Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-03-07

per hundred. The average sale price
of graduated by various refneries, ae-
cording to our investigation, was about
! $3.50 per hundred, or a differential Of
/ S1S4.
'In reducing the dIfferential to S130
{ there was a saving TO the public Of 81
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.sOnO00."
Next Year.
With 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 is TO
divide the sugar imports pro rata TO
their various capacities snd see that
absolute justice is done 10 every re-
finer.
2. A committee comprising three rep
resentatives of the English, French
and Italian governments; two repre-
sentatyes of the American refiners,
with 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 final
voice. This voice has rested in the
governments concerned, together with
the Cuban government, and wish to
state emphatically that all of the gen.
tleuen 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 is
about S4.60 per hundred pounds, f o. b.
Cuba, or equal to about Sc duty paid
New York.
This 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 SR to 9
cents per pound, depending upon
locality and conditions of trade, or
at from to 2 cents below the
prices of August las: and from one
half to a cent per pound cheaper
than To-Day.
"There is now an elimination of |
speculation, extortionate profits, and
in the refining alone the American
people will save over s25.000,000 of
the refining charges last year. A part
of these savings goes to the Cuban,
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 cent lower.
We made exhaustive study of the cost
of producing sugar in Cuba last year
our own agents in Cuba, and
we find it averages $3.50, while many
producers are at a higher level. We
found that an average profit of at
least q cent per pound was necessary
In order TO maintain and stimulate
production or that a minimum price of
S437 was necessary. and even this
would stifie some producers.
"The price ultimately agreed was %
cents above these figures, or about one
fifth of a cent per pound to the Ameri-
,an consumer, and more than this
amount has been saved by our reduc-
ion in refinerS' profits. If we wish to
stifie production in Cuba we could
AXE that course just at the time of all
lines in our history when we want
for ourselves and the al
les. 1UrtneT Illan IDaI. lie Sltlle ue- |
,artment will assure you that such a
curse would produce disturbances in
cuba and destroy even our present
supplies, but beyond all these material
easons is one of human justice. This
,reat country has no right by the
night of its position to strangle Cuba.
Therefore there is no imposition
pon the American public. Charges
ave been made before this commit
ee that Mr.. Rolph endeavored to ben
fit the California refinery of which he
vas manager by this "a cent increase
D Cuban price. Mr.. Rolph did not fix
he price. 1t does raise the price to
he Hawaiian farmer about that 4
mount. 1t does not raise the profit of =
be California refinery, because their
barge for refining is, like all other re-
ners, limited to S1.S0 per hundred a
ounds, plus the freight differential on
lie established custom Of the trade. y
"Mr Rolph has not one penny of In
'rest In that retinery.r |,