The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-20
when MiIllonaires Fan Out.

When millonaires fail to agree and
launch forth into commercial wars. pit
ting millions against millions, the chances
are better for the ordinary mortal who
drops his mite into the big vortex of com
mercial trade, takes his pound of sugar
and his pound of coffee, and goes home to
enjoy his meal. The Arbuckle millions
made from coffee, and the Havemeyer
millions made from the sugar trust, have
been pitted in just such a contest, and
the result has been cheap coffee and cheap
sugar and will be cheaper coffee and
cheaper sugar, unless a compromise
should end the struggle which is far from
probable.
The trouble between the sugar trust and
the Arbuckles dates back to 1896 when
the latter began to distribute packages
of sugar with their coffee, supplied TO all
sections from their immense coffee roast
ing plant. Failing to make terms with
the sugar trust, in order to secure this
sugar, the Arbuckles announced their in
tention of erecting a sugar refinery to
compete with the immense plants of the
trust. This plant located in Brooklyn,
N. Y, was recently completed, and the
product from 1t is now finding it's way
rapidly into the market in competition
with that of the trust. When the an
nouncement that such a plant would be
built was made by the Arbuckles Presi-
dent Havemeyer at once secured control
of a coffee roasting plant in Toledo, O.,
and the price of roasted coffee has since
been cut half in two. The reduction of
one-half of one cent a pound in the price
of coffee meant a loss of $1,000 a day to
the Arbuckles, and it continued to go
down until their daily losses were nearly
$4,000 as compared with the former
price, but now that they are
ready to put refined sugar on the mar
ket, they are, it seems, in a position to
doubly retaliate, provided they can meet
the demands which will probably be made
upon them. The reduction of one
fourth of one cent pound on
sugar will. it has been figured, mean a
loss of $4,000 a day, or for 300 working
days. IS, 100000 a year to the sugar trust.
Thus it is that the fight will go on
Friends of both parties say there will
De no compromise, out tndt IL Will be q
war to the finish. Recent events have
given the Arbuckles a decided advantage.
Carl Doscher, a former member of the
sugar trust, now dissatisfied with its
workings has started an independent re-
hnery and will also enter the field of COM
petition. The cheapness of beet sugar as
compared with that made from cane and
its increased production, the probable ear
ly removal of the tariff on the sugar
product of Hawaii and Porto Rico. and
perhaps also of Cuba, all form a natu-
raj competition against which the sugar
trust is likely to have a hard struggle
Both competitors in this gigantic contest
claim to have advantages in their favor
but as a result of the war il would APP
pear that the sugar trust will have more
than one competitor to fight Thus it
controlled the output of one of the i'm
portant necessaries of life, made millions
for those at its head, and which has even
controlled and directed legislation to its
face with foe which may threaten its
existence In the meantime the public
will enjoy the benefits which accrue from
this contest of millions, namely cheaper
coffee and cheaper sugar. which will
hardly go back to former prices even af-
ter this battle of giants has been con-
cluded.