The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-09
THE CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR,


sentative Dickcma of Michigan has
thought it worth while to spring into
notice only to show how little he
knows on the question he saw fl to
discuss. His central idea was that if
the beet-sugar industry is fully protect
ed, 1t Will supply to this country the
sugar ITS population needs. But the
evidence is all the other way. The
Importation of sugar into the United
States keeps on increasing every year,
! in spite Of tho enormous increase in
the manufacture of beet sugar. The
statistics have been given heretofore by
us, but we are glad TO avail ourselves
IN this connection of a compilation by
Mr.. Harold NJ, Pitt of facts relative
to production, Importation, and con.
sumption of sugar in the United States,
which utterly demolishcs Representative
Dickema s position.
During the calendar year 1905 the
United States imported duty.paying
sugar TO the amount of l,6I6.456 long
tons. This came from countries other
than Hawaii and Porto Rico. the
/
markets free of duty. OF this amount
9lG,li2 tons came from Cuba. paying so
per cent of full rates, and l5.0S9 tons
was from the Philippines, paying 10
per cent of the regular rate, which is
Sl.6S5 per 100 pounds of 96.dcgree test
sugar, There was left of the total I'M
ported 6Si, ,62J tons that came i'm from
entirely foreign countries and paid the
full rate
T., Al
the borders of the mainland of the
United States has remained almost sta
tlonary for decade or more, and IT is
the opinion of authorities that the fu-
ture tendency viii be towards a falling
off rather than an increase, 1t is con
cedcd that Hawaii has reached the
limit Of her possible production. while
the same is substantially true of Porto
Rico, where the available sugar area
is already largely under cultivation.
On the other hand, the increase in con.
sumption of sHgar in this country has
been, and continues to be, very large
and regular.
In 1850 the consumption OF sugar in
the United States was 42.I pounds per
capita, with a population of fifty
millions. In 1890 it was 52.S pounds
per capita, with a population of sixty
two millions. In 1900 1t was CO.
millions populations; and in 1908 it was
Sill pounds per capita, with popula-
tion estimated at eighty five millions.
the total consumption in 1905 beng -
ls5.IS9 long tons.
The amount of sugar consumed IN the
United States has more than treblcd
in twenty.cIght years, and the per
capita consumption alone has doubled
in the same period in consonancc with
Of hn
We do not vet consume as much per
capita as Great Britain, due TO her
more extensive use of sugar IN the
manufacture Of foodstuf1s, hut, as we
enlarge the industries of preserving
product of orchard, vineyard. and field, |
our per capita consumption OF sugar Is
certain to be far greater, and the ques.
ton of most concern TO the people OF
the United States would appear to be, !
where they will be able TO get the sugar
for their future needs: for, at the rate
of increase i'll population and per capita
consumption that has been maintained |
during the most untayorablc periods of |
the past twenty wears, our consumption |
of sugar nine years hence, In 1918. will !
be in excess Of 100000 long tons.
The beet sugar industry of this coun
try was in its infancy in 1893, when but |
20,400 tons was produced. II is now |
nearly 100000 tons. Hawal has IN |
creased her output from Isl 900 10
nearly half million tons. and Porto
Rico from - 800 10 more than $4,000 |
tons IN the same period. The United
States has absorbed this entire increase
aggrcgating more than one million tons,
and yet was obliged to import more
fore gn sugar III 1905 than it did in
lsD5, not including Hawaii and Porto
Rico, yet in the period intervening Ha-
waii had increased her production 310.-.
600 tons; Porto Rico had increased
its exports to the United States by
100000 tons, domestic bcet-sugar pro.
duction had increased Az 800 tons, and
tho production Of cane sugar in bouisi
ana and Texas had Increased i3.3S2
tons. total increase in home produc.
tion Of 1,ll6,3S2 ions, which increase
TINS country consumed and on top %!
which il was obliged to import 20e.196
tons Of foreign sugar over and above
what 1t did in 1895, indicating a totaI
increase in consumption in thirteen
years of l,319.l7S long tons
1t is safe TO assume that future con
will increase in approximate
ratio 10 that Of past years This will
ncccssratc supply of sugar 100000
tons greater than We hnl IN laqS at the