The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-03-15
TARIFF SITUATION IN SUGAR. 7

A. G. Robinson in Review Of Re-
views: There is good reason to be-
lieve that the present tariff rate on
sugar can be considerably reduced
without disaster to any producer who
has a right to be in the business, that
is, to any whose business does not de-
pend absolutely upon an ]6xorbftant
tariff rate. For such, being injured,
the community will have little con-
Germ. That some would be injured by
a reasonable reduction is quite GER
tain. A reduction in price must mean
some curtailment of profit, but that
involves a loss that probably all could
recover by better business methods,
by more efficient system In produc-
ton.
Even the proponents of free sugar
admit the general disaster to Ameri-
can interests that would follow the
success Of their efforts. Figures of
cost OF production show that under
such conditions most of the can
planters Of Louisiana, and nearly all
Of h beet industry, would be wiped
out. Much Of h industry in Porto
Rico and in Hawaii would be destroy,
ed and sales to those islands would be
heavily reduced. The Cuban reCipro-
city treaty would be annulled and
sales TO Cuba greatly cut down. In
competition to equal terms Cuban
sugars would lose a large but uncer-
tain part of their market in this coun-
try, n the economic state of the is
land under such conditions would al
most certainly lead to political disor-
ders.
The present revenue to the govern
ment, from the duty on sugar, Is about
$4,000, 900 a year. If the whole, or
any part. Of this Is taken away, a like
sum mus be obtained by some other
form of taxation.
1t Is true hat a sum representing
at least a part Of the duty Is added
to h price Of the domestic product,
and that sum goes to the producers of
can n beet sugar in the United
States n to the planters in Hawaii,
Porto Rico and the Philippines, but it
goes to maintain a vast industry and
serves to put the United States on an
almost absolutely Independent footing
in respect of its supply Of one of it's
most important foodstuffs. The price
now paid for the benefit received is
exceeding small.
Comparison Of retail prices in this
and in other countries shows that,
with a few exceptions, sugar is cheap
er in the United States than 1t is else
where. In the United Kingdom, Den
mark, Turkey, Switzerland, and Bel
StNAA' pilSNS " grades
of sugar are a fraction of a cent low
or than they are here. From data
gathered by American consuls, it ap-
pears thai the average retail price in
this country being 81 cents the
price of similar sugar in the United
Kingdom and in Denmark was Ave
cents. To show the higher cost in this
country, it Is customary to compare
the price of 88 degree raw
beet sugar in Hamburg with 100 de-
gree refined granulated here. The av-
erage retail price of corresponding
sugar in France and in Germany is a
fraction higher than the price in the
United States. Prices in Canada are
practically the same as prices here.
The average of the United States be-
ing 81 cents, the average Of all Eur
ope is 7.S cents. The price in Russia
is above Z cents; in Sweden, 8 cents;
in The Netherlands, 81 cents; in
Spain, II cents; and in Italy, IA cents.
These. of course, are not fixed values
but are the prices given at the time
of an American quotation of ST. cents.