The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], August 21, 1914, Page 12, Image 12

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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BUILDERS SERVE
HOT BARBECUE TO
ALL THEIR FRIENDS
Jim Payne “Cooled Down”
the Menu and Everybody
Was Ilappy
SIBLEY S LEMONADE
IS RIVALED BY “SUDS”
flfotor Club Officials, Board of Reve
nue and Other Prominent People
Attend—Some of the
“Immortals”
When the three Israelites walked
through the flrey furnace it is recorded
that the said furnace was seven times
heated, but nt that it had nothing on
the first round of barbecue meats
■erved at the annual frolic of the Build
ers’ exchange, given yesterday at the
grounds of the Motor and County club
at Edgewood.
After the first few mouthfuls there
was hurried calls for the fire depart
ment and a stampede for the water
buckets, while Charlie Allen spat a
mouthful on the ground and said,
with tears streaming down his eyes,
"blaze, d—n you, blaze.”
But Jim Payne, chairman of the com
mittee in charge, got rid of the "hot
stuff,” or rather tempered it down and
the 600 hungry guests were regaled
with a repast of barbecued mutton,
lamb and shoat, Brunswick stew, slaw,
salads and butter milk and other re
freshments, a repast that was "fit for
the gods," and the "immortal six hun
dred” did full justice to it.
Jim Payne qualified as a waiter par
excellence. He served more people him
self than did the corps of negro waiters
engaged for that purpose. He saw that
every one had a "plenty and then
some.”
Thornton Estis, president of the ex
change, got busy himself, and assisted
in wating on the table and entertaining
the guests generally^ John W. Sibley
presided over the lemondate stand but
had plenty of leisure for, there was a
rival stand close where suds were
dished out that caught almost all the
patronage. Charlie Rice got a “hot
»••«•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
box” from hastily swallowing a piece
of tobasco seasoned shoat and kept two
waiters busy for fully 10 minutes bring- j
ing him buttermilk.
The rain interfered with the sporting
events, but the “bunch” was in for a
good time and pulled off some of the
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••a
usual races and a ball game In spite
of the weather. The game was called
after the second innings as someone
swiped the ball.
Everyone had a good time and the
hospitality of the exchange was much
enjoyed.
Attending the frolic were officers of
••••••••■••■•••■•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••■•a
the Motor and Country club, including |
Charles E. Rice, Solon Jacobs. G. T.
Brazelton, Jv E. Shelby, Harry Wheelook
and others. Lawrence Pennington, Hugh
McGeever and Rufe Bivins of the board ;
of revenue, Harry Jones and Hardee
man Meade were among the other
guests.
HAVE THE FOOD PIRATES “SHOT UP” THE PRICE OF SUGAR?
(Continued from Page Five)
evaporated peaches, and canned Cali
fornia peaches.”
SUMERS REGRETS BUT
CAN HARDLY EXPLAIN
R. L. Slmers, manager of Collins & Co.:
“1 can't tell why sugar Iihn ad
vanced," Niild M. Summer*. “All I know
In that NUgar Iiiin gone up. It eoMt un
97.H* per 100 pound* f.o.li. Ulrmlugbum
and I am told it haw been advanced by
the retallerN accordingly. It would
ntrlke me tbnt the Kuropean war Hun
caiiNcd the advance and that by rea
nou of the fact that1 thia country niUNt
aupply all of the coiiutrleN at war un
well hn America aud South America.
“The advance in sugar has been drawing
close since the declaration of war, and 1
cannot see any reason for great surprise
that it has come about. I am personally
sorry but when the supply of a commodity
exceeds the demand an increase may be
expected.
"We have also increases in navy beans
and flour. I have no explanation as to
the navy beans. As to flour the mills of
this country expected a great wheat crop
and that has been completely used up by
the war and the exact reverse has been
experienced so that the increase has come
about in the most unexpected manner."
HOOD HOLDS WAR
RESPONSIBLE FOR JUMP
Robert Hood of the Hood Grocery com
pary said:
•‘The war In Europe ban all to do
with the advance In Niignr prices.
“The war in Europe has all to do with
the advance in sugar prices. We are as
sured that the prices that now prevail
are in such a condition as to be utterly
out of range of the speculators. 1 have
no uneasiness on that score. J am told
that retailers sell sugar JO or 12 pounds
for $J. That is about right as a retail
basis for we pay $7.68 per J00 pounds f. o.
b. Birmingham from New Orleans. The
price of sugar is based on the supply
and the demand as any other commodity.
When the demand exceeds the supply it
stands to reason that the prices go up.
