Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-14
EDITOR

The plan is to lay an internal revenue tax on dc
nestle sugar, and for the United States to re
strict importatio nby becoming a member of tn
Brussels conference. The presumption is tina
the United States would directly participate il
an international agreement that would proven
the flooding Of American markets by duty-fre
foreign sugars.
This question Of loss of revenue is being givel
increasing consideration by financiers of tn
An extremely interesting article along this lin
is contributed by Holland" the wellknowl
financial writer of New York. He writes:
The best estimate is that somewhat in excess of
100000 tons of sugar are needed to meet the
worlds demand for sweetened food. 1t is a modern
demand since until comparatively recent historic
times about the only produce relied upon for sweet
food honey and to some extent the crystallized
Juice Of the grape.
Statistics recently received from Germany show
that about onehalf of the sugar now yearly used in
tie world represents the saccharne qualities Of the
sugar beet And yet beet sugar is almost entirely
modern industry.
The statistics prepared by the bureau Of statistics
az Washington report that of the 100000 tons of
sugar yearly consumed by the world. the United
States eats and drinks little over 100000 tons.
With the cheapening of the cost of white gran
ulated lump. the use of sugar has greatly in
creased and It is increase somewhat larger, rel
atiyely than the Increase OF population. r.
How greatly the cultivation OF the sugar beet has
advanced in the United States is shown by the Wash
ington statistics which report that about 100000 tons
OF beet sugar yearly consumed by the United
States This humble vegetable u now yielding a
larger amount Of sugar than the cane fields Of
the Gulf states. Extensive as has been the cultiya
ton Of cane sugar in Louisiana and Texas, never
theless American sugar, from American-grown cane,
amounted last year to less than beet sugar about
100000 tons With the vast development Of the very
rich but hitherto intractable swamp lands of Louis
lana the conquest OF which is Of the most notable
OF the Industries in progress In the south, the
amount of cane sugar produced In the United States
should be greatly decreased 1t is the presumption
Of those who informed that the increase in the
production Of sugar beets In the western states and
the enlarged areas devoted to sugar cultivation
will within the next twenty-five or thirty years,
make the United States entirely independent so far
as sugar production is concerned
Today about l0Oo.0O0 tons OF sugar are imported
tax free from our sugar growing territories There
FORE the United States must import about 100000
tons OF sugar In order to meet the annual demand.
Almost all OF the importation will come, and Is now
coming, from Cuba. Java, and Germany
It Is regarded here as purely economic question,
which is involved in the proposition to admit sugar
free OF duty. For Is not conceivable that the re-
tan price Of hfgn-grade sugar can be materially re-
duced. 1t is now amazingly small. Testimony has
been furnished showing that the profit gained by the
refiners upon each pound is only fraction Of cent
And the aggregate profits are due wholly to the
enormous sale Of sugar in the United States Con-
gress viii, in its wisdom, decide whether 1t is ex-
3 pedient to remove the duty from product which
yields In duties about and whether,
ii It does that the effect will be seriously to cripple
the sugar beet and cane sugar agricultural indus
tries These are questions which will be very thor
oughly discussed in the senate, and the discussion
will not be bounded by party lines. -,