The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-08-22
The Soaring 81 sdSat.

The Pittsburg GSsatts .Times cor
rob0rates the cDntefiti0n Of the Tel=
|egram that the price Of sugar wonld
not now be snaring SO high had tlie
41eMoerAts In EongrssssnDt killed the
sugar industry 81 this country.
Says It;
In some respects Widespread inter
est In war has diverted attention
from the binders of peace. There
has been perceptible decrease IN
the volume Of criticism directed at
the Democratic administration on ac-
count of its tariff law, It's failure to
reduce the cost Of living and the de-
lay in restored prosperity This crit
tcism had become SO general and its
political effects were so apparent that
the Democrats party was practically
on the run. Then came the European
conflict and the public mind was con-
Icentrated on the, opening engage
lments Of that titanic struggle.
But with the qnieting down, of the
financial situation in the United
States opportunity occurs to In
|quire into certain domestic develop
inents consequent upon the war. For
Instance, there As the abnormal rise
in the price OF sugar. This is OF
concern to every household. Facts
About Sugar, which is the offciai
publication Of the best sugar men Of
the West, is bringing o,it sundry
vital details. 1t lays the blame for
market conditions which AFFECT our
consumers at the door OF the Wilson
administration. A protective tariff,
IT explains. would have served SO to
induce development of the beet
sugar industry as to render it inn
possible that our country should be
at the mercy OF the worlds sugar
markets. To this, however, the
Democratic tariff doctors would not
hear, and they not only legislated to
the injury OF the beet sugar pro-
tducefs. but struck a fatal blow at the
sugar cane planters of Louisiana.
And to what purposee
The war has given us an answer.
Europe's chief sources OF sugar are
Germany, Austria, Russia and
France, which produce yearly about
$500, 900 tons of beet sugar. These
nations are at war, and thus more
than one-third of the worlds entire
sugar supply is jeopardized or halted.
Great Britain, which imports more
sugar than any other European coun-
try draws about zoe, 900 Of the more
than 1900, 900 tons a year from the
continental nations mentioned. TINS
supply being cut off. England turned
to the United States, buying 40, 900
tons in New York in the first few
days of August and bidding up
prices in order to obtain 1t. At the
end Of July there was in sight sup
ply Of Cuban and American sugar
sufficient only to meet American re-
quirements up to the time the crops
now growing become available. And
there you are.
AS Facts About Sugar points out,
an import duty on sugar would not
have exposed our consumers to the
violent Quotations of the European.
market In event Of war, and this was
urged in congressional debate; but
the administration knew better. 1t
swept aside our home sugar industry
and all defenses. and Americans are
paying double prices for this SUI
preme folly, That Is an item in the
unfolding of events which voters will
do well. to remember on election day.
The Underwood tariff bill has worked
much to foreign advantage, and to no
appreciable extent in our favor.