1 personally regret the fact that sugar
has advanced, but there are other com
modities that hays gone up as well as
sugar. The sugar market fell off *4-cent
yesterday. 1 do not know the cause of
that decrease, but it occurred.”
OUT OF ALL REASON,
SAYS WOOD, OF SUGAR
V. W. Wood of V. W. Wood & Co.:
••The rise in Nngar and flour price* In
the last (wo weeks have been aenan
tlonal and 1 believe the extraordinary
advnnce in sugar quotatlou* ha* been
uni of all rcaNon.
“The wholesale quotation today on
•ug&r in Birmingham is $8 per 100
pounds, or about 75 per cent above that
of two weeks ago. The prevailing retail
price in Birmingham is, I believe, from
10 to 12 pounds for $1. My present price,
however, is 13 pounds for $1; but this price
probably only temporary, and will last
only until the sugar supply now in stock
Is exhausted. The price on Hour is also
high, but the advance has not been more
than 10 or 15 per cent. In comparing the
prices of sugar and flour 1 find It hard
to reconcile the enormous difference in
percentage of advance. True, the wheat
crop in the United States this season is
9 record breaker, but sugar supplies are
also plentiful, and practically the entire
aupply consumed in this country is pro
duced in the sugar raising states—Hawaii,
Porto Rico and Cuba. 1 read recently a
quotation from the international Sugar
Journal of London, which is generally
recognized as an international authority
on sugar, that the sugar consumption in
the United States during 1913 amounted to
1,740,139 tons, and of that amount t lie
Journal stated 3,722,581 tons were supplied
from the above mentioned territory. Cuba
pioduces an enormous amount of sugar,
and the Journal w»*nt on to say that raw
sugar was produced there at an estimated
cost of only 2 cents per pound; and since
the Underwood tariff law has begun to
90 into effect the tariff on raw sugar
from Cuba amounts to only about 1 cent
per pound. There is no tariff whatever
charged on sugar imported from Hawaii
and Porto Rico. There has been no indi
cation of a decrease In sugar production in
this territory in the 1914 crop, and the
European belligerents will certainly not
be in greater need of sugar from the United
States than of flour. In iny opinion the
■pectacnlar advance of sugar in the
United States is nothing more nor less
than a gigantic speculation on the part of
the trusts. J see no other explanation,
for the figures given concerning domestic
production are undoubtedly correct, as the
international Sugar Journal is recog
nized the world over us an authority on
sugar.”
Out of Proportion
J. O. Taylor, 2114 Morris avenue: “There
has • been a general advance in wheat
products, and there is now no sign of a
decrease in values. Rice has also risen
about 5 per cent. I cannot account for the
sensational prices at which sugar Is be
ing held. The sensational advance has
certainly been out of all proportion to
that on any other commodity.”
Supply and Demand
Julius Orman of McCarty-Orman
Wholesale Brokerage company: "My firm
deals' in sugar and other food products
extensively and is the agent for W. M.
Henderson, an independent sugar refiner
of New Orleans. I keep in close touch
with marekt conditions both on raw su
gar and the granulated article. Within
the last two weeks the price on raw
sugar in New Orleans has advanced al
most 100 per cent. Present quotations are
$0.52 per 100 pounds, as against that of
$3.20 or $3.30 of two weeks ago. While it
is true that almost all the sugar con
sumed in the United States is produced
here and in Cuba and Porto Rico, it must
be remembered that this territory is
practically the only neutral land on which
sugar can be grown. Germany, Russia.
Belgium, Austria, Russia and France are
all large producers of sugar; but all of
these nations are now engaged in deadly
conflict, and the supply in those countries
is extremely uncertain. These nations
have already begun to draw on this coun
try, Cuba and Porto Rico for sugar pro
visions. England, however, will prove
one of the greatest consumers of this
commodity. It has already made large
purchases in Cuba. In the case of flour,
practically tHe whole American continent
will be open to the allied nations from
which to draw on for the staff of life.
There are many other wheat producing
countries. Egypt, I believe, is hignly pro
ductive lor wheat. The Argentine re
public is a great grain producing coun
try, and so is Canada. Although the
sugar refining concern for which I have
the agency is independent from the su
gar trust, or the American Refining com
pany, 1 believe the present prices pre
vailing on granulated sugar are entirely
due to the universal law of supply and
demand. The wholesale price on granu
lated sugar in Birmingham is $8 per 100
pounds, 1 believe, and in my opinion there
will be an even greater advance in the
near future unless something unfore
seen occurs. American people should bear
in mind that, the territory from which
this country alone was supplied must now
hear the brunt of practically the world's
demand, and that is no small matter.”
