The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-18
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REAL
REVISION. NO. XIV.

sugar war on. This will no doubt be
of the most intense and general inter
est. If we we're to read in tomorrow's
journals that the threatened war be-
tween the robins and the cats is def
initely of, it would be quite as aston
ishing.
The fact is that the Arbuckles have
made all the war with the Sugar trust
that they will ever make. Yenrs ago
they got a machine that economically
wrapped coffee in standardized bags.
and went on the market as coffee
dealers Success attended their efforts.
They became great men in the coffee
world.
Suddenly It occurred to them that
the same machine would put up sugar,
and they became sugar merchants. And
when the Havemeyers found the Ar
buckles in their preserves, there was
war-war to the knife. Sugar was the
Kingdom of Havemeyer, and sugar was
invaded by these impudent coffee
mongers. The Arbuckles put up re-
finery and vaged campaign on the
trust in its own fed. The trust bought
coffee business and proceeded to
wrap coffee and vend it on the origin
al Arbuckle lines. And at last. when
both sides were thoroughly weary,
when the smaller force had been push
cd almost to the wall and the larger
had lost money and prestige. the thing
happened which has always occurred
when the Sugar trust has been forced
10 its reserves scheme for doing
business "haTmoniously." Whether the
trust and the Arbuckles formed a treaty
of peace or merger nobody but the
parties knows, but the ArbuekIes went
the way of all the trusts foes. and
ceased TO be foes. They stayed in the
sugar refining business, and the trust
stayed in the coffee business, but as for
war, tiat was a thing of the past.
In all probability, something like
this took place: The trust said to the
Arbuekles. "Why do you come in be-
hind our tariff wall and spoil our
game2 Don't YOU see we can't allow
such a thing? If we compete. we shall
have TO sell sugar for what it is worth.
and what good will the tariff do us
thenl' so far as competing" the
other parties may be imagined as say
ing, I'VE admit that II seems more
reasonable to lie behind the tariff wall,
and rob the public rather than to fight
each other. But you began it." I'VE
announced long ago" the trust might
have replied, through our Mr.. Have
meyer. that we expect TO do the sugar
refining for this country. You get out
of the business" But we have our
money in the refineries!" might have
been the reply; "and we can't afford
to lose it," 1--WE can arrange all that, "
was no doubt the answer Of the trust,
y ~only let it be definitely understood.
that we brook no rivals in the sugar
busincs- on this continent" And since
That time they have had no real rival.
AR Arbucl<le might have spared him
self the pains 9 reassuring US. We
know there will be "no sugar war
lie is quoted as saying that the dis
agreement out of which the rl1mors of
war grew Gre enc affair of the pub
lies" Quite sol The sole concern OF
the public seems to be to pay. excessive
prices for sugar which the excessive
tariff on sugar imposes.
a we have pointed out, there Is a
WAY in which more of this tariff might
be Iaid into the Treasury and less into
the Golfers Of the trust, by abolishine
the old, unscientiiic and indefensible
color test embodied i'm the words Not
above Ne 10 Dutch standard in color -
This color test has no Use in the grad
ing Of sugar. it Is the joker in the
sugar schedule. It is a crooked piece
OF word Juggling, and its real meaning
g. that no sugar producer can bring in
light brown sugars for fear that hC
will sell to tire trade instead Of to the
trust.
This trust, which has abused the
tariff privilege by absorbing all its
rivals or beating them into submission
has got on the statute books and pur.
poses to keep there clause in the
tariff bill. which says in effect, Bring
IN all the sugar you please which has
TO be whitened for use; for the trust
docs the whitening. But keep out yoln
disable light brown or white nrefined
sugars unless you are willing to pay
the tariff of fully refined goods; for
they would be bought by consumers
without giving the trust its rake-ofT p
Such legislation is dishonest and in
defensible The old Dutch color test
must be abolished. If the so-called