90 SUGAR 



We will take the countries in their order and say a 

 few words about some of them. 



Louisiana is a country not absolutely tropical. They 

 have occasional frosts. In spite of drawbacks the 

 industry is carried on now in a very scientific way and 

 with good energy and perseverance, but it would find 

 it difficult to compete with more favoured districts if 

 left to free competition. It is, luckily, one of the United 

 States, and, therefore, its sugar enters the markets of 

 the United States free of duty, which at present is a 

 nice little bonus of about 5s. 6d. per cwt. Concentra- 

 tion of work in Louisiana has been extensive. Small 

 factories have given place to large ones, imperfect work 

 has made way for modern improvements. Before the 

 Civil War, the production reached, in 1861-62, 

 235,856 tons. During the war it fell, in 1864-5, to 

 5,331 tons, and did not show much recovery till 1878-9, 

 when it reached 100,000 tons. In 1893-4 it got 

 up to its old level, 250,000 to 300,000 tons. In 1904-5 

 it had the exceptionally large crop of 355,530 tons. 

 The preferential position of the States, Territories, and 

 Protectorates of the United States in the home market 

 has already been explained in Chapter II. The effect 

 of this stimulant, in bringing fresh capital into the 

 industry, was so striking that it soon became evident 

 that before many years elapsed the United States 

 would receive all its sugar supplies from these sources. 

 This forecast came true in 1915, as shown in Appendix XI. 

 This is a remarkable instance of the effect of preferential 

 duties in attracting capital and thus enabling a country 

 to be independent of outside supplies. Louisiana was 

 not, like the others, stimulated to increase her produc- 

 tion, but she was kept alive by the preference. That 

 so old established an industry should have kept pace 

 with the times shows that it deserves to be kept alive. 



