The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1901-10-19
THE FATE OF SUGAR.

Quoting from the we'll known
sugar man James H. Post it said:
This action of the trust and
such an interview are, perhaps,
more significant than anything
else IN showing that the trust will
doubtless make common cause
with the Cuban sugar ralsers IN
their warfare against the claims
OF the beet interests of the West.
This gives strong combination
of commercial forces on one side
against what is notably, especially
in its political ramifcations, sA|
strong alliance on the OTTER
Twenty-six States are said TO be
raising sugar beets, and fifty-two
Senators are claimed as necessarily
responsive to this beet interest.
This estimate, however, is extreme.
On the other side are the Cuban
sugar people, many of them
Americans, and all of the Eastern
manufacturing and other interests
which desire an export market in
Cuba. To this combination the
trust has evidently come as an
ally.
Obviously forces are arrayed
for very vigorous fight, and
evidence abounds that the beet,
sugar side, at least, is losing no
time in training it's batteries upon
the national capital.
| The trust wants the raw material
for it's refneries; the cheaper it
can produce granulated sugar the
larger will be the consumption and
the wider the market. If Cubans
can sell sugar, and so become
prosperous, they can buy boots and
shoes and textiles and a hundred
other articles which we should
naturally supply. 1t, therefore,
appears that in this sugar contro-
versy the Eastern States cannot
afford to be silent OnlOOkers.
Their people are great consumers
Of sugar. Their trade with all the
countries Of this hemisphere, both
| those under our flag and others, is
rapidly increasing. With any rea
sonable concessions from Cuba, il
ought to be an easy matter foi
them to control her markets, and
all that is necessary is to grant he1
some leeway in sugar and tobacco
But this the beet sugar people
are bound shall not come to pass
and it is over this issue the figh
will rage. The American people
will have to decide, through thel
representatives in the Umtet
States, whether they want thel
sugar made from the beet or from
r the cane, and the decision will b
one Of far-reaching Importance.
The La sugar planters Assn
feeling the gravity of the suga
situation held an importment meet
!. ing in New Orleans last week an
and yaised in resolutions the TO
: lowing:
1The Louisiana Sugar Planters
Association views with alarm tn
increasing talk of reciprocity tres
ties with Cuba and other suga1
producing countries. At the pre-
ent time, with very low prices 6
sugar i'm all the markets OF tn
e world-fully one cent less than
this date a year ago-it will be
. great struggle to maintain our Il
dustry. The beet sugar industr
of Europe, carried on by chea
labor and capital and fostered !
export bounties, is waging war {
the cane sugar industry of Il
i world. and also upon the beet !
dustry Of the United States.
1The Cubans themselves a
feeling the pinch of low-prlce s''
ar, and want our Government
admit their products into t
United States either free OF du
or at much reduced rates.
aAny such concessions to Cu
will ruin both the cane and be
sugar industries of the Unit
tates. Why should the grow'
sugar industries of this count
lU he sacrificed for the benefit
~ Cuha or perhaps, to enrich I