The Washington times., 1916-03-19

Three months were spent by special
agents In Hawaii, wheps every large
estate was Investigated scientifically.
'tigated complete fsurss were obtain-
ed, and these are now tabulated and
about 70 be published. As soon as
the neid work had been done In
laval the special AGENTS were trans
have concluded theip work,
In both Hawaii and Cuba, the
agents have had the cooperation OF
planters very generally. Data as to
wages were secured In Hawaii by the
the agents for the division OF cost
Of production. II is not yet possible
TO generalize from these figures be-
cause In neither case are they com
piled and tabulated They. will, how
mittee. -"
Study Of Sugar Costs.
The beet sugar Industry in this coun-
Try was studied in great detail q short
time ago by the Bureau Of Corpora
lions. and In this case also tho report
VIII shortly be published. 1t will give
for the FIRST time a detailed study Of the
comparative costs Of making cane ana
o oest sugar. and this e expected to be
Tor many years insisted that sugar
ought only to be made in the tropics,
on the ground that Its production there,
from cane. 10 20 much cheaper than IN
il excuselessly uneconomic 10 make II
by the beet process. However this may
pc, beet sugar has grown In recent
decades. while cane sugar. prior to the
war has by comparison declined.
ahe war shut on the supplies OF Ger
the cane plantations were suddenly
greatly increased. England, for exam
pie, has been to a considerable extent
supplied with sugar from the beet fields
being cut OF. England turned to Java,
Cupa, ana other markets to get raw
sugars. competed with the United States
IN CUBA. and forced the prices up. II
has been regarde das doubtful whether.
after the war. the beet sugar industry
Of Germany would ever be restored to
its old Importance. for the production
OF cane sugar 10 GENERALLY much
cheaper, and with the cane operations
greatly extended II would require COM
petition OF the most strenuous kind, and
heavy losses. to restore the beets to
their old place in the world markets,
Wide Variations In Figures.
One Of the most interesting features
OF the forthcoming reports will be the
sections dealing with the cost OF making
beet sugar in the United States. II is
understood that there are wide vnria :.
tons In this regard. In Colorado and
California some factories make beet
sugar 80 cheaply that 1t could compete
In an open market with cane sugar: In
other sections It IL believed that tho
cost OF production Is so high that with
out q substantial tsrlff the industry
would be ruined.
At present. because OF war conditions,
every section OF the American sugar
industry Is doing pretty we'll; prices
are high. and tho market secure for
the time being. But after the war q
great change Is expected. and the Amer
lean tarir problem will be a new one.
The Cuban reciprocity arrangement In
4 treaty affair. not to be directly repud-
lated by act n Consress ], would re-
and compliance with the terms OF tho
present treaty. to nullify It. But there
Is very serious discussion Of initiating
this procedure. and II promises to be
one Of the most interesting issues dur
ing the consideration of revenue meas
ares which must be devised In the
present session.