Evening star., 1924-07-22
DECISION ON SUGAR
TARIFF DUE SOON.
Beet and Cane Growers
Deeply Concerned Over
Move for Lower Rates.
BY j. G. ROYLE.


Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. July 22.-The purchase
this fall and winter of hundreds OF
thousands of dollars worth Of manu-
factured goods ranging from milli-
merry to flivvers Is hanging in the bal
ance at present Growers OF sugar
beets and sugar cane in the continen-
tai United States, Hawaii and Porto
Rico are holding back their purchases
to see what the Tariff Commission
will recommend with regard to the
proposal to lower the duty on sugar
and what action President Coolidge
will take on that recommendation un-
der the flexible provisions OF the
tariff Law.
Very Heavy Acreage.
The Department Of Agriculture esti-
planted to sugar beets this year and
that this acreage should yield s3s,.
393 long tons Of sugar. Botn peet
and cane sugar men declare the latter
figure Is overconservative: Last year
the acreage harvested yielded l,oIo
long tons per acre with total out
turn of 7s6,6Q7 tons If that rate Is
maintained this year the yield wouid
be 9S5,775 tons.
Cuba had tremendous crop thls
year, production there up to July !
amounting to 4.O43.179 tons, against
an outturn last year of 3,60l,6O5 tons
for the entire crop. If the presen.
duty of 1.76 cents a pound on toretsn Ign
President, domestic beet and cane
growers declare it would mean a ter
rife Toss to them and practically
would put control of the price OF
sugar in the hands of the cane sugar
reffnerS.
Big Crop in Europe.
Prospects are excellent Ior an
equally large Cuban crop next year.
In addition, the European beet crop
is of tremendous proportions: Is
estimated that the French paintings
have been 80 per cent heavier than
last year and the acreage, IN noo ma, a.
$50. 900 tons if the weather remains
normal and 10000 to 10000 tons more
il the weather is favorable Tor the
next two months. =. ,
since many cannot afford to BUY as
much sugar as in former years -
total of at least 1000. 00O tons OF EI
ropean beet sugar VIII De aEdiIdpie
for export, and already some German
offerings have been sold for Novem-
her-December shipment on oaSlS OF
3sI cents a pound London. The esti,
mate of the Polish crop is Tor 4lo'ooV
tons.
Domestic Growers Alarmeo.
The present nominal quotation Ior
beet sugar, which is always unaer
the price of cane sugar. Is under
$50 cents a pound. Since the DO
nestle crop, in order to compete IN
Atlantic Coast markets, must oe
hauled long distances by ran, 'ne
menace of foreign sugars comuns III
tariff Of 1.16 cents a pound is fully
realized by the domestic growers:
Actual consumption and dlstrlou-
tion Of sugar for the first half<of this
year totaled 2.6s4,sI2 tons; s; me me
second part of 1924 is variously esti-
mated. The American Sugar Associ-
alton figures place thhe total TOT the
wear at 5,369,944 tons. Some renners'
however, declare that the consunp.
exceed that Of last year. when was
Iss ss3 tons. making the 1924 total
only 4,s71.965.
Report Due This Week.
The Tariff Commission is expected
to submit it's report regarding rela-
tive costs of production OF outy al
home and abroad and its recommen-
dations as to reduction or ou'y 70
the President this week. For time
the trade expected the commission 70
recommend reduction from LIo
cents a pound to about l.3o. NOW
however, men in close touch with the
Situation are far less certain that
such a recommendation will be MADE,
Domestic sugar consumers nave
pressed home vigorously ,tinn the poifs posa II
made over a period of late years do
not give an accurate picture picd s.H OF phet phot
while they are willing to rest their
case on comparative farm ,nn,, costs sss nm IN
willing that our farm costs should
be placed against Cuban mill costs.
which they declare include a proht
to the producer.
Decision Very Dimcult.
ter at the present time is likely to
cause considerable deliberation on
action one way or the other. since
sugar beet production is a major fac
tor in the prosperity of thousands
of farmers in Michigan; Ohio. indiana Hama
Montana, Idaho, Minnesota, Califor-
mia and other western states.