The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-03-12

plus freight, and the retail grocer is
supposed to take no more than so cents
a hundred pounds profit This regu-
lation was made by the food admins
tration, which now asks the housewife
to reduce sugar consumption as much
as possible, using other sweeteners,
and also reminds her that she should
pay nc more than 8 cents a pound for
sugar.
Control Of Cane Refiners' Profits.
Immediately upon the establish
ment of the food administration" Mr..
Hoover said, IAN examination was
made of the costs and profits of rcfin-
ing and 1t was finally determined. that
the spread between the cost of raw
and the sale of refined cane sugar
should be limited to $1.30 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 increased cost of re-
fning, losses, cost of bags, labor, insur-
auce, interest and other things, rather
more than cover the difference. After
prolonged negotiations the refiners
were placed under agreement estab-
fishing these limits on October 1, and
anything over this amount to be agreed
extortionate upder the law.
"In the course of these investiga-
tions 1t was found by canvass of the
Cuban producers that their sugar had,
during the first nine months of the
past year, sold for an average Of about
$4.24 per hundred T. o. b. Cuba, to
which duty and freight added to the
ref1ners' cost amount to about 1886
per hundred. The average sale price
Of granulated by various refneries, ac-
cording to our investigation, was about
$3.50 per hundred. or differential OF
$1.64.
"In reducing the differential to s1S0
there was a saving to the public OF 54
cents per hundred. Had such diff
ferential been In use from the LIST OF
January, 1917, the public would have
saved In the first nine months of the
year about s24, 800, ,0Oo."
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:
/. A committee comprising repre-
sentatives of all of the elements OF
American cane refining groups. The
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.
2. A committee comprising three rep
resentatives Of the English, French
and Italian governments two repre-
sentatives Of the American refiners,
with a member Of the food administra-
ton. Only two of the committee have
arrived from Europe, but they repre-
sent the allied governments. The du-
ties Of this committee are to determine
the most economical sources from a
transport point Of view Of all the al
lies to arrange transport at uniform
rates, to distribute the foreign sugar
between the United States and allies,
subject to the approval Of the Ameri-
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 fnal
! voice. This voice has rested In the
| governments concerned. together with
| the Cuban government, and wish to
state emphatically that all Of the gen.
tlemen concerned as good commercial
men have spdeavored with the utmost
natienra and skill to secure a lower