Not Unreasonable, Says Murdoch
W. L. Murdoch of W. E. Murdoch
Brokerage company: “Present sugar
prices are not as unreasonable as It would
appear at the first glance. For if the
great European conflict continues for a
long period, the lands from which the
United States is supplied will be called
upon to furnish the world s sugar con
sumption. There is a large element of
speculation in prices now prevailing on
both raw and granulated sugars; for there
is no certainty that the conflict now go
ing on will last long enough to com- |
pletely use up Europe’s supply. It is
problematical as to whether those con
trolling sugar supplies will be able to hold
out long enough to realize at higher
prices. A new sugar crop will be har
vested in October, and this may affect
quotations to some‘extent."
No Speculation, says McLester
Joseph McLester of McLester-VanHoose
Co.:
“The reason for the advance Is that ;
the German beets are not being raised,”
said Mr. McLester, “and in addition to
this Germany is engaged in war and not
producing any sugar. The tariff per
mitted the importation of sugar before
the war and kept prices down. However,
the tariff is of no avail now as there is
no sugar coming from a belligerent coun
try. There is now a shortage in this
country of sugar. As this country must
supply Europe, South America and Amer
ica, there is bound to be a demand greater
than the supply. It would occur to me,
therefore, that as the demand exceeds
the supply that an increase is bound to
take place. There is one tning, however,
that I absolutely gurantee. That is there.,
is no speculation in regard to sugar. It
is utterly impossible to obtain 10 cars of
sugar so it is impossible for speculations
to take place. I bought some sugar
a while back and was able to get only
what I was accustomed to use. I could
not secure at this time any large con
signment of sugur, nor could anyone else
secure more than is used in normal times.
In other words the refineries are trying
their best to protect the normal trade.
They are trying to give sugar to those
interests that purchase from them in nor
mal times and will not permit anyone
to buy up a great consignment of that
staple in order to speculate upon the com
modity. It must be admitted that In a
certain respect we must admire the man
who is striving to serve their normal
patrons and will not permit anyone to
come in an try and corner the market
by buying large consignments of the
staple. That will not come to pass. 1
have no idea how this condition was
caused about unless it was the war. I
have no idea how long it will last.
“I am sure of one thing and that is
the Increase is directly tiaceable to ab
normal conditions and in no wise an ef
fort of refineries to make an excess ol
profit.”
BRUMBAK SAYS TARIFF
IS REALLY TO BLAME
H. S. Brumbak, manager of the Bir
mingham branch of C. D. Kennedy & Co.,
of Baltimore, Md.t one of the largest
sugar jobbers in the country, stated yes
terday that increase in price was largely
due to the removal of the tariff on sugar
which had the tendency to discourage the
growers in Louisiana, thus shortening the
supply. The high prices are for the pur
pose of curtailing consumption of the
present output of sugar.
“During the period of peace which has
prevailed in Europe, the advancement In '
l
the sugar industry has been probably
more marked than any other article of
agriculture The growing of beet sugar
in Europe was fostered by financial as
sistance in the way of bounties from the
various European governments, until the
yearly production reached such magni
tude as seriously to affect the solvency
of the cane sugar producers of the semi
tropics. Thit resulted in the Brussels
conference and the abolition of the boun
ties in all European countries, exclusive
of Russia and her expoi'table surplus
was restricted to a limited specified quan
tity. The beet industry in Europe, how
ever, had been so well established dur
ing the period of protection that the pro
duction continued to go forward due in
part to the reduction of taxes which
cheapen the cost to the masses and there
by greatly increased consumption.
Europe's Beet Sugar
“The magnitude of Europe's production
of beet sugar is shown by the fact that
for the past two or three years she has
been making in excess of 8,000,000 tons
of sugar annually or nearly one-half of
the sugar production of the entire world.
Theiefore It can be easily seen that the
state of war now existing in Europe, ;
even with a most speedy termination
means a very considerable shortage in
the next European crop wnlch snould be
gin to be harvested in September and Oc
tober, and with a warfare of any duration
the United States will have to obtain her
supplies exclusively from the cane pro
ducing countries. This means that prices
w 111 have to be advanced to a much higher
basis to restrict the consumption of the
world sufficiently to adjust it to the
available supplies of cane sugar.
To Discourage Consumption
“The outlook for the sugar market for
the next few months until new crop Cuba
sugars are available is a particularly
serious one. The United Kingdom will
be unable to obtain supplies from con
tinental Europe and therefore will com
pete in buying the Cuban sugar which
the United States can ill afford to spare.
