Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-01
Without Effect on the Domestic Beet
Product.
SMALL AMOUNT OF IMPORTATION
Absurd Claims of the Anti-Annexa-
tionists.
IND L STRIAL STATISTICS

Mr.. Henry Oxnard the brother of Robert
Oxnarti. who is the sugar trust manager
for its Pacific coast business, is franticaily
asserting that Hawaiian annexation will
be the ruin IF the beet sugar business not
withstanding the fact that over 10 per cent
of the sugar consumption of the country is
imported from countries other than Hawaii
leaving leeway of 100000 tons as
market to which the sugar beet business
will have to expand before it will come
into competition with Hawaiian sugar. Mr..
Oxnard is unable to indicate how the small
amount Of sugar from Hawaii can affect
the American market under these condi-
tons. or why the Hawaiian planters should
desire to sell their sugar below the general
market price, which is world price, but
hopes evidently to enforce his claim by
reiteration ard a liberal use of printers
ink.
The following letter to a prominent ad-
vccate Of annexation from Mr. James T.
Taylor of Peccs, New Mexico a member of
the American Society of Civil Engineers,
and chief engineer of the Pecos Irrigation
and Improvement Company on whose es-
tate the Pecos beet sugar factory is located,
gives an independent opinion. showing the
groundlessless of Mr.. Oxnard's preposter-
Gus claim.
Mr.. Oxnard will have to ring up the
sugar trust and ask them for a better rea-
son for opposing annexation than that it
will be injurious to beet sugar.
MIR. TnyIor's Letter.
Mr.. Taylor says ia his letter:
From personal observation of the beet
sugar Industry both in California and New
Mexico, extending over Il period of several
years. l do not believe that annexation will
have any injurious Effect upon the beet
sugar industry of the United States; and in
support of that view l Cite the following
facts as they exist today
Il know from personal knowledge the
climatic conditions of the Hawaiian Islands
and the general nature of their soil and
products. There Is approximately only
10000 acres of cane land under cultivation,
which, under the most favorable circun-
stances. produce. say. average of
little over 2HDO tons of sugar annually.
The present is practically the limit of area
naturally available for the successful
growth of sugar cane. The entire annual
crop OF sugar exported from the islands is
only approximately 10 per cent of the
nua1 amount of sugar consumed in the
United States. which amount is mainly i'm
ported from foreign countries. and has for
the past few years averaged more than
two million tens of sugar per annum; con-
sequently the price of Hawaiian sugar can
rot affect the price of beet sugar of the
United States. as the market price of such
staples is fixed "a the great commercial
centers OF the world namely, London and
New York.
Consumption of Sugar.
THE consumption Of sugar in the United
States is rapidly increasing with the set
tlement and development of our country.
that In the near future the Hawaiian
sugar crop will be a still smaller percent
age of the annual output of the world.
"Of the total amount of sugar consumed
annually in the United States only approx
mately l6 per cent was produced on Ameri-
can soil for the year 1897, making 81 per
cent the apr Oximate amount of importa-
tiers. coming principally from Europe and
the East. West and British Indies.
ITO produce the amount Of sugar now
imported from foreign countries (other
than Hawaii would require at least 800
daily capacity of 500 tons of beets. each
factory utilizing the product of $500 acres
of sugar beets. The 800 factories would
utilize the product OF ,650G0 acres of
beets. based on an average of ten tons of
sugar beets per acre. or 16.JOO.GO tons of
bee.s. valued at 5000. 900, as the averag e
price paid to the farmer for beets is 81
per ton.
The production and handling of this
quantity of beets would directly ard in
directly give employment to more than a
million of people.
THE only conclusion that can be drawn
is that danger from competition by reason
of reduction in the price. or over-produc-
ton of sugar by the Hawaii sugar planters
cannot be considered valid objection to
annexation from the standpoint of a sugar
beet grower
The Sugar Beet Farmer.
THE sugar beet farmer of the United
States stands on very favOra bic
basis for the production of sugar
as the crop is planted and harvested
generally during u period of six to