The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-12-24
Rect SUGAR.

ms, At nresent there is a sharp con-
,es, being waged between the repre-
so,,atives OF beet sugar producers u
the United States and those who are IN
fovor Of entering into reciI rHeaI trade
,.,.,,ons with Cuba. I, is contenied
nv the beet sugar producers ihat VIZ"
anv concessions being made to Cuban
sugar by the United states they would
h. compelled to ~ out Of business
that the production of beet sugar !"
the United States is an infant m
dustry" that can only be kent alive oy
tarin stimulants.
On A closer investigation u the mat
ter it will appear clear that this con-
tantion is not well founded, hut Is
s,mp,v the cry Of few protected in
vestors who. having experienced the
nro6t swelling effects Of = protection
Of $500 to the ton on their products
ara 10th TO be deprived OF the unnai-
.ural proceeds of their business.
In reaching a conclusion as to the
eree, Of reciprocity with Cuba, which
will allow the marketing Of the sugar
Of that country in the United states
under more favorable conditions, two
things only need be considered, First
the relation of supply TO the demand
and secondly. TO what extent the new
source Of supply will figure as source
that has heretofore cut no figure in our
market. Viewed from both Of these
standpoints concessions to Cuban sugar
can not possibly work an injury to the
beet sugar industry Of the United
States.
In the first place the consumption
Of sugar in the United states is greatly
in excess Of our total production OF
both cane and beet sugar. We do not
produce enough sugar in the United
States To supply our legitimate de-
mands. Necessarily we must look to
other sugar producing countries to
supply that shortage. It may be true
that IL II were intended to make the
concession proposed to Cuba general
and allow the German and Russian
sugar producer the same privileges
the effect upon our market might De
Injurious TO our beet sugar industry.
This would lie increasing the source OF
supply to such an exten, that it would
be greater than the natural demand
with resulting cheapening Of price in
order 10 create a false and unnatural
consumption. But with Cuban sugar
this danger does not exist. Under
present conditions nearly the entire
crop Of Cuban sugar is sold in the
United States. That sugar already en-
ters into the consideration Of supply
and demand. The home market now
consumes our entire home product and
practically the entire Cuban produc-
tion. The only effect Of the tariff on
Cuban sugar at the present time is to
allow our producers Of beet sugar to
levy a tax Of nearly 35,j0OOOO annu-
ally upon the American consumers Of
sugar and enables the United States
10 collect from the producer Of Cuban
sugar as large an amount and con-
vert il into our national treasury.
The proposed concession to Cuban
sugar does not contemplate taking
protection on beet sugar It concerns
itself solely with the problem Of how
best 10 promote the interests Of Cuba
without interfering In any way with
domestic enterprise. The small increase
in sugar supply which would follow
concessions to Cuba would not bring
that ruin and bankruptcy 10 the beet
sugar people which they are 80 per-
sistently predicting.