The morning times., 1896-08-24

very interesting report on the sugar
trade has just been issued from the State
Department. II consists of extracts from
statements sent by two American consuls
in Germany. The fact that the United
States uses more sugar per capita ana more
sugar actually than any other country IN
The world gives the report special sigDif
icaDce.
Every person in this country, counting
men, women and children, Uses seventy
seven pounds CT sugar, making the
enormous total Of 2.5L0,CGO tons peI
annum. The per capita in Germany,
which is the largest gar pro
ducing coUntryin the world, is only twenty
DIne pounds a year. Tile reason for this
IS explained by the statement in the report
that sugar costs in Germany l-2 cents
per pound while in this country the price
ranges from TO cents The feason for
this is found in the German laws intended
to protect and foster the sugar business.
1t is recent legislation OF this kind which
has called out this report. The new la VS.
it is said, will still further lower the price
of sugar here
MR.. MCTH'S VIEWS.
julius Muth, tie consul ut Madgeburg,
says: IF we consider the enormous wealth
that has accrued TO Germany and all other
countries Which have Introduced and
fostered this industry, it is TO be .iesiIed
that the United States should be put IN a
footing to be able to producer is own sugar.
He inumates, however, that the goT.rn-
ha nliiraI Il, " ny
the bounties paid by European govern
ments. II the sugar industry In America Is
to be made to produce even all the suy IT
needed for lone consumption.
Mr.. Frank II. Mason, consul general at
Frankfort, gives Il brief review OF the
legislation by which Germauy's sugar in-
dusiry was developed. He shows that
from a time shortly after the civil war
here 10 the present Il tax has been laid by
The German government upon a.! rugar
used, in ORDER 10 pay n bounty on all sugar
produced in Germany. Under The s;imu-
ius OF this export bounty the sugar makers
have so improved the quality of the beets
that they used aud have so improve tseir
processes Of trying OUT or reducing the
beet Juice that the amount OF sugar pro-
ducel from Il given amount of bcets has
nearly doubled. While the quantity of
beets that was formerly necessary to pro-
duce a ton OF sugar was twenty tous, the
amount now used is ouly twelve tons.
y movement was begun i'll Germany a
number of years go to revise the law and
cut down the heavy profits the sugar
makers were realizing. but the sugar people
united and defeated the movement for Il
number of years. Sugar beet growing
continued to he the most profitable 70 rc:l
Of culture for German farmers, the area
in cultivation and the number OF factories
increased, while loud complaints at laws
which favored one class at the expense
of the ether were heard. In 1891 the
bounty was reduced. and it was agreed
that IL should cease altogether OH July
81. 1897. provided that other countries
OF Europe that produce sugar largely
should take off the tounties. This sort
of international agreement was never
reached. and the law Just passed restores
the export duty and raises the tax IN
sugar used in Germany to abuat 2.2 per
pound. This will still further retard
the consumption of sugar in that country.
THE REMEDY.
The law is the result of overproiuction
Of sugar which made the business in Ger
many much less profitable. The price
obtained had fallen below the cost of
production. This coalition was temper
arily relieved by the Cuban war, which
took away the export from that island,
but it is now felt again seriously. The
law proposes Il remedy.
The effect OF this law upon the United 1
States is not easy to foresee, but it is
generally believed that it will make the
price of raw sugar considerably lower and
this will moan 4 reduction in the price cf
refined sugar calculated az from a fourth
of a cent per pound or co Irse the reduction
in the United States will depend upon the
action of the American Sugar Refining
Company, which controls the market; but
there is reason to believe that if the cost
of raw sugar is Diminished. as proposed,
the price of refined sugar viii seoa follow.
The effect astha law is Just abou beginnine
fn no