The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-20
What Will Be the Outcome OF the
Brussels Sugar Convention?

Brussels Sugar Convention?
There is no doubt that the convention
entered into by the Governments repre-
sented at tho Brussels Sugar Conferences
win, when 1t becomes operative in Octo-
bar. 1908. put an end to the dumping OF
b0unty-fed beet root sugars on the
British market at prices less than the
cost Of production. 1t seems equally
certain that the planters Of Cuba and OF
the West Indies in general will profit by
the new state Of things. 90 long a. 1t en-
dures, seeing that their raw cane sugars
WI command higher prices But what
Of the British sugar consumer? What
view u he likely to take Of the matter
whom the effect Of the Brussels conven-
ton II brought home to himi
OF course, nobody can predict the pre-
else extent to which the Brussels con-
ventim will raise the price of sugar In
Great Britain. According TO Sir HENRY
NORMAN. the chairman Of the Royal
Commission which lately Investigated
the subject-with a desire, If we may
draw q reasonable inference from the
composition Of the commission, to mini
misc the cost Of the Brussels Agreement
TO British sugar consumers The people
Of the United Kingdom will have to pay
moro for their sugar than they now do,
perhaps to the extent Of a halfpenny
fone cent per pound Mr.. JOSEPH
CHAMBERLAIN, who is sealous champion
Of tho Brussels Agreement, and cannot
wiah to exaggerate its effect upon the
British sugar consumer, admitted last
July In the House Of Commons that the
advantage given by the bounties on Con-
tinental beet root sugar, a. opposed to
the West Indian sugar, was perhaps not
les than f5 per ton. Such an advantage
would mean more than cent per pound,
and 1t follows that, when the bounties
are removed, English sugar prices ought
TO rise to that extent.
Can IN increment Of one cent a pound
b looked upon a. . hardship by the
British consumer? Let us look at the
question In two ways. First, as to the
gross advantage derived from the con-
sumption Of bounty-fed beet root sugars
By the inhabitants OF the United King
dom. This advantage, IL we accept Mr..
CHAMBKRLAIN's calculation that the
bounties have caused loss OF f5 a ton to
the West Indian sugar sent to the United
Kingdom, would be no less than az ,Soo-
600. This figure is based on the undis-
puted assumption that in 1900 ahaut
100 900 tons Of sugar were imported into
the United Kingdom from various coun-
triss. OF which the oane sugar brought
from the British West Indies, British
Guiana and British Honduras contributed
exactly w per cent. Now II Is obvious
that ~. SOC. 900 Il serious sum TO be
extracted from the masses Of British
sugar consumers, especially as they
have been slreAdy subjected to q sugar
duty and TO registration tar on grain
and -four in order to avert an increase OF
the income tax, which presses, not on
the poor, but on the rich and well-to-do.
To see more clearly how the increment
Of cent pound In the price Of sugar
VII Affect the poorer classes OF the British
community, We must can 70 mind the sta
tistics which show that from IS to 90
pounds 10 the annual consumption Of
suGar Of every man, woman and child in
the United Kingdom. Al six may be
talen AZ the average number OF members
OF working olass family, II follows that
about $40 would represent the extra
hwy cauAd by the Brussels convention
~ the annual income Of such q family.