OCR Text |
Show THE CITIZEN 7 Since the recent advance in the price of sugar the affairs of the Utah-Idah- o Sugar Company have, been grossly misrepreand intentions have been sented; its officers held up to public scorn and ridicule; misstatements as to made, while its ability to maintain a price locally of from $10.00 to $15.00 per bag below the going price for sugar in other distributing centers has been asserted, but promptly denied. y The Utah-Idah- o Sugar Company has been besieged for months past with orders from Eastern concerns, who have offered prices away in excess of our local price. Had the Utah-Idah- o Sugar Company accepted these offers, as others have done, there would have resulted; an absolute famine in sugar for the people in the intermountain country. This company, in the face of these higher offers, has retained a supply of sugar equal to the local requirements expected from this Company in past years, pending the advent of the new crop. Speculators, knowing that the retail price here was lower than the wholesale price in other markets, came into this territory and bought up sugar at wholesale and retail as fast as it was released by the local jobbers, and in many cases these speculators paid a premium over the price established by Utahs Fair Price Commission. These speculators were able to make a profit in many cases of from $5.00 to $10.00 per bag in other markets. We respectfully suggest that Governor Simon Bamberger appoint a Committee of five or nine disinterested persons, business men of recognized ability and familiar with the sale and distribution of food products, whose duty it will be to make a searching investigation with respect to the price of sugar in Utah as compared with prices prevailing in other parts of the country, and to ascertain the fundamental reasons for the existing conditions as to price and available supply. If after said investigation is made the said Committee finds that the recent advance was not made in the interest ing the facts mentioned above with respect to sugar, may be made known to all, this Company desires to make the of sound business, or of public policy, and was not necessary, as the Company maintains, to retain sufficient sugar for the people until another crop is produced, then the said Committee is requested and empowered to evolve, if possible, some practical plan whereby the jobbers and manufacturers of Utah and Idaho who use sugar will be guaranteed a sufficient quantity to supply the needs of their customers, and particularly the housewives, canners and small manufacturing concerns, at prices recommended by said Committee said prices to remain in force, or be changed from time to time as conditions warrant, until new sugar is available next October. And in furtherance of the plan, this Company stands ready and willing to turn over its stock of sugar already allotted for local consumption, to said Committee, with the understanding that contracts entered into between the Utah-Idah- o Sugar Company and local distributors and manufacturers be honored, and that the company be relieved from further responsibility, except with respect to such aid as it can render the Committee following proposition: from time to time. In addition to this, people residing in the East and West induced friends and relatives in the Intermountain country to buy sugar here and ship it to them by every known means of transportation, thereby depriving the local consumers of their normal sugar allotments, as fast as it went on the market. Now, therefore, in order that the real situation, includ- |