Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-06-29

the principal basis of the industry,
practically all countries on the cont.
nent of Europe are engaged in the pro-
duction of the article. The assertion
made by earlier investigators that the
sugar beet required specific climatic
and soil conditions, of which certain
parts of Germany appeared to possess
a monopoly, does not seem to have
been borne out by actual develop.
ments. The cultivation of the beet has
spread to other regions of Germany as
well Us to other countries which, even
in the early nineties, appeared to De
beyond the cultivable zone. To cite
only few examples: Spain, within
the last FIVE years, has developed a
beet sugar industry which not only
furnishes the demands of the home
market, but in order to avoid an over.
stocking of the home market is seek.
ing for new outlets: Italy, which, until
the last decade ol the past century. de-
pended for its sugar supply upon i'm
ports from Austria. France, Germany,
and Russia. has within recent years
developed beet sugar industry which
supplies over two.thirds of the nation.
al needs, and bids fair. under the fos
tgring care of its government. within
no distant future, to enter the world
markets. Nor Is the sugar beet con.
fined to the regions of the temperateiy
cold zone. Both in California, on the
Western Continent, in Roumania, Bull.
garia, and even producing Egypt,
the beet sugar industry has practically
passed the experimental stage. With
the enormous growth Of the sugar
area, production has kept pace. Thus,
to compare but the middle OF the last
century with its close. II is found that
the total production of sugar increas.
ed from about 100000 tons to about
100000 tons, or over FIVE and hall
times. or this increase by far the
larger share is due to the growth ot
beet sugar production, which, practi
cally beginning about the middle OF
the century with a production II
about 100000 tons in ALL. showed At
the end Of the century total product
Of 100000 tons.
Fall in Prices.
The enormous increase in the tota
production of sugar has caused a fal
in price which for some time, especial
~ about 1885, threatened the ruin III
the European industry. From 25s. Cd
per Cwt. the net price of sugar in Eng
land Cless duty reached the level d
about 2Os in 1875. The fall was ever
more pronounced during the succeed
Ing years. reaching the low level q
rs. Id. in 1887, 9s. I'd. in 1890, anC
even 9s. in 1896. The effect of such {
fall in price was more disastrous fol
colonial than for the European sugar
as the former sugar did not enjoy thu
advantage of fostering care and be
nevolent attitude on the part Of thu
home Governments as much as its Eu
ropean competitor. While in Europ"
partly owing to fiscal patronage, tn,
crisis OF 1SS4-S5 proved to be but tran
sient and resulted in only temporar,
shrinkage of production, the result
was more disastrous in most of the co
onies, especially the West Indies.
The outcome OF the battle wage
against tropical sugar was, howeveI
by no means the result of concerto
effort on the part of the European pro
ducers or of their Governments. Ri
airy in the world market was just n
feUse among the European produce,
OF beet sugar. While sugar COME
ences met in order to place interni
tional competition on a fairer bast
and to discuss the delicate question
OF uniform standards, bounty, an
drawback policies, the national Go
ernments. following in the main &c
many's example, continued to besto
on this industry fiscal favors and a,
yantages which at times, as in III
case of Austria. Hungary, went so ia
as to make the industry an actut
charge upon the national budget. Tn
phase of the question became III
more serious as sugar, ever since l66
when for the first time 1t became
object of taxation in France, wa
with few and temporary exception
and Is at present one of the Chi
sources of revenue of the model
Governments, both in the countries
production and in those countries
such as the United States and Gre
Britain-which import either u
larger part or the total Of this produ
from abroad.
Beet Sugar for Export.
The twofold attitude Of lne Cover
ments, especially those OF Europe
granting bounties to the producer al
in shaping the excise policy with
view to a maximum fiscal return in
sder to cover the ever increasing nee
of the national budgets, brought abo
the peculiar result that in the be-
growing countries a large portion
the sugar produced is destined not
the home market, but for export. tn
France. for the season lS99'l9'
shows a production of $4,000 tol
and $4,000 tons exported during I
calendar year 1900; |. e., over SO :
cent of the product. In Germany Il
percentage is somewhat lower-1,0u
900 tons out of total of 100000;
O., 500 per cent, and 1t reaches
poavimum among the large sugar D