Newell reclamation news. [volume] (Newell, Butte County, S.D.) 1910-19??, 1917-02-01


the spread between the cost Of raw
and the sale Of refined cane sugar
should be limited to S1.30 per hundred
pounds The pre-war differential had
averaged about IS cents and Increased
costs were found to have been impos-
ed by the war In lis reased cost OF re-
firm 3,,, .-s, cost Of bags labor, insur-
ance, interest and other things. rather
more than cover the difference After
prolonged negotiations the refiners
were placed under agreement estab-
fishing these iimita on October |, and
anything over his amount TO be agreed
extortionate under the law.
"In the course of these investiga-
lions II was found by canvass Of the
Cuban producers that their sugar had,
during the first nine months Of TIE
past year, sold for an average of about
1921 per hundred f. o. b. Cuba, 10
which duty and. freight added to the
refiners cost amount to about 5000
per hundred The average sale price
Of granulated by various re6nerfes. sc- /
cording to our investigation, Wa /, about
$3.50 per hundred, or differential OF
ST 81
I'm reducing the difrerential to S1.3O
there was a saving to the public OF "a
cents per hundred. Had such or
ferential been In use from the lst OF
January, 1917, the public would have
saved In the first nine months OF the
year about S24, 100000"
Next Year.
With a view to more efficient organ
ization of the trade in imported sugars
next year two committees have been
formed by the food administration:
l. A committee comprising repre-
sentatives of all of the elements OF
American cane refining groups Inc
principal duty of this committee Is TO
divide the sugar imports pro rata to
their various capacities and see that
absolute justice is done to every re-
finer.
. A committee comprising three rep
resentatives of the English, French
and Italian governments; two repre-
sentatfves of the American refiners.
with a member OF the food administra-
ZION. Only two Of the committee nave
arrived from Europe but they repre-
sem the allied governments. The du-
lies of this committee are 10 determine
he most economical sources from a
transport point Of view of all the al
lies TO arrange transport at uniform
rates. 10 distribute the foreign sugar
between the United States and allies,
subject TO the approval OF the Amerl-.
can, English, French and Italian gov
ernmentS
This committee, while holding strong
views as to the price to be paid for
Cuban sugar has not had the final
voice This voice has rested in the
governments concerned. together with
the Cuban government, and / wish to
state emphatically that all of the gem
tlemep concerned as good commercial
men have endeavored with the utmost
patience and skill to secure q lower
price, and their persistence, has re-
duced Cuban demands by 10 cents per
hundred. The price agreed upon is
about 81 60 per hundred pounds, (. o. b,
Cuba. OF equal to about Sc duty paid
New York.
"Ths price should eventuate,"
Mr.. Hoover said, "to about $3.50
per hundred for refined sugar from
the refiners- at seaboard points or
should place sugar in the hands OF
the consumer at from 8R to
cents per pound, depending upon
locality and conditions of trade, or
at from I to cents below the
prices OF August last and from one
half TO cent per pound cheaper
than today.
There is now an elimination OF
speculation, eXtortionate profits, and
in the refining alone the American
people will save over $25,000OOO Of
the refining charges last year, A part
of these savings goes to the Cuban,
Hawaiian, Porto Rican and Lousianian
producer and part TO the consumer
Appeals to prejudice against the
food administration have been made;
because the Cuban price is "a cents
above that Of 1917. 1t Is said In effect
that the Cubans are. at our mercy;
that we could get sugar a cent lower.
We made exhaustive study of the cost
of producing sugar IN Cuba last year
through our own agents in Cuba, and
we find 1t averages $3.50, while many
producers are at higher level We
found that an average profit of at
least a cent per pound was necessary
In order to maintain and stimulate
production or that minimum price Of
S437 was necessary, aud even this
would stifie some producers.
1.-THE price ultimately agreed was 23
cents above these figures, or about one
fifth of a cent per pound to the Ameri.
can consumer. and more than this
amount has been saved by our reduc-
ton In refiners profits. If we wish to
stifie production in Cuba we could
take that course just at the time of ali
times in our history when we want
production for ourselves and the al
lies. Further than that, the state de-
partment will assure you that such a