The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1918-04-10

naue OF tnee COSTS anu DrOntS OF rem.
ing and II WINS finally determined that
The spread between the cost OF raw.
and the sale OF refined cane sugar
should be limited to sl3o per hundred
pounds. The pre-war difrcrentinl had
averaged about IS cents and increased
costa were found to have been Impos.
ed by the war IN increased cost OF re-
fining. losses, cost of bags, labor, insur-
ance, 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 /. and
anything over this amount to be agreed
eStortlonate under the law.
"In the course OF these investiga-
lions II was found by canvass OF the
Cuban producers that their Rugar had,
during the first nine months OF the
past year. sold for nm average OF about
S4.24 per hundred (. o. b. Cuba. to
which duty and freight added to the
rehners' cost amount to about $500
per hundred. The average sale price
Of grunulated by various reilnerlcs. &C.
cording TO our investigation. wns ahont
$3.50 per hundred, or differentinl Of
Sl.84
I'm reducing the dlfrcrcntlal to Sl.3o
there was n saving to the public OF ~
cents per hundred Had such dit
ferentlal been In use from the lat OF
January, 1917. the public would have
saved IN the first nine months OF the
year about s2i,sOO.Ooo."
Next Year.
With view TO more efficient organ
izatlon OF the trade In imported sugars
next year two committees have beeu
formed by the food administration
/. A committee comprising repre-
sentatiyes 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.
.. A committee comprising three rep
resentatlves OF the English, French
and Italian governments Two repre-
scntatlves of the American reilners.
with Il member OF the food ndmlnlstrn-
ton. Only two OF the committee have
arrived from Europe, hut 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 nj
Hes to arrnnge transport Mt uniform
rntcs. 10 distribute the foreign sugar
between the United States aud allies,
subject 10 the approval Of tile Amerl-
can. English. French and Italian gov
crnmcnts.
THIS committee, while holding strong
Views rs To the price TO be paid for
Cuban sugar, has not Ind the tinul
voice. This voice has rested In tlis
governments concerned, together with
the Cubnn government, and | wish 10
state emphutlcally tina; all OF the gen
uencn concerned as good commercial
men have endeavured with the utmost
patience and skill to secure lower
price, and their persistence has re-
duced Cuban demands by 10 cents per
hundred The price agreed upon Is
about S4.G0 per hundred pounds, I. 0. b.
Cuba. or equal to about So duty paid
New York
"Thls price should evcntuste,"
Mr.. Hoover sald, Ito about $3.50
per hundred for refined sugar from
the refners at seaboard points or
should place sugar in the hands OF
the consumer at from eH TO 9
cent, per pound. depending upon
locality and conditions Of trade, or
at from { 10 2 cents below tho
prices Of Auguot last and from one
half TO cent per pound cheaper
than today.
There Is now nm elimination OF
speculation. eHtoriionntc profits. and
In the refining alone the American
people Will save over s25.OO0oO0 OF
the refining charges lust year. A part
OF these savings goes to the Cuban,
Hawaiian, Porto Ricnn and Lousanlan
producer and part 10 the consumer.
Appeals TO prejudice against the
food administration have been made
because the Cuban price Is 81 cents
above that OF 1917. II Is said In effect
that the Cubnns are Mt our mercy !;
that We could get sugar cent lower.
We made exhaustive study of the cost
OF producing sugnr In Cuba last year
through our own agents In Cuba, and
we nnd II averages $3.50. while many
producers nre at higher level. We
found that an average profit OF at
least cent per pound WAS necessary
in order to mainIain and stimulate
production or mat a minimum price OF
Si3i was necessary, and even this
would s;ifle some producers
"The price ultimately agreed was %
cents above these figures, or about one