Licking Valley courier., 1918-01-24

were placed under agreement estab-
fishing these limits on October l, and
anything over this amount TO be agreed
extortionate under the law.
''In the course of these investlga-
t!ons 1t was found by canvass OF the
Cuban producers that their sugar mad,
during the first nine months of the
past wear. sold for an average of about
S4.24 per hundred (. o. b. Cuba, to
which duty and freight added to the
retners' cost amount TO about So.o6
per hundred. The average sale price
of granulated by various refneries, ac-
cording to our investigation, was about
$50 per hundred, or a differential or
S1.S4.
"In reducing the different.al to $1.3O
there was a saving to the public OF o4
cents per hundred. Had such DIT
ferential been in use from the lst OF
January. 1917. the public would nave
saved in the first nine months OF the
year about S24sOO000."
Next Year.
With a view to more efficient organ
ization of the trade in imported sugars
next year two committees have Deeh
formed by the food administration:
|. 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 thar
absolute justice Is done to every re-
finer.
.. A committee comprising three rep
,resentatives of the English, French
and Italian governments; two repre-
sentatives of the American refiners.
with member of the food administia-
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 froii
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 Anieri-
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 10
state emphaticaly that all of the gen
tlemen concerned as good commercial
men have endeavOred with the utmost
patience and skii to secure lower
price, and their persistence has re-.
duced Cuban demands by 10 cents per
hundred The price agreed upon Is
about $4.60 per hundred pounds, I. o. b..
Cuba, or equal to about Sc duty paid
New York.
"This price should eventuate,"
Mr.. Hoover said, Ito 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 8H to 9
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 " now an elimination oi
speculation, extOrtionate profits, ant
in the refining alone the American
people will save over S25.000,000 oil
The refining charges last year. A parl
If these savings goes to the Cuban
Hawaiian, Porto Rican and LousianiaI
producer and part TO the consumer.
Appeals TO prejudice against th,
food administration have been mad,
because the Cuban price is "a cents
above that of 1917. II is said In effec
that the Cubans are at our mercy
that we could get sugar cent lower
We made exhaustive study of the cos
nf producing sugar in Cuba last yea
through our own agents in Cuba, an'
we lind It averages $3.50. while man!
| producers are at higher level. W.
found that an average profit of n
least a cent per pound was necessar!
In order to maintain and stimulate
production or that minimum price o
Si.37 was necessary, and even thii
would stifle some producers.
"The price ultimately agreed was .:
cents above these figures, or about one
fifth of cent per pound TO the Amerl
can consumer, and more than thi
amount has been saved by our reduc
lion in retiners' profits II we wish I,
stifle production In Cuba we coul,
take that course just at the time of al
times In our history when we wan
production for ourselves and the al
lies. Further than that, the state de
pnrtment will assure you that such
course would produce disturbances II
Cuba and destroy even our presen
supplies, hut beyond oil these materih
reasons Is one of human justice. Thl
great country has no right by tn
might Of Its position TO strangle Cuba
Therefore there Is no imposition
upon the American public, Charge
have been made before this commit
Zee that Mr., Rolph endeavored to ben
rtit the California refinery Of which h
was manager by this "a cent increas
In Cuban price, Mr. Rolph did not o.
'he price. II does raise the price Il
the Hawaiian farmer about tha
amount II does not raise the profit o
the California refinery, because thel
charge for refining is, like all other re
| hnprs lImitpd IN 81 70 Der hundra,