Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1893 — Some Sugar Statistics. [ARTICLE]

Some Sugar Statistics.

Willett & Gray’s Statistical Sugar Trade Journal of Dec. 29 contains weekly quotations of raw and rctlned sugar -since 1882. Those who still thifflk that .the tariff is not a tax sfoouldjglanee over these tables. The price «of granulated sugar varies from 6 to 9 cents per pound, for eight years, and then it suddenly drops from 6.13,,0n March 24, 1891, to 4.50 cents on March 31. A foot note says: "About 2.cents per pound duty taken off price has varied from 4 to 4.92 cents. The price .of raw sugar (96 degrees centrifugal) dropped In the same dates from 5.68 to 3.53 cents per pound. If the trust ihad.not been in control at the time, the price of refined sugar would hx.ve .dropped about exactly 2 cents. But McKinley graciously left a duty of Deent per pound on refined sugar to onaible the trust to retain control of the .market. The tables .also show the benefits of the “economies of production” from trust*. Before the trust was formed, in November, 1887, the difference in the prices of raw and refined sugars bad .for two years averaged less than IMO cents per pound. In 1888 and 1889 it averaged 11 cents. It then decreased, while the trust was waging war .upon outside refiners until, on Jan. 14, 1892, it was only 9-20 of a cent. *The trust having completed arrangements to purchase all of the competing refineries, the difference began to increase in February, 1892. .On March 25 it crossed 1 cent; on May 19, it was 1 1-6 cents; on September 8,1 J cents; on December 29, it \was again 1 1-6 cents. It costs abontt 4 cent to refine sugar. Every difference, then, of 1-16 cent above this means about $2,500,000 clear profit toithe sugar trust. The duty of 1 cent produces no revenue to the United States, hut is worth about $20,000,00® .a year to the trust.