Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-08-22
SOME FACTS ABOUT SUGAR.

The marked Increase IN the price Of
sugar AZ the present time i probably due
% the ability ~ The sugar trust ID dispose
~ rs Stock III advantage 9uS prices. for
surely three weeks ~ war could not have
brought about such 4 result logically.
Nevertheless, sugar ha~ more excuse for
going np than such produces a. meat and
flour. The United States proper does not
produce approximately the sugar con-
~nmed "a thl~ country. and the war will put
Great Britain and other countries IN the
field a~ competitors for the Cuban product.
The countries of continental Europe now
at war produce more than onc-third Of the
wurld'- sugar. and Russia. Germany and
Austria were Great Britain'- chief source
.of supply. For the while. therefore. Great
Britain viii have e. look to Cuba for much
az is sugar and Ia the keen competition
for that product. il will naturally Increase
IA price IN this country, Just a. il will de-
crease N Russia. GERMANY and Austria
where expectation has ceased. The period
.of high prices here will necessarily con
.tlnue during the war aud for such period
afterward a. il will require the belligerent
countries 20 resume normal production and
expectation.
While the American eon-urners viii bc
hard hat. the zane and beet sugar producers
IF the United States, Hawaii and the
Philippines will prosper. and this will be-
especially welcome 10 the sugar producers
.of the United States proper, who have not
been very prosperous for some years. for
various rea~on~. II j. NJ Ieast reasonably
certain that they will receive good prices
for all they produce this year and next. de-
spite the removal Of the tariff on sugar.
The beet sugar industry Of continental
Europe will nave to suffer beyond the pres
cnt year. because the farms have been
stripped ofable bodied men for military
service. Hundreds 81 thousands of these
viii not survive the war asri other hun
dred@ ~ thousands will be- disabled. The
war will consequently make necessary AN
eventual readiuSimeni Of all industry with
~ the countries involved, and il j. d safe
assumption that not before the crop Of
1916 y made. probably thai u 1917. will
continental sugar production resume IT,
normal volume.
The present situation. however. need not
distress the masses at the United States.
a the sugar supply be- greatly reduced.
there are possibilities ia the way of con
serving 4 ~ ~ economical use. Our nor
NAL consumption Of - pounds per capita
can bc materially curtailed without serious
INJURY. VI the people " Germany can
normally get along with a per capita con-
sumption II VI pounds, II France finds 80
pounds sufficient for it, normal needs. the
people of The United States can cnrtail
consumption without extraordinary self
denial. That course would result not only
n saving money 10 the consumers. but ~
all probability would cause prices IL fan.
There la.no better way for the consum-
.er~ 4" meet cNorhitant prices than through
economy. Our people ~ a whole indulge
w" heavily N meat, sugar and other food,
Tor their own good. n we can believe the
doctors. \ period 81 temperance in con
snming expensive foods will not only leS.
sen the pressure 81 living cost. bat In the
end II will aid largely N defeating the com
htnationS that take advantage of the
iimsieSt excuse q raise prices Ia unreal
~onahle evelS.-llouSton Post.