Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-09-23
VIEW S
ON SUGAR
SITUATION
fBy Late.t Maill

80 - - -
IBy Latest Nail
PARIS.-In September and October
of last year NJ. Emile Saillard labor
atory director OF the Syndicate OF
French sugar manufacturers, investi.
gated beet culture and the beet sugar
industry In the United States. He has
just published his conclusions in a
report 81 pages long.
i First-The present consumption OF
sugar in the United States is approx
imately $500, 900 tons. About half OF
this supplied by sugar paying no Gus
toms duties, that is, coming from the
United States themselves, or their
colonies Hawaii, Porto Rico and
the Philippines. The other half is for
the most part from Cuba, and pays
only four fifths of the regular customs
rates. Next to no sugar paying full
customs duties now enters the coun-
try.
Second-The annual average In
crease of sugar consumption in the
United States ranges from $4,000 tons
to 100000 tons. On the other hand,
the annual increase In the production
and importation of sugar exempt from
customs duties averages $4,000 tons
or little less during the last five
years. This means that imports
from Cuba are nearing their maxi
mum limit And this also means that
Cuba's surplus will have to be work
ed on on other countries, supposing
always that two conditions are full
filled. The first Is that the tariff
legislation of the United States keeps
the same relative dispositions, and
the second lis that Cuba keeps on in
creasing its sugar production.
Third The price Of labor in the
United States is twice what it is in
france, and yet "hectare"-less
than two and a half acres-of beets,
costs the American farmer less than
It does the French farmer. Deducting
all expenses, including the rent value
oil the land, but not the fertilizing,
more than 200 francs ($40) often re-
mains to the American farmer. As
the rental value has usually not to be
counted in America, this represents
something like $500 clear profit on
rs acres of beets.
Eourth-Deep steam blowing seems
to be little practiced in, those parts
OF the United States visited by M.
Saillard, the work being done by
horses, and there are no machines as
in France for pulling and heading the
beet roots. In Colorado he found ma
chimes simply for pulling up the roots,
This is another instance Of the inten-
sive cultivation pfacticed in all ines
Of French agrculthres Confidence In
our new land and perhaps the insta-
bility of the farming population have
hitherto hindered such cultivation in
the United States,
Fifth-The price of a ton of beets
delivered at the sugar mill Is about
the same as in France sometimes a
little dearer. But, not counting the
duties, the price Of sugar is higher in
the United States than in France.
There is often IS or 81 difference be-
tween the price paid the farmer and
the receipts.
Sixth Labor saving devices in the
unloading of the beets are noted. They
are attributed to the American need
Of reducing hand labor to. minimum.
Seventh labor in the United
States costs twice as much as in
france. and very often It is not found
on the. spot, but has to be imported
from distance. The teachnical and
administrative staffs cost as much as
in France, and interest and sinking
fund expenses may be heavier. On the
other hand, the expense in coal and
coke is less than in France, and lime
is not much dearer.
In total, the beet sugar industry in
the United States is prospecting great
ly. No doubt the prosperity is due in
great part to the customs duties.
which protect it against foreign sugar.
But it must also be acknowledged that
American sugar manufacturers, with
their business spirit Of initiative and
enterprise, count for a great deal in
the success. They have had great
difficulties to overcome lack of lab
or and of rain and so on,
The French report gives its auth
or's view of the present Congressional
situation, noting the popular COM
plant against customs duties and
trusts and its political effect in the
last presidential election, with the
consequent vote of the House of Rep
resentatives doing away with duties
on sugar and the Senate's extended
inquiry into the native sugar indus
try.
Manufacturers ask the maintenance
of the status quo, so that the industry
may grow in the country. For this
they cite the examples of the Euro
pean countries which so long favored