The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1918-02-09

pounds. The pre-war dInerentiai had
averaged about IS cents and Increased
costs were found to have been impos.
ed by the war In increased cost Of re
inning. Losses. cost Of bags. labor. insur-
ance. Interest and other things, rather
more than cover the difference. After
prolonged negotiations the refners
were placed under agreement estab-
fishing these limits on October l. and
anything over this amount To be agreed
e1tortIonate under the law.
In the course Of these investiEn-
lions II was found by canvass VI the
Cuban producers that their sugar had.
during the hrst nine months Of the
past year. sold for an average Of about
1924 per hundred T. o. b. Cuba. to
which duty and freight added tn the
rehners' cost amount to about &5.66
per hundred. The average sale price
Of ernnuiated by various refinerier. ac-
corriIng to our investigation. was about
$40 per hundred. or q dIherentiai Of
$1s4
IN reducing the diHerential to $1-3O
there was a saving to the public Of "a
cents per hundred. Had such a diff
ferential been in use from the LIST Of
January. 1917. the public would have
saved in the hrst nine months OF the
year about s24 an 000."
Next Year.
With q view to more efficient organ
ization Of the trade In Imported sugars
next year two committees have been
formed BY the food administration:
1. A committee comprising repre-
sentatives Of all Of the elements OF
American cane refining groups. The
principal duty Of this committee II to
divide the sugar imports pro rata to
their various capacities and see that
absolute justice IL done to every 70
inner.
2. A committee comprising three rep
resentatIves Of the Eogiish. French
and Italian governments; two repre-
sentatives of the American refiners,
with q member Of the food administra-
ton. Only two of the committee have
arrived from Europe. but they repre-
sent the allied governmental. The d.
ties Of this committee are to determine
the most economical sources from .
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 anal
voice. This voice has rested In the
governments concerned. together with
the Cuban government. and wish to
state emphatically that all Of the gen.
tiemen concerned as good commercial
men have endeavored with the utmost
patience and skill to secure . lower
price. and their persistence has re-
duced Cuban demands by Is cents per
hundred. The price agreed upon IL
about $4.o0 per hundred pounds. I. o. b.
Cuba. or equal to about So duty paid
New York.
This price should sventuats."
Mr.. Hoover said, ''te about $50
per hundred for refined susar from
the rsfsners at ssaboard pelnts Or
should place sugar In the hands Of
the consumer At from ~ to
cents per pound. depending upon
locality and conditions Of trade, Or
At from 10 cents below the
prlees Of August last and from one
half 70 q cent per pound cheaper
than tedsy.
There IL now an elimination Of
speculation. extortionate profits. and
In the refining alone the American
people will save over $25.OO0.OOO 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 ID "a cents
above that Of 1917 1t IL said In effect
that the Cubans are At our mercy:
that We could get sugar q cent lower.
We made exhaustive study of the cost
of producing sugar In Cuba last year
through our own agents In Cuba. and
we ind It averages $3.50. while many
producers are at q higher level. We
found that an average profit of At
least cent per pound was necessary
in order to maintain and stimulate
production or that minimum price Of
N.37 was necessary. and even this
would stihe come producers.
THE price ultimately agreed was q
cents above these figures. or about one
NTH Of cent per pound to the Ameri-
can consumer. and more than this
amount has been saved by our reduc-
ton In refiners' profits. II we wish to
stiie production In Cuba we could
take that course just at the time of all
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
course would produce disturbances In