The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-08-28
FRIDAY. AUG. %. 1914.
THE VAR AND PRICES.

The war IN Europe loS DAONSH
about high prices in America on GER
tain commodities, particularly 1000
supplies, and the United States gov
I'M has started an investigation
to see whether or not prices have been
Arbitrarily raised by dealers without
cause. Undoubtedly there has been
some price Juggling by Inscriptions
dealers. but The Forum believes that
on the whole, dealers have been very
fair.
Higher prices are bound to some on
some things because Of the war. A
notable instance Of this is to be seen
in the remarkable advance in the
wheat market, and a corresponding
advance in -four. 1t may be that the
miIlers anticipated the raise in flour.
The Forum has no way Of knowing.
hut that charge has been made.
However there are some Things
which are bound to go higher For
instance sugar. Since the democratic
tariff bill was put in force, sugar has
been much lower than formerly. This
was because the great beet sugar
countries could compete in the Am
erican market. But now hat supply
has been practically shut off. The re-
suit is as sure as the law OF supply
and demand.
This same law which raised the price
,oP sugar lowered the price Of other
commodities. apricots, for instance
California practically supplies the
world with apricots. Dried apr1cots
are in great demand in Europe ana
tesneciaTv in Germany where they form
lone Of the principal articles Of diet
This year, Germany and other euro
pean countries had booked large orders
for apricots, but this years crop IS
onIv now ready for shipment. The re-
s,lt is, the California owe nave
GREAT quantities ready for the Euro
moan market, that market is closed to
them, and apricots have dropped OF IN
price.
One of the Fargo wholesalers has
given The Forum the following IN
formation regarding sugar, which VIII
be Of interest to the public in form
~ -
in an opinion regarding present prices:
Tho worlds production Of sugar
;s between l6, 1000, 900 to 100000
tons roughly estimated. The beet
sugar crops of Russia, Germany,
france. Austria and Belgium, all
involved in war at present, aver
age about so per cent Of the
worlds supply and the harvesting
season is September, October and
Nr..~,Lor NOU take into con-
sideration the immense rural
nonulatiou that has been drafted
into service of these beet Odu
Ing countries combined with the
fact. that these millions OF men
tramping through the country will
naturally devastate he fields,
which means that this crop VIII
90 TO waste and Furthermore, eV-
erv report from the field Of battle
show that the haVersaCks or the
soldiers are filled with raw beets,
on which they are subsisting.
England produces no sugar and
Jamaica, one Of her sugar produc-
ing colonies, is now forbidden 10
exnort q bag. England. herself, is
a huge consumer Of the product,
using $4,000 tons per month, ans
has hitherto drawn her supplies
from Europe, /. e., Germany,
France, etc. She is now taking
large OudItlLleS VI Slhl4uIdISu
from America, and has several of
the refneries in New York, oper-
ating solely and exclusively on
contracts for the English govern
ment. England is also a buyer in
Cuba, taking 10000 ton last
week Of the visible supply on this
side and still bidding.
Now, the remaining so per cent
of the worlds supply is produced
in the United States, Cuba, Porto
Rico, Jamaica, Hawaii, Philippine
islands. From these countries, the
United States alone consumes o.
OOO, 900 tons a year. The present
visible stocks. according to est
mates, are about 300, 900 IONS.
Cuba and Porto Rico do not har-
vest until Jan. I. Just think, this
is less than one months supply for
the United States, alone, and don't
overlook the fact that the United
States must bid against the
world for
Considering these facts, md
that the European production IS
practically wiped out for a wear at
least, If the war lasts only sixty to
ninety days, and with Europe at
years supply on the remaining 80
per cent of the worlds supply,
how then can any one fail to see
that the price Of sugar must rise
In proportion as the situation
steadily draws to famine.
The entire situation with regard
to the rise Of price in sugar, and
prospect Of higher prices Of sugar
rests upon the economical law Of
supply and demand and the pres
ent rise was entirely legitimate.