England has within the last few weeks
purchased approximately 5'),000 tons in our
sugar market, and if she continues to
be a heavy buyer there is not going to
he enough sugar to go around by next
month. Therefore, prices will have to be
pushed to a sufficiently high point as
to very materially discourage consump
tion. The high levels on sugar prices
have not as yet been reached.
"The removal of the tarift tax on sugar
has also greatly discourage the cane
growers of Louisiana and this year they
planted corn and rice instead of sugar
thus shortening the supply and helping
to bring on high prices."
(rood Reason, Says Lee
Sidney Lee, president of the Alabama
Grocery company: ‘‘There is a very
good reason for the advance in this
country of the price of sugar. Germany
is the largest producer of sugar in the
world and together with other of the
European states involved in the war
probably makes more than half of the
entire sugar output.
"Now instead of making sugar for
herself and for export, to other coun
tries. Germany has probably stopped
making any at all. Instead of the larg
est producer she has become one of the
largest buyers, and Great Britain must
come to North America for her sugar.
It is a plain case of the law of supply
and demand. The war has cut the pro
duction probably half in two or will do
so within the very near future and the
demand if anything has been increased.
"We are now selling sugar at 7%c
and 8c, to which price it has gone
from 4c at the beginning of the Eu
ropean war. There is no telling yet how
high it will go. The longer the war
keeps up the higher will go the price
of sugar, in all probability.
"At present we cannot get the mills
to name prices at all. We have to or
der and pay for it what ever they ask
when the order is filled. For that rea
son the people who now have some lit
tle sugar in stock have to bo careful
about selling it to the trade, for no
telling what price will have to be paid
in the next few days for stock to re
place it My advice ta everybody is to
buy sugar only for immediate needs
for the market is too wild to tell any
thing about what it is going to do.
"There has already been some ad
vance in flour and if the war keeps up
I anticipate a much larger one. Wheat
yesterday went up 2c and the day be
fore 4c. I understand. That alone will
make an increase of 25c or 30c per
barrel on flour. Neither will the flour
mills contract for shipments on a given
price. Other food products are inclined
the same way, but sugar and flour so
far have been most effected. There is
lots of wheat in this country now but j
within the next few days the high seas j
will be opened up by England and |
[ BLACKMAN’S IMPRESSIONS FORMED AT
THE BUILDERS’ EXCHANGE BARBECUE
1
I ! |
I WEIL’S LAST CALL j
Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes
25% to 40% Reduction
On Spring and Summer Suits j
The buyer gets all the profit and more too. He gets an unre
stricted choice, because the assortments are complete. He gets
superior style and guaranteed quality—for that’s the only kind
of clothes H. S. & M. make.
$25 Suits lor $15 I $32.50 Suits lor $20| $37.50 Suits for $25
A few odds and ends for $10
M. WEIL & BRO.
1915-1917 First Avenue
The Home of Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes
SENATE AND HOUSE REPORT
FAVORABLE BILL TO CREATE
WAR INSURANCE BUREAU
Washington. August 20.—Emergency
shipping legislation advanced today when
Senate and House commerce committees
voted favorable reports on the bill to
create a bureau of war risk insurance in
the treasury department to insure ships
of American registry subjected to the haz
ards of the European war. Chairman
Clarke of the Senate committee will call
the bill up for passage in the Senate to
morrow, and Representative Adamson,
chairman of the House committee, plans
to expedite its course on the other side
of the capitol. So far little opposition
to the measure has developed. In report
ing the bill to the House the dbmmittee
said:
“This bill is rendered necessary by rea
son of the conditions arising from the
state of warfare existing among different
nations at present. It is an emergency
measure to continue in force only so
long as the emergency exists.
Over Seas Trade
"The government's plan to purchase
and operate ships in the over seas trade
lor the restoration of commerce during
the war is being formulated into a bill
which will be expedited as rapidly as
possible by the committees. Senator
France and it will bp taken from the
United States just as fast as it can be
loaded into ships.”
Very Simple, Says Bivings
F. L. Bivings of the B. F. Roden
(grocery company: "Sugar is now selling
at from 7 He to 8c. It was 4 He when
the war began. The cause of the a.I
vance is very simple. The production
has been cut about In half and the de
mand probably Increased. Germany,
which alone Is regarded as the leading
sugar producing country of the world
and Belgium and Holism] produce prob
ably half of the world's sugar produc
tion. With those countries at war they
have become buyers instead of sellers
The result is a tremendous drain on the
sugar supplies and prices of course ad
vance as the product becomes scarcer
nnd in larger demand. The advance. In
my estimation, will be far greater if
the war continues.
