The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-04-06
The Scandal in Sugar

VIII pay 1uu million du'iaIe uoic II"
their sugar this year than had th'
price remained al seven cents II ih'
price IS further advanced. then natur
ally the consumers will have TO pay the
additional bill. unless they should de-
eide to curtail on the quantity used
on their tables
When the peoples legislative bureau
in Washington issued a statement con-
corning the methods by which sugar
is controlled. everybody involved
started run for cover. The Depart
ment of commerce had previously IS
sued bulletin asserting that there
would be a surplus OF sugar. and the
press release upon this was given as
Feb. H. But on the 9th day OF Feb
ruary Mr. Hoovcrs statement was put
on the ticker in New York II a
Washington correspondent had been
guilty OF such a violation OF conf
dence he would likely have been nice
~ spanked. and IN accordance with
the custom his name would be drop
ped from the department lists as en-
titled to advance information. The
Commerce Department claims that its
figures were so jugglcd in Wall Street
that it was made to appear that
shortage rather than a surplus OF SUI
gar was a fact
Some enemies OF the administration
have been trying to make It appear
that the new tariff is responsible for
the increased price OF sugar This is
a subterfuge as the schedule has not
been changed sufficiently to account
for the great difference in sugar prices
What is more important is the news
that prominent sugar rehners. bankers
and spectators. held conferences in |
Cuba Immediately prior to the first de-
cided increase in the price OF sugar.
These interests are pointed out as the |
only ones who will reap the benefits
of the higher level that will be paid
to seaboard rehners and their co-part-
ners.
Everybody who wants to can ex-
plain all they please. but the consum-
ers are quite of one mind in the opin-
ion that sugar prices have been adj
vanced in order to enrich the Ameri-
can and Cuban sugar gamblers. and
not because OF the actual crop. or
legitimate market conditions As us
ual, the public is told that the De-
partment OF Justice is Investigating.
but that is hardly satisfying to those \
who feel that prices continue TO be {
juggled. The same conditions evi-
IDENTIFY exist today with reference to p
the control of sugar by a handful OF |
men as at the time OF the war when !;
the saccharine was squeezed out OF Il
the American public in order to enrich Ii
he sugar trust. 81
Revolt Against the Prohteers :
The skyrocketing OF sugar. the al
legged control OF oil and the exhorbi-
iant charges imposed upon the Amer-
can public for coal. cause people to
wonder whether all the regulatory
legislation with reference to these bas-
&c commodities, is worthless After it
IS all over and nothing can be done
about it there has always been an I'm
vestiga;ion.' This is particularly true
with reference to coal, and people are
Just emerging from a winter during
which they had to pay prices for coal
that soar beyond the heights reached
during the war-and for inferior coal
N many cases The upshot of these
conditions regarding coal, sugar, and
oil has produced growing conviction
hat the Federal government has made
OF mess of its attempt
o handle the different situations.
What is to be done about it? Indus
ny is being consolidated everywhere,
md the result is that in many cases
handful OF men are able to fix prices
The efforts OF the government seem TO
'e centered upon preventing their
Icing so. Rules, regulations and laws
re multiplying. all defining illegal
Methods OF combinations and practices
hat are in restraint OF trade But
one OF these laws prevent the domin-
ting factors in the different indus
ries from talking it over at lunch.
r with an after-dinner demi-tasse ex-
ilarated with the fumes OF black CT
ars. The government can break IL
gal agreements" but it can seldom
lad a "gentleman's agreement" A
adical alternative has been preached
the shape of government regulation
prices in certain instances much in
ie same way that prices OF transport
tion rates are fixed.
Back to Their Native Land.
Our DreSenf o4nvernuenfaf poi;r,s