Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-01-07
coSToF CANE AND BEETSUGAR
New York Commercial. |

New YORK commercial.
In considering reciprocity with
Cuba, more especially with reference
to the tariff on raw cane sugar IN con-
nection with the rela. We cost OF pro-
duCing refined sugar from the cane
and from the beet. one important fact
to be borne in mind is that in convert
ing beet juice into re1ned sugar no so.
called raw sugar Is made; the process
of manufacture Is q continuous one
from the raw beet the finished
product-granulated sugar; but in the
manufacture of sugar from cane an IN.
termediate produCt--raw SUGARS
produced.
Cuban raw sugar Is sold exclusively
to American refiners and is subject to
duty of IS one.hundredths of a cent
a pound for rs polariscopic test. and
80 one.thousandths OF one cent per
pound for each additional degree. This
makes the duty on SO sugar-whIch
strength Is the basis upon which is cal
Culated the cost Of manufactures $50
cents per pound. Raw cane sugar Tor
some time has been selling at FOG
cents In bond, making centrifugal
raw sugar (96 degrees) cost the Ameri.
can rehner practically 3 IA GEMS per
pound, duty paid the cost of refining
Is estimated at l. cent per pound;
therefore the cost Of producing refined
sugar Is Ia cents per pound.
The cost OF producing raw cane su.
gar in Louisiana Is admitted to be 3
cents per pound; the cost of manufac.
turing refined sugar from American
cane therefore is l2 cents.
Mr.. Hugh Kelly OF New York. who
Is recognized authority on all mat
tiers pertaining to the growth and man.
ufacture of sugar, estimates the cost
of producing raw sugar in Cuba at
z l-S to 2 3'S cents per pound; taking
the average cost OF l-3 cents and
adding the average freight expense
IL cents per hundredweight to New
! York-the Cuban planter mas been at
an expense OF 2.35 cents per pound to
market his product, tor which he re
ceiyes 2.06 cents-a loss OF 20 cent
per pound. This means a deficit this
year OF $4.640, 900, the crop being est
mated at 100000 tons.
If, therefore, the tariff ON raw sugar
were reduced IL cent per pound, anC
the benefit should accrue to the raw
sugar interest, the Cuban planter
| NOuih plOhN vi NNHl DGl
pound.
But there is valid reason for the
contention that, SO far as American
sugar interests are concerned, the tar
IN on raw sugar might ne much fur
ther reduced without hardship to any
and with distinct benefit to the con
sumer who generally gets such scan
consideration.
When, in 1899, Henry \. Oxnard anC
w. Bayard Cutting were exploiting the
business and prospects OF e Ameri
can Beet Sugar Company. they repre-
scented that lhe cost OF producing re
fined sugar from beets would be 2.St
cents per pound-that is, beets coulC
be purchased at 81 per ton and thu
cost OF manufacturing sugar would b,
50 per ton of beets, 81 in all: tina
each ton OF beets would yield 20,
pounds OF sugar. thus making the cos
OF sugar $50 cents per pound,
1t is now cOntended that these fie
ures are too low, the prices paid TO
beets averaging higher, the manufaC
turing expenses being greater and tn
yield OF sugar per ton of beets less
the estimated cost Of production nov
ranging from 3.l5 to $40 cents pc
pound.
The relative cost of producing re
fined granulated sugar by domestic re
liners is therefore: From Cuban cane
Ia cents; from Louisiana cane
3 l'2 cents; from American beets, 81
cents.
1t is argued by the reductionist
from this that such REIMBURSEMENT a
lower duty on raw sugar wOul,
bring would not be very harmful /,
American interests.