"Flour has advanced In price a little
and it will probably go much higher as
soon as the high seas are opened and
the warring nations begin to haul
away our wheat crop. The conditions
are very chaotic. It is hard for us to
buy goods, for by the time we get it
we don't know but what it will be
much higher than when we ordered it.
In general the wholesale men do not
carry very considerable stocks so that
any little change In the market is soon
felt."
Ciarke and Representative Alexander, j
chairman at’ the House merciiant marine
committee, have tentative drafts of the
bill, which would provide tor the organi
zation of a corporation to operate a line
of ships to be purchased by the govern-j
merit. Sale of Panama canal bonds U<f
finance the project is contemplated.
Some opposition to this project has
developed in the - Llour>j. Representative
Alexander, after a conference with Sena
tor Clarke, tonight said the bill as out
lined was not in shape fer introduction
and intimated there might be delay in
its consideration. jVemooratic senators
said the Senate committee would proceed,
independent of the House action.
Has Done Its Part
“We believed,” explained Mr. Alex&n
| der, “that with the passage of the bill
allowing foreign built vessels to come
under American registry and with the ex
pccted passage of the war risk insurance
bill, • Congress had done all that was
necessary to meet the situation. If the
shipping interests do not buy ships thetiy
it #will be time to consider the govern-*
ment’s appropriating money for the pur
pose.”
Tlie House naval committee, which is
working independently on the merchant
| marine problem, today sought the advice
| of Robert Lansing, counsellor of the state
| department. Mr. Lansing outlined the
general rules of international iaw gov
erning neutral governments and discussed
the question of contraband of war.
Committee members professed to see
danger of complication in the European
tangle if this government undertook to
I operate merchant ships to Europe, which
| might be called upon to transport con
I traband. j
— -- ■»—*—.—.—
Early Training ;
j From the Louisville Herald. ■
Johnny Jones, tin* office boy, had been p
detected in a lie. It was not one of the ^
| oidinarp prevarications of the everyday
world, and, moreover, to make the crime
more grievous he had persisted in ad«
hering to his original mendacious state
ment.
“Do; you know, my lad.” asked a fatfl
#erly clerk in a kindly fashion, ”wfhat be
comes of young lads who trifle with the
truth?”
“Aye,” was the assured reply; “bosses
send them out as travelers when they
grow up.”
_^SCHOOLSAN D JX)LLEGES
IRA LANDRITH^Pre8?1™1 JED. BLArWjTvIm Praa. /
Opens Sept. 24th In half-mllllon-dollar plant. New build
ings, modern school hall, gymnasium, swimming pool,
etc. 12 schools—including Academic, College Prepara
tory, Music, Art, Domestic Science, Expression and
Physical Education. Students from oyer 30states. Sep
arate hall for girls under 14. Certificate privileges. A t
tendance limited. Send for catalog and view book. Miss
JsnnieT. Masses, Registrar, Box 13, MashvUls, Teaa.
MARION INSTITUTE!
THE AMERICAN ETON J
Patronage
From twenty-five states and two foreign
countries.
Equipment
One hundred and fifty thousand dollar
plant. Campus of twenty-five acres. Four
baseball diamonds, three football fields,
six basketball courts, sixteen tennis courts,
two circular running tracks, 220-yard
straightaway. Laboratories, library,
Spalding outdoor gymnasium.
Advantages
Home influences. Fine social and relig
ious life. Small classes. Every student re
cites every day. Personal attention and
individual instruction. Supervision of life,
manners, morals and'health, as well as
studies. All professors and students, fac
ulty and families share a common life.
Strong faculty of men; 12 teachers.
Six Separate Courses:
- 1. CLASSICAL ANL) SCIENTIFIC
in Standard Academic Groups.
J. ARMY AND NAVY
to prepare for Annapolis and West
Point, COVERING A PORTION OF
THE FIRST YEAR in THE ACAD- k
EM 1 EX. }f
UNIVERSITY PREPARATORY.
L OXFORD RHODES SCHOLARSHIP.
5. COMMERCIAL COURSES
uniting technical courses with a foun
dation of liberal studies.
6. SPECIAL COURSES
for mature young men who desire to
secure in one or two years thorough
preparation for professional study in J
, Law, Medicine. Engineex-ing, the Min
istry, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Teaching.
Expenses Low
Major B. B. Clarkson, Virginia Military In
stitute, becomes director Army and Navy
Department and Military Science.
CONFERENCES OR VISITS TO THE INSTITUTE ARE INVITED
For full information of courses, conditions of admission, and expenses, address S
PRESIDENT H. O. MURFEE, Marion, Alabama )
.m - - ' - - 1 - 11 ■■■■■■■■■'
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