University of South Carolina Libraries
American Price Rigidly Regulated by United States Food Administration. . CONSUMERS HERE PAY 9c. Sugar Cost 35 Cents a Pound During Civil War-Refiners' Profits Now Curtailed. Sugar is selling today throughout America at from 8% to 9 cents a pound to the consumer, even though there is a world shortage which has reduced this cation's sugar allotment to 70 per cent, of normal. Through the efforts of the United States food administration the sugar market has been regulated as far as the producer, refiner and wholesaler is concerned. The food administration has no power to regulate retail prices except by public opinion. Even though more than 85,000 tons of sugar have been shipped to France in the last four months the retail grocer's sugar price is around 8 to 8^ cents. He should sell this sugar at 8y> to 9 cents, the food administration believes, and asks the American housewife to pay no more than this amotlnt. Last August when the food admin istration was organized the price of sugar rose suddenly to ll cents a pound. During the Civil War sugar cost the consumer 35 cents a pound. By regulation of the sugar market and reducing the price to and 9 cents and keeping it from advancing to 20 cents the food administration has sav ed the American public at least S1S0, 000.000 in four months, according to a statement made by Herbert Hoover the other day. "It is our stern duty to feed the al lies, to maintain their health and strength at any cost to ourselves," Mr. Hoover declnred. "There has not been, nor will be as we see it, enough sugar for even their present meagre and depressing ration unless they send ships to remote markets for lt. If we in our greed and gluttony force them either to further reduce their ration or to send these ships we will have done damage to our abilities to win this war. "If we send the ships to Java for 250,000 tons of sugar next-year we will have necessitated the em ployment of eleven extra ships for one year. These ships-if used in transporting troops-would take 150,000 to 200,000 men to France." Reason for World Shortage. As Mr. Hoover pointed out, the United States, Canada and England were sugar Importing countries before the war, while France and Italy were very nearly self supporting. The main was Germany and neighboring powers, the West Indies and the East Indies. German sugar is no lonper available, as it is used entirely in Germany, which also absorbs sugar of surround ing countries. England can no longer buy l,4On.00O long tons of sugar each year from Germany. The French sugar produc tion has dropped from 750,000 to 21 u, 000 tons. The Italian production bas fallen from 210.0(H) tons to 70,000 tons. Thus three countries were thrown upon East and West Indian sources foe 1,92"?,000 tons annually lo maintain their normal consumption. Because of the world's shipping shortage the allied nations started drawing on the West Indies for sugar; East Indian sugar took three times the number of ships, since the dis tance was three times as great. Sud denly the wost was called on to fur nish and did furnish 1,420,000 tons of sugar to Europe when 300,000 tons a ytar was the pre-war demand. The r.IIles had drawn from Java -100,00(1 tons before the shipping situation be came acute. "In spite of these shipments," Mr. Hoover stated the other day, "the English government In August reduced the household sugar ration to a basis of 24 pounds per annum per capita. And in September the French govern ment reduced their household ration to 13 2-10 pounds a year, or a bit over 1 pound of sugar a month. Even this meagre ration could not be filled by the French government lt was found early In the fall. America was then asked for 100,000 tons of sugar and succeeded in sending SH.000 tons by December L The_French request was granted becnuse the American house hold consumption was then nt least ">?i pounds per pierson, and it was consid ered the duty of maintaining the French morale made our course clear." Today the sugar situation may be summarized by stating that If America will reduce its sugar con sumption 10 to 15 per cent, this nation will be able to send 200,000 more soldiers to France. Sugar today sells at seaboard re fineries at $7.2") a hundred pounds The wholesale grocer has agreed tc limit hi3 profit to 25 cents a hundred plus freight, and the retail grocer is supposed to take no more than :"0 cent? a hundred pounds profit. This regu lation was made by the food adminis tration, which now asks the housewife to reduce s'lgar consumption ns mucli as possible, susing other sweeteners and also reminds her that she should pay no more than 9 cents a pound foi sugar. Contre! of Cane Refiners' Profits. "Immediately upon the establish ment of the food administration," Mr Hoover said, "an examlnntlor made of the costs and profits of lng and lt was finally determine the spread between the cost o and the stile of refined cane should he limited to $1.30 per bu pounds. The pre-war differenth averaged about S3 cents and incr costs were found to have been 1 ed by the war In Increased cost fining, losses, cost of bags, labor, ance, Interest and other things, i more than cover the difference, prolonged negotiations the re were placed under agreement i llshlng these limits on October 1 anything over this amount to be a extortionate under the law. "In the course of these lnve tlons It was found by canvass o Cuban producers that their sugar during the first nine months o: past year, sold for an average of i $4.24 per hundred t o. b. Cub which duty and freight added ti refiners' cost amount to about per hundred. The average sale of granulated by various reflnerle cording to our Investigation, was f $7.50 per hundred, or a differentl $1.84. "In reducing the differential to there was a saving to the public < cents per hundred. Had such a ferentlal been In use from the li January, 1917, the public would eaved In the first nine months ol year about $24.800,000." Next Year. With a view to more efficient oi lzation of the trade in Imported sn next year two committees have formed by the food administration L A committee comprising r< sentatives of all of the element American cane refining groups, principal duty of this committee ! divide the sugar imports pro rat their various capacities and see absolute justice ls done to everj finer. 