Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-12-27
BRIGHT SUGAR PROSPECTS.

There com" times IN tn" history Of
the worlds food supplies when trusts
or combinations OF one kind and an
other are powerless to control prices
Of the raw product. This point has
been reached in the sugar market, and
the outlook is such that the next two
years bid fair to see some vi the most
sensational advances In the price vi
raw sugar that have been known for
years.
Statistics from all sides confirm the
European shortage, that with the in.
iluonCe Of the Brussels convention has
worked TO already advance raws close
to 5 cents. United States Consul Gen.
eral Mason at Berlin has presented q
report TO the State Department in
which he shows that the predictions
Of a serious deficit in the European
sugar-bcet crop have been fully ycri.
fed. About the middle OF October the
International Association Tor Sugar
Statistics sent out inquiries to all fac.
tories operating In the several COun.
tries Of Europe. to which replies have
been received based on the facts DEM
illustrated up to the period between
the 18th and 18th of October. These
reports show that 1873 factories were
in operation this year as against 1913
the 1903 campaign. The supply or
beets was 30,i7l.34O metric tons as
against 3S,lsT,233 and the sugar pro.
duced 4.iiO,T40 metric tons in place Of
5.523,SyI last year.
There was thus. TO begin with"
says Consul Mason, "a falling on OF 50
in the number Of factories in operation
as well as q decreased acreage Of beet
culture in most European countries, o
result which may he asCribGd to the
effect OF the Brussels conference, the
withdrawal OF governmental support
from the sugar industry, and the de.
rlining profits of production during re-
cent years. The result u decreased
acreage and drought has been to re.
duce the actual beet crop by 7,IlJ, 1893
tons, and the closely estimated sugar
product by l,OS3.l57 tons, or 1875 per
cent, as compared with the crop OF
1908. Statistics Of beets produced per
hectare can acresJ and the percent.
age OF sugar to bocts are as yet avail.
able only from Germany The aver.
age yield Of German fields has been "a
metric tons per hectarc 1913 tons per
acre., and the saCcharine percentage
ranged from 1914 per cent. In East
Prussia to 1873 per cent. in Hesse. with
a general average OF li,3 per cent. foi
the whole Empire"
The anticipated effect Of the figures
given by Mason have been more than
verified in the steadily improving tone
ol the raw sugar market Willett &
Gray, the most conservative forecast.
crs of this country, have reached tho
point where they have practically ad.
mitted that there's no telling how high
the prices will 60. The uncertain
quantity they now offer Is the possible
effect high prices may have upon gu.
gar consumption. This they cannot
reckon, hut the shortage Of supply TO
satisfy present demand h certain.
Prices cannot be held down.
With the world conditions so favor.
able, the outlook In Hawaii h more
promising than In the balmy days
when annexation flashed images NJ
prosperity before the people, The cor,
Ecr Of hard times has been turned.
The solid properties OF the period of
notation have weathered the diticul
ties and are In position 10 mako the
most Of an advancing market. Tho
older properties are prompt 10 resume
dividends az the OutloOk warrants, on
this basis Hawaii Is In a position 20
liz debts and again enjoy tho
pleasure Of u surplus, Stocks viii not
go above thor legitimate values, but