The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-08-20
WAR AND THE SUGAR SUPPLY
Situation Affords Striking Proof Of
the Value Of Domestic
Sugar Production

The outbreak of war in Europe
has resulted in a sharp advance in
sugar prices. On July 80, the loves:
net cash quotations of the New York
refiners fer granulated sugar was
4.165 cents a pound while raw sugar
was selling at 3.29 cents. BY August
10 refined had advanced to cents
and raws to 5 cents.
Germany, Austria, Russia and
France, the nations actively engaged
in conflict, are the chief sources of
Europe's sugar supply, producing to-
gether some 100000 tens CT beet
sugar. This is nearly 80 per cent.
of the entire output of beet sugar
and more than one-third of the total
sugar crop of the world. Ordinarily
Germany, Austria and Russia export
a million tons OF more of sugar to
other countries, largely to Great
Britain. The largest production and
the largest expectation is that of
Germany. The harvesting of tho
German beet crop is carried on large.
ly by lab0rers from Russian Poland,
and this labor will not be available
If the war continues during the har-
vesting period. In all the countries
involved in the war the labor supply
is drained by military operations, and
1t is likely that the beet fields may
be devastated by the movement Of
troops.
Great Britain is the chief sugar
importing country CT Europe. Her
yearly importations are over a mil
lion tons a year, of which approx.
mately 100000 tons ordinarily is
drawn from nations now involved in
war. With this source of supply cut
off, Great Britain has turned to the
] New York market to secure sugar,
buying 10000 tons within the first
few days of August and bidding up
prices rapidly in order to obtain it.
While the European war continues it
will be necessary for the Britons to
depend for sugar upon sources of
supply on which usually they do not
draw to any extent 1t is evident
from what has occurred already that
they are likely to continue in sharp
competition for Cuban sugar which
ordinarily comes to the American
market.
The supply CT Cuban and American
grown sugar in sight at the end of
July was just abof sufficient to
meet the estimated demands of Amer
lean consappt' Zip to the time when
the CROP owing win become
considerable outside,
draft 6 .s,,. :. pply, thfrefore, was
bound " SAB i Nts effect at once In
advancing prices.
Fortunately for the United States.
in spite of the curtailment of pro-
ducticn in the cane and beet growing
districts due to tho reduction of the
tariff, we still have domestic pro-
ductfon of sugar, including that of
Porto Rico and Hawaii, which should
amount to over one and half mil
lion tons this year. This will serve
as great steadier of the market in
case of protracted war, and will
prevent prices from going as high
as they otherwise would, although the
necessity of securing over two mil
lion tons from outside the United
States, in addition to the domestic
supply, will leave the American mar
ket under the influence of the general
advance in world prices
One of the arguments that has
been put forward against the destruc-
ton of the American sugar growing
industry through the removal Of the
import duty en- sugar is that it would
expose American consumers to all
the violent fluctuations that take
place in the European sugar market
as a result of war, speculation of crop
shortages. The present situation af-
fords a striking illustration of the
truth OF this claim. If the United
States were to produce all the sugar
q required by it's own people, as might
easily be done by the systematic de-
velopment Of its cane and beet grow
Ing industries, the American people
would be entirely Independent of the
rest of the world for their sugar
supply.