The Osceola times., 1881-05-07
What Cuba Does for Us.
Boston Herald.

Boston Herald.
People who have not given the subject
close attention do not appreciate the ex-
tent of our relations with Cuba. In 1850
this island produced 100000 tons OF
sugar. IL consumed 10000 tons. The
United States bought 405, 900 tons, while
So 900 only were purchased by all other
countries. This is about the average for
the last Is years. There was falling
off in the sugar crop of Cuba for this
wear, which has caused great deal OF
comment and speculation. Some at
tribute il to the changed condition of the
negro under gradual emancipation. The
crop is not so far behind the average OF
the last 10 years, that the falling off can
not fairly be accounted for by the eXces-
siye drought nearly all of the growing
season. The money value of the sugar
product of Cuba imported into the
United States in 1880 was SS7, ,l1O,215,
divided as follows: 2S,606,577 gallons of
molasses, worth S6,435,7 1856; 80, 5,209, ,65i
pounds of melado and sirup of sugar
were worth 81 ,l39,5l7. OF brown sugar
there were l,0S7 ,330,7S7 pounds, worth
S49,594,Si0. The importation will be
about the same for the year 1881.
cane sugar of the world, and the United
States buys nearly all its product. Cuba
formerly produced one-third of the cane
sugar grown. British East Indies and
other localities have greatly increased
their product of cane sugar within the
last few years. Beet sugar now regulates
the price of sugar the world over, and is
being produced in such quantities as to
very greatly affect the cane sugar pro-
duet of the world. The bulk of beet
sugar is produced in the old countries.
This industry is in its infancy in the
United states. What the possibilities of
our soil and climate are in this direction
is worthy of thoughtful consideration
and thorough trial by our agriculturists
As Cuba grows sugar almost exclusive
ly fer the United States, so does she most
her other products. In 1850 the United
States imported 9,299 ,G37 pounds Of leaf
tobacco, worth S4,742, ,70l, also 6l5,210
pounds of cigars worth S2349, $50, and
81 ,339 worth of other manufactured to-
bacco ms king total of s. ,016,9S9. This
is nearly 81 100000 larger than any of
our former importations of tobacco from
the island, and il will doubtless be in
creased this year Cuba this year has
grown an immense crop OF tobacco. Its
quality is not OF the best, on account Of
the excessive rains during growth. II is,
nevertheless, estimated to be worth s35,-
coo. coo. II is safe to estimate that $780,
000, 600 worth of sugar and tobacco are
grown on the island every year. Add
this vast sum to its fruits and valuable
woods of different descriptions, and it is
striking evidence of the fact that the
million and half of people who inhabit
this island produce more from the ground
than like number of people anywhere
on the face of the earth.
The United States is every year con-
suming more and more of these products.
1t now pays s75000,000 per annum for
them, and yet the Spanish policy is al
most arbitrarily against our interests. 1t
strives to force the inhabitants of Cuba
TO deal with the mother country by i'm
posing heavy duties upon all our pro-
ducts. Yet, it has very little to sell that
the people on this island need. They
are much more closely allied to us in
interest than they are with Spain. They
want our products, and yet, while we
are taking eight-tenths of theirs, spain
puts mp bar against their taking ours
IN return. The denial by the Spanish
government of fair commercial relations
between Cuba and the United States has
much to do with keeping up the friction
between the people of the island and the
home government.