Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-01-18

uuing, IoSSeS, cost OF DaSS, LABOR, lnSur-
ance, interest and other things, rather
more than cover the difference. After
prolonged negotiations the re1nerS
were placed under agreement estab-
fishing these limits on October 1, and
anything over this amount to be agreed
extortionate under the law.
"In the course of these fnvestiga-
tions it 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
$4124 per hundred f. o. b. Cuba, to
which duty and freight added to the
refners' cost amount to about $3.50
peg hundred. The average sale price
of granulated by various reineries, ac-
cording to our investigation, was about
$3.50 per hundred, or differential of
$184
''In reducing the differential to s1.30
there was saving to the public OF 81
cents per hundred. Had such a diff
ferential been in use from the 1st OF
January, 1917, the public would have
saved in the first nine months Of the
year about $24SOO,OO0."
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:
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 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 ref1ners,
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
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 l wish to
state emphatically that all of the gen
tlemen 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 $4.6O per hundred pounds, f. o. b.
Cuba, or equal to about So 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 eH to
cents per pound, depending upon
locality and conditions of trade, or
at from to cents below the
prices of August last and from one
half to a 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 $25,000,O00 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
I 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
through our own agents in Cuba, and
we find it averages $3.50, while many
, producers are at higher level We
found that an average profit Of al
! least a cent per pound was necessary
in order to maintain and stimulatt
-
/ $4.37 was necessary, and even this
r would stifle some producers.
) "The price ultimately agreed was z
? cents above these figures. or about one
| fifth Of a cent per pound to the Ameri
l can consumer, and more than thii
l amount has been saved by our reduc
? ton in ref1ners' profits. II we wish to
3 stifie 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
3 lies. Further than that, the state DE-
. partment will assure you that such 4
course would produce disturbances II
Cuba and destroy even our presen
supplies, but beyond all these materia
reasons Is one of human justice. Thi,
great country has no right by thu
might of it's position to stFangle Cuba.
= Therefore there is no imposition
upon the American public. Charges
D have been made before this commit
tee that Mr.. Rolph endeavored to ben
a eft the California refinery of which h
3 was manager by this "a cent increas'
: in Cuban price. Mr.. Rolph did not FL
+ the price. 1t does raise the price t
g the Hawaiian farmer about tn;
h amount 1t does not raise the profit O
!, the California refinery, because thei
1 charge for refining is, like all other re
r finers, limited to $1.30 per hundred
pounds, plus the freight differential OF
the established custom of the trade.