bought a refinery, and have
taken steps to put it into operation.
AS soon as this step on the part of the
Arbuckles was known to the sugar trust
people, they bought out the biggest coffee
roasting establishment in the country, with
the exception of that of the Arbuckles, and
announced that they would supply coffee
to all of their sugar customers who might
desire to purchase 1t from them, or to be
independent of the Arbuckles. The trust
people paid more than $l225,000 for the
controlling interest in the coffee roasting
plant. But as they have millions of dollars
at command with which to choke off COM
petition, such an outlay for the purpose is
not considered extraordinary.
The sugar trust has played at that kind
of game before. A year or so ago the whis-
ky trust cult buying low grade syrups
from the sugar trust. These syrups are
used for conversion into spirits. When the
whisky trust withdrew its orders for syr-
ups. the sugar trust fitted up one of its
Brooklyn rehneries as a distillery, and got
ready to invade the whisky trusts field.
This action brought the whisky trust to
terms. The sugar trusts Brooklyn distil-
lery was never employed. But the whisky
trust is buying all of the sugar trusts low
/ grade syrups.
II is believed to be the sugar trusts pol
icy to serve Arbuckle Brothers similarly;
to force them to become the patrons Of
the trust instead Of It's enemy, or to act
ually but not openly absorb and control
them; or failing in both OF these ends. to
ruin them financially and drive them out
Of the trade The probabilities are how
ever. that the Arbuckles will not be ruined
financially. They are very rich. They will
make a spirited fight, for a time. II the
lighting gets too hot for them, they will
probably accept a compromise whereby
they will control the coffee trade, leaving
the sugar trust In possession OF the sugar
trade.
Temporarily consumers may possibly get
a little-a very lltte-beneht from the
fight between coffee and sugar. But the
benefits will probably not be long enjoy.
ga. Whenever there is a fight between biz
money powers. they usually reach a set.
clement IN short while which forces con-
sumers 20 pay the cost