The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-09-05
WHY SUGAR PRICES ARE HIGH,
rorty-Five Per Cent of Entire
Worlds Supply Cut Off as Re-
suit of European War-Lesson in
situation for American People.

Tho following lucid statement as
). tbe causes Of the recent SHARP
advance in sugar prices comes from
~ Hawaiian sugar interests in the
United States:
"Europe and America are now en-
aagpd in a battle royal for : sugar,
That is the primary cause of the higf
nrices that now prevail. Cut off by
tho outbreak of the war from her
sunplv of 100000 tons of sugar or
dinarily secured from Germany and
Austria Hungary. England turned tC
tbe nearest available sugar market
which happened to be New York,
sacked by cash, assuming all the
war risk involved in shipment and
ready to pay whatever prices might
bo necessary to secure sugar, British
huyers invaded the American market
within little more than week they
mrchased almost 100000 tons Of raw
ana refined sugar, bidding up the
market nearly 3 cents a pound in the
process of getting it. Their buying
subsided temporarily only when they
found it impossible to secure further
nronpt transportation. AS another
war measure for securing a supply OF
sugar, orders were issued in all the
sugar-growing colonies Of Great Bri-
tain forbidding the sale of sugar ex-
cent for imperial use.
aAt the outbreak of the war the
visible supply Of sugar available for
tho American market was barely
sufficient to last until the new crop
Of American grown sugar should pc
gin to become available III October.
The withdrawal of 100000 tons from
this supply created serious. snort
age, and inquiries received IN the
New York market indicating that
England would seek to obtain several
hundred thousand tons more OF SUI
gar. and that other European coun-
tries might endeavor to purchase SUI
gar here, threatened to make this
shortage much more serious. AS
result. American purchasers in the
sugar market, seeking to protect
their own trade, entered into active
competition with the foreign buyers
in the scramble for sugar. To make
the situation more acute, consumers
in all parts of the country rushed to
lay in supplies far in excess OF their
ordinary purchases, thus accentuating
the scarcity.
1.-THE prize for which the buyers OF
Great Britain and America are con
tending is the Cuban sugar crop
England and the United States each
import annually about 100000 Ions
tons of sugar. The Cuban crop is
about 100000 tons, enough. to sup
ply one Of these two big customers
but entirely Inadequate to meet the
needs OF both. The prospect, there
fore, is for a keen struggle on tn
part Of these two countries to secur
the bulk of the coming Cuban crol
in case the war continues for any
considerable length of time.
When the present blockade OF
shipping is relieved, it is probable
that Great Britain, and possibly also
the United States, may obtain some
sugar from tropical cane growing
countries other than Cuba. The fact
remains, however, that the European
nations producing annually 10000
long tons of sugar, or IS per cent
of the entire worlds sugar supply,
are now at war A large part of this
crop will be sacrificed-how much
remains to be seen. At any rate,
approximately 100000 tons ordina-
rily exported from these countries is
withdrawn from accustomed trade
channels, and this means a world
wide scarcity of sugar while the war
continues and probably for some, time
afterWard.
"Yhe one great lesson for the
American people in the present situa-
tlon is the necessity of ging
and developing the production. from
american soil of all the sugar re-
CURED by the American people so
that we may be independent of other
nations and Our consumers may be
assured OF permanent adequate sup
ply OF cheap sugar.
sale of Southern University Property.
Ihe Southern University farm, an
o9-acre tract situated on the left bank
OF the Mississippi river in Jefferson
parish adjoining Earahan, where the
oouthern Pacific and Texas and Pa
clIic trains cross to Avondale, was
SOLD at public auction in New Or
leans on Aug. az and brought $4,000,
I winch is $4,000 more than could be
secured for the tract year ago.
she successful bidder was R. McWil-
lalds, a real estate agent, who says
ne represents syndicate of local
people who propose to establish a
ihoael town, similar to Pullman, ILL.,,
W De populated almost exclusively by
tallfoad employees. The university's
wy Square and building were not
SUD- only $4,000 being offered for
Ae property.
), with the senate's confirmation of
sae nominations of Paul M. Warburg
- NeW York and FTedric A. Delano
:, ehlcago, the membership of the
ssueral .,7ll Reserve Board became COM
p,eee. and the body organized by
tsalsetlng Chas. S. Hamlin of Boston as
80 presiding officer. The board has
ND, Hanged for a conference with a
sa.r aliper OF prominent bank presidents
ohl the large cities, and Sol. Wex-
Z A.. ~ VI the Whitney National has been
9eslsnated to represent New Orleans.
M. he Iall buyers convention held in
anss, ofieans Aug. II to %, under the
nta sp1ces OF the Merchants and Man
of esuiefs Sa bureau of the Association
casa commerce, was even a greater sue
Tbaaa 'iian ITS several predecessors.
stsm,s, ss satherings are doing much to
Lou liate and improve the New Or
''as = =, market, and to bring customers