31 THE CUBA R E J' I E JV 



Sugar Review 



Specially written for THE CUBA REVIEW by Willett & Gray, Neiv York, N. Y. 



Since we last "RTote you regardmg the state of the sugar market, further decUnes 

 have been registered and large sales have been made recently for earh^ 1922 shipments 

 on the basis of 2c. cost and freight for Cuba sugars, wliich figures 3.61c. duty paid landing 

 at New York. The proposition mentioned in our last re^'iew regarding the proposed 

 formation of a coiporation to handle a tolling contract estimated to reach 500,000 tons 

 of 1920-21 crop Cubas did not meet ^vith approA'al in Cuba and with the announcement 

 made from Havana under date of December 21st that the President of Cuba had just 

 signed a decree dissohing the Sugar Finance Conunission effective January 1, 1922, 

 after which all trading in sugar will be free, it is now likely and seems a certainty that 

 on and after the early daj^s of Januarj^, the sugar market wiU go on in an uncontrolled 

 and untrammeled manner and while some temporary depression is possible, it seems 

 likely to us that conditions will quicklj' readjust themselves and Cuba will be in a 

 position to rehabilitate herself much quicker than with am' partial control of sugar 

 such as we have seen during the past campaign. 



The matter of a permanent tariff to be enacted in the United States is again receiv- 

 ing the attention of the United States Congi'ess, and the Finance Committee of the 

 Senate devoted two full days, December 19th and 20th, to hearings on Schedule o of the 

 Fordney Tariff Bill, "Sugar, Molasses and Manufactures of." Appearing to oppose 

 rates as provided in the schedule were Ed\vdn F. Atkins, Boston, representing E. Atkins 

 & Co.; Henry A. Rubino, New York City, representing Miranda Sugar Co.; John E. 

 Snj'^der, Hershey, Pa., representing Hershey Chocolate Co.; Horatio S. Rubens, New 

 York City, representing American Commission on Cuban Sugar, and F. L. Graycraft, 

 New York City, representing Pressed Steel Company of Cuba. 



Appearing in favor of rates provided in the schedule were Paul J. Christian, Washing- 

 ton, representing Porto Rico sugar producers, and Francis K. Care}', Baltimore; W. D. 

 Lippitt, Denver; C. H. Allen, Defiance, 0.; G. W. McCormick, Menominee, Mich.; 

 F. R. Hathaway, Detroit; C. C. Hamlin, Colorado Springs; Henr>^ T. Oxnard, New 

 York City; A. E. Carlton, Colorado Springs, and Henry N. Pharr, Olivier, La., all rep- 

 resenting the United States Sugar ^Manufacturing Association. 



Briefs were filed by Arbuckle Bros., New York, and the Cuban Government. These 

 briefs petitioned for lower rates than those set out in the Fordney bill. 



]Mr. Atkins, senior partner of E. Atkins & Co., which sells the output of the Pennsjd- 

 vania Sugar Refining Company, and president of the Punta Alegre Sugar Company, 

 spoke also for the Caracas and Ermita sugar companies and Central Hormiguero, all 

 of which, he said, are o^\Tied, operated and managed b}' Americans. He pointed out 

 that the proposed rates are higher than any duties that have been imposed upon sugar 

 in more than thirt}^ years. He summed up his objections to the schedule as follows: 



1. Cuba is in dire financial straits and instead of aiding her in her hour of distress, 

 this bill will aggravate an already serious situation. 



2. Cuba is one of America's best customers and the schedule threatens America's 

 own business interests. 



3. After freeing Cuba, the United States midertook a wardship unique in the 

 historj^ of international relations. Because of that wardship we are morally bound to 

 help Cuba and not to injure her. 



4. The clause which permits certain domestic manufacturers to import sugar 

 "at three-fourths of the rate of duty to which such sugar would otherwise be subject" 

 is Jiot only a domestic class discrimination, but is apparently a ^^olation of our treaty 

 with Cuba. 



"The Fordney bill," IVIr. Atkins said, "will reduce the buying power of Cuba with 

 the inevitable loss of trade to American concerns of whom she is a customer. The 

 Fordney rates, if enacted, will work gi-eat harm to Cuba's sugar industry and impose 



