Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-06
SEEKING MORE LIGHT
ON PRICES OF SUGAR
House Committee Examines
Expert on Market Conditions
Here and Abroad.

Prices of sugar in all parts Of the world
were inquired into today by the House
committee of inquiry into the American
Sugar Refining Company and the sugar
industry. w. P. Willet, a sugar expert,
was again summoned to tell the commit
tee what he knew Of sugar prices in for
eign countries and foreign markets.
Chairman Harwick Of the committee re-
ceived through the State Department sta
tistics on sugar from some foreign ma
tions. but the committee is seeking fur
Their light for the purposes Of comparison.
The committee arranged to hear west
ern beet sugar men On conclusion of Mr..
Willet's testimony.
Dutch Standard Discussed.
sugar tariff schedule. variously known
as the Joker" and the niger in the
wood pile" was discussed by Mr.. willet
and its mention precipitated a tariff
argument. Mr.. Willet declared as an
expert that the Dutch standard is a
color test and has nothing to do with
the purity of the sugar.
The removal of the provision would
not hurt the refiners nor help the con.
sumers of sugar" said Mr.. Willet. 1T
would not lower the price of sugar at
this time"
What good is it, them asked Chair
man Hardwick.
1T insures the refiner by maintaining
the differential on refined sugar."
I'm other Words said Mr. Hardwick.
lit compels the American public to buy
the refined sugar."
demand the refined white. sugar. and
that it would take years to educate them
in the use of the more common sugars
generally used in Europe.
Takes Issue With Mr.. Fordney.
Representative Fordney Of Michigan
republican, sought to show by the witness
that the Dutch standard protects the
consumer by guaranteeing the quality OF
the sugar. Mr.. Willet would not agree
to this. He said the standard cannot hurt
the consumer at present, because no
country, save Cuba, could ship refined
sugar to the United States. The Isle OF
refiner. said Mr., Wlllet, because coal and
other costs would make the refining
Of sugar in Cuba Improbable.
Mr.. Fordney quoted statistics to show
that when sugar prices were at the sky
their product below the New York mar
ket price. Chairman Hardwick insisted
and Mr. Willet testified that the bee,
sugar men did not profit by the bull
movement in sugar because their output
was sold in advance on cantract
"At any rate said Mr.. Fordney, Il
want it known that the consumers get
the benefit from the Michigan refineries -
Democrats Object.
A chorus Of objection from the demo-
cratic members disputed this. and the
chairman said 1t was unnatural for a
sugar jobber to sell sugar at less than
the market price. He said the Michigan
reflners sold below the market because
they had to do so.
ooh, no. commented Mr.. Fordney,
Michigan people have hearts"
4ir. Willet declared that the beet sugar
industry in America had been Of inesti-
mable value. He said the industry had
done much to keep sugar prices at a low
level
IF il were not for the beet sugars. and
IL America were forced to depend on
European sugar refneries.'' said he ''the
price would be generally at least cent
on the pound higher"
The witness analysed the costs Of pro-
duction and sales prices of sugar through
out the world. beginning with France.