2. A committee comprising three resentatlves of ,the English, Fr< and Italian governments; two re sentatives of the Americnu refir with a member of the food adniinif tion. Only two of the committee 1 arrived from Europe, but they re sent the allied governments. The ties of this committee are to detent the most economical sources froi transport point of view of all the Hes to arrange transport nt unlf rates, to distribute the foreign sn between tho United States ami all subject to tlie approval of the Am can, English, French aud Italian ? ernments. This committee, while holding str views as to the price to be paid Cuban sugar, has not had the il voice. Tliis voice bas rested in governments concerned, together \\ the Culian government, and I wish state emphatically that all of the u tiemen coucerned as good commen men have endeavored witli the ut m patience and skill to secure a lo> price, and their persistence has duced Cuban demands by 15 cents ; hundred. The price agreed upon about $4.00 per hundred pounds, f. o Cuba, or equal to about $G duty pi New York. "This price should eventuate,' Mr. Hoover said, "to about $7.31 per hundred for refined sugar fron the refiners at seaboard points oi should place sugar in the hands oi the consumer at from 8?-2 to ? cents per pound, depending upor locality and conditions of trade, oi at from 1 to 2 cents below th? prices of August last and from one. half to a cent per pound cheaper than today. "There is now an elimination speculation, extortionate profits, a in the relining alone the Amelie people will save over $25,000,000 the relining charges last year. A pr of these savings pies to th? Cubil Hawaiian, Porto Rican and Lousianil producer and part tu the consumer. "Appeals to prejudice against ti food administration have been mai because the Cuban price Is 34 cen above that of 1917. It ls said In elie ?hat the Cubans are at our mere; that we could get sugar a cent lowe We made exhaustive study of the co of producing sugar in Cuba last yet through our own agents in Cuba, ai we find It averages $3.39, while mar producers are at a higher level. \\ found that an average profit of i least a cent per pound was necessai in order to maintain and stimulai production or that a minimum price < $4.37 was necessary, and even th would stifle some producers. "The price ultimately agreed was 5 cents above these figures, or about on< fifth of a cent per pound to the Amer can consumir, and more than th! amount has been saved by our redui tion in refiners' profits. If we wish t stifle production In Cuba we coul take that course just at the time of a i times in our history when we wan production for ourselves and the a 1 lies. Further than that, the state de partment will assure you that such course would produce disturbances I: Cuba and destroy even our presen supplies, but beyond all .these materia reasons ls one of human justice. Th I great country has no right by th might of Its position lo strangle Cuba. "Therefore there is no impositloi upon the American public. Charge i have been made before this commit I tee that Mr. Rolph endeavcred to ben ! eflt the California refinery of which h< i was manager by this 34 cent Increas* In Cuban price. Mr. Rolph did not flj the price. It does raise the price t< ! the Hawaiian farmer about thai i amount. It does not raise thc profit ol , the California refinery, because theil I charge for refining ls, like all other rc : Auers, limited to $1.30 per hundred pounds, plus the freight differential on the established custom of the trade. "Mr. Rolph has not one penuy of h> ? teresf lu that refinery." ["Tanlac Is The Best Remedy I Ever Took" MRS. CISSON HAS STRONGEST ENDORSEMENT FOR IT, ENJOYS FINE HEALTH. YEAHS PKEVIOUSLY, SHE SAYS, TANLAC GAVE HER LASTING RELI?E. "fanlac is the best remedy I ever took for any trouble, and I am glad to recommend it b e ca u a e it gave such fine results," said Mrs. Jessie Cisson, of No. 15 Main St., Woodside, Greenville, in a state ment she gave Mah 31st. "I took Tanlac for a generally run down and weakened condition, and at the lime I was almost sure I had a mild case of pellagra. I was very weak and very nervous. My head ached all the time, I was troubled a lot with dizziness and my appetite had about left me. "But I felt like a new person when I quit taking Tanlac. I irained in weight and strength right from the time I began taking it. I soon had a pood appetite, and the Tanlac soon had me feeling well and strong. The headaches and nervousness were relieved. I am enjoying fine health now and have been ever since I quit taking Tan lac, and that was a year aero." Edgetield, Penn & Holstein. Cold Springs, H. Ernest Quarles. Edgefield, R. F. D. No. 2, J. H. Reel. Johnston, Johnston Drug Com panv. Modoc, G. C. McDaniel. Parksville, Robertson & Com pany. Plum Branch, J. VV. Bracknell & Son. Plum Branch, R. F. D. No. 2, E. P. Winn & Bro. Trenton, G. W. Wise. Have just received 100 sets of harness that will be sold at the low est possible price. B. B. Jones. Duing the session of the Legisla ture my clients may see me at my of?ice on Monday and Saturday of each week. In the meantime they can either write me at Edgefield or Columbia, and all matters will have prompt attention. B. E. NICHOLSON. Jan. 7, 1918. WELL SUPPLIED WITH " FERTILIZERS li We desire to inform the farmers of Edgefield county that we have on hand ready for delivery all brands and formulas made by the Vir ginia-Carolina Chemical Co. Also a full supply of the ''Quality Line of Fertilizers'' made by Coe-Mortimer & Co. of Charleston. Before making your fertil izer contracts for 1918 call to see us. We can also supply you with meal and 16 per cent, acid for mixing your own fertilizers at home. w. w. ADAMS & co. ill make every acre produce its ut i food crops, cotton and tobacco, a needed by our country. You will rve your country and yourself by ng each acre liberally with "IT PAYS i national car and labor shortage. Delay 5s dangerous. esl RMS Manufactured by FE&TBL ATLANTA, GA. CHARLOTTE, N. C. Factories: Atlanta, Albany, LaGrange, ^Moultrie, Savannah, Ga. WILMINGTON and GREENSBORO, ft. C., CHESTER and COLUMBEA, S. C. FOR SALE BY Edgefield Mercantile Co. Edgefield, South Carolina