The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-02
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN ITALY
Large Increase in the Number of
Factories In Operation

There Seems To be no longer any doubt
that Italy will. within "a few years turn
from "a sugar-importiuG to a sugar-ex-
porting country" says the United States
Consul nj Trieste. I'm report recently
made % the State Department. The past
two seasons have Witnessed remarkable
development Of the beec sugar industry.
Previous To 1859 there were in the entire
kingdom only four sugar factories. with
total annual capacity of about 5000 tons
During the season of lS5s-ls09 the number
OF factories increased 10 twenty-four. and
the production of sugar quadrupIed. At
the end Of the year 1870 there existed
twenty-eight raw sugar factories and ten
retneries while six factories and two re-
hneries were in course Of construction.
The industry continued TO develop during
the season just closed but such strides as
had been generally anticipated We're not
made. This was chiefly due 90 the impo-
s.tion of new sugar Jaz-which in
measure checked the spirit OF enterDrise-
as well as ID the fact THAI the beet crop
was both meagre in quantity and indlfer-
eut IN quality"
Official data as 20 the yield Of the sea-
son Of l59l-l@1l are not vet accessible. but
according 20 the opinion Of those best
able 10 Judge the amount OF raw sugar
manufactured WIZ reach 5000 tons. This
is more than half Of the total quantity
annually consumed in the kingdom. Dur
ing the past year G>s9-Igl9 the production
was 39N-0 metric tons. the importation
BY $50 metric tons. making "a total con-
sumption Of $3.50 metric tons Causarva-
tive manufacturers now promise for the
ensuing campaign a production Of Go. 90
tons, and affirm that within four or five
years Italy viii produce sufficient sugar
to supply her own demand.
The home product" saws the consul
pays consumption tax Of 5J5 cents nor
pound h duty laid on imported raw
sugar Is S-'J>. gold As gold. however
commands "a premium of per cent this
Is equal To- u.s. lire. paper. The adyan-
laE~, Therefore. which the home mann
iacluIer mas over ms foreign competitor
IN the way OF taxation amounts TO Si6S
per -uib pounds. and this alone gives
Nun practically 90 monopoly OF the sugar
trade But this IS not the only favor ne
receives at the hands of the State he
Attd not pay The sugar tax I'm cash. but
may IN ltu thereof give TO tho STATE "A
note payable SIX months from date with
out interest and his products. as wei as
the raw HeetS. enjoy reduced freight rates
on all The railways OF the peninsula
In spite of the protection thus given
90 the home industry. the Italian mann
Iacjurers demand thar the duty upon the
imported article De still further Increased
IL IS not likely that the Government viii
make an attempt 10 change its SUGAR tar
iU before the expiration OF the present
treaties Should il however. i'm fh. NO.
EpilHtlou of the new treaties ana the in
CIdrur revision of the customs T1p-s Re-
spcct the wishes OF the beet and sugar
producing interests and Increase the duty
"H the imported article, there is every
reason To believe that within "a guin-
gueunium Italy would be seeking "a for
tlsh market Tor heT surplus sugar