The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-23
TIE sNn.IR onEJriON
The Intcrcsts nr the gnitcd states and Cuba.
Views ar Mr.. Miguel de AIdrma.

WHO 5'Utr. nave MNtltl tlcN VAIN CONSUL
crablo interest. but hayo hitherto rofraincd
from taking part in thom. ,or tho following roa-
soma:
Owning considerable sugor-producing inter
csts in Cuba and large sugar refining Interests
here. was anxious not to be misnu lcrstood in
Cuba ~ the champion Of American sugar re-
1ncrs, nor hero M the unqualified defender Of
Cuban sugar producers.
II | now trcspass ON your valuable sp0cc, II is
because. in my humble opinion, incorrect
statcmruts hnvo been advanced alike in the
public press and before the committees OF Con
grcss. II the probable results II n change in the
tariff from the present graduated scale Of du-
ties. on color tests, TO specific rate Of duty. on
all unrcilncd sugars. These statements can
have been made only through want of correct
knowledge Of the subject.
Tho theory has been clcvcry and assiduously
disseminated through the country that a tariff
which should allow all grades Of sugars NJ 10
No. 1G y. $. to BE- imported into this country at
ono rat Of duty must result in the improvement
OF the grades Of the sugars so imported. and
consequently in aproportionatc dotriment 10 an
important American industry. that OF sugar re-
nning. So far as Cuban sugar producing nior
csts are concerned in this branch Of the qucs
ton, | will observe:
|. That n very large average OF Cuban panta-
lions were, as far bacl. M thirty years ago. sup
piled with the best machinery for making sugar
from such establishments MS those Of Mcsrs
Pontifcx & Wood Of London. Mossrs. Dcrosnc
4 Gail Of Paris. and Mcssrs. Fawcett, Preston
& Go. Of Liverpool.
H. That rs far back rs 1851. when centrifugal
machines were perhaps unknown in this coun-
try. | and other planters used them in Cuba.
III. That. irrespective Of any foreign rates
OF duty levied on the produce u Cuban panta-
tions. tho planters have for years past. do to-
day, and will in the future continue 10 improve
the machinery on their plantations not for the
purpose Of lettering the quality Of their sugars.
but ~ n vital necessity TO which they Hro COM
PEELED by the high price Of labor Whore sixty
good hands would be required in sugar house
supplied only with open Jamaica kettles. four
times as much sugar can be produced by the
labor Of twenty men through the use Of vacuum
pans and ccuirfugals. This fact can be proved
by tho great quantity Of machinery annually
shipped hence to Cuban plantations from the
! works Of Messrs Robert Dcely Co. Messrs
| Cogswcll 4 Co.. Mcssr-. Icpworth Co., OF this
city from the West Point Iron Foundry. and
from other American establishments ut Phila-
delphia. Newark. and elsewhere. Apart from
the machinery shipped from this country. the
largest proportion is shipped TO Cuba from
| Paris Liverpool. London, and Antwerp
| ". Cuba cannot expect TO compete with
other countries as a producer Of refined sugars.
| for the following reasons:
cuba has no coal The average price 90 Havana is
from 3 Co go ton here, from - tost ami ~ Ia.
| rolc from 10 20 sllings
| II cuba ha. bone black II would have "a be- i'm
ported ami would cost al least twice ~ much ~ here or
| m Europe.
m Bncks worth here IS tot7 PER ,hou.aul cost in
| Havana s3l $40
" Lumber worth here so and sl2 per thousand feet
| cost, ~ Cuha $50 To- go
v Un.kllcl lahuri. worth more today IN cuba than
| perhaps anywhere else in the Wugtl
VI Skilled Labor in cuba has g. hc Imported from En-.
rope from TIN, country az hash cost, AMI
manls at least twice much c-owhcrc and. VII az j.
worse it's frequently not ohuaolc az any price wheu
| the demand for it 10. most urgent
VII Even were all the requirements for sugar rc0ncrs
ohttnahlc an cuba - easily a, reliably and ronom
cay ia oih,g touutric. the enormous taxation ia.
di--ns,hc for spain. ru, 90 Cuha wauli alon, prevent
her from competing with SUGAR refining Industries else
wHcr Tia. very mNat"n ai ioi t'ihe great price pail
ior labor Is a.read, cumhns her enormous sus"r pro
ducins interests
think the above are valid reasons why Cuba
cannot refine sugars for expectation. That she
could not interfere with sugar refining in this
country. whore tho industry is protected Is
further proved by the fact that she has noycr
attempted 10 compete with English and Euro
pcan renners in tho English markets. whore
tho refining interest Is entirely unprotected.
Moreover il to-day the rehncrs Of France and
Germany. who are unIues Nonlby the most in
tclgcnt AMI the most economical IN the world
ARE prevented from supplying American mar
kcts by the protective tariff n6W afforded g.
American rrnnores. il is simply absurd IN
| imagine that Cubu. with ull her enormous dis
advantages. could interfere with the refining
interests of this country
Having expressed my opinion rs Cuban
planter and exporter. | will now ask "a SINAI
space Tor my views rs an American sugar re-
liner
The proposed variation in the present tariff /,
that a uniform duty in future b. levied on al
sugars w Ia No. IL u. =. with higher duty OF
all grades above that number.
one ol the first effects of this variation. II 4
becomes law. would. in my opinion. Ice TO induce
] possible up to No. IL, which IL done Simply bl
r | allowing the sugars to drain littl" longer Su
4 | gars up {, No. l6 are not rriiuod sugars. an,
| can bc produced IN op'n kettles ~ well n u
p vacuum, uans. As It Is pr9posoI To levy
% | higher gra,ir sugars would be cii"rtually "Nrud
Ell from American markets. A. II is impuss ib
: for Cuba or any other country To produ all su
q Gars M To Ne. Is. the tarn under consideration
- | Will not prevent the lower grades from cuminl
, 10 this country. because sugars under No. Il
i | nay" naturally 70 hr sold IN tuha AT lowe
- prices whlrh will enable importers To di~pos
of them IN this market 40 equally lower rdi"s
lu~t us different grades of cotton ARE shipped 4
70 England or Inferior lard II shipped Ia Cuba. uu
;. sold al prices proportonaie 10 tnelr respertiV
: As 10 theprohahleeflert of the proposed moli
10 ilcntion of the tprlu ON the revenue and ia
h. collection of IT, | hclleyr that a uniform duty o
81 loss fraud than docs tho present color test, a
4 than would an ad valorcm duty amt that su III
10 tarlu Will facilitate IN" proper COLLECTION Ot III
b, revenue. II j. well rrcogniZ'd politlco-cco
1t homie tact that q high mrln has th" highe'
d Custom House oil 'lus. The temptations an
L, facilities for fraud are great and rs the risk
~ ol disclosure are very small in proportion
"a the profits cuiiisipu is an easy mHtter.
a Nor can -rr how any injurious eject can +,
sGnu |3 !g sn Rnf u i9'irI1 y Si on s fo99T
At up To- No. Ia. h"lners who used NJ. IL sugar