New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-11
uH1T CIV CNHA BUYf

CrIcncc of any treaty with thiS country, VIII
consume n great deal more food or clothing,
machinery or tools. than they ROW do. Their
mode of life is not TO be changed rs il by magic.
High civilization and its complex wants will
not suddenly appear whcro semi barbarlsln
now exists. About half the inhabitants are
negroes; most of the rest are crcolcs; ana
Spanish cxiortion and folly have Impoverished
nearly all the people. while giving To the
favored "pcninsuarcs fictitious prosperity
which has ended in bankruptcy. II the poor
people there go without clothes, more or less,
the climate lavorng they will go naked still !;
if they live on the simplest food, they will not
suddenly develop an appetite for the choicest
and most costly, nor the means to pay for such
food if the appetite comes. What these islands
now buy, that and not much more they will buy
if q new treaty enables them to get part from
this country which they now get from Europe.
In measuring the advantages off to the
United States by the proposed treaty with
Spain. il is important TO have this fact IN mind.
The first question to be asked. obviously. when
a new customer is politely introduced to MS,
is this. Has he any money I Can he afford to
buy an,thingP"
In a report by the State Department in 1880,
the imports of Cuba were stated ~ follows:
From the United States, ST., 900; from
Great Britain, $l2.72O,000; from Spain,
$17.1G2, 900; from France, 50, 100000; from
Holland. S1O5.OO0 from other countries
not known; total, $lG.ll9,OOO At tho
same time the imports of Porto Rico were,
iIom the United States. ~. $4,000; from
Great Britain. 50. l77.000; from Germany,
~, OoI. 900; from France -, .OOO from
Spain. 50. 5000; from Italy. %270o00;
from Holland. $i5,OnO from Denmark,
So 900; from other West India Islands.
S3,ll6.OOO total, $l1,52S 900. Putting
aside the local trade with other ncighborinc
islands. which for Cub, is not stated. the
aggregate imports OF the two were about
$500, OOO,OOO. OF this, Spain had about
500. 60O.OOO, Great Britain. $4,000. 900;
the United States $l5.3Oo 900; aud all other
countries about $7.SOO.O00 II does not appear
that there has been II material increase since
that time. In 1883 The exports of the United
States TO Cuba were 81 /, 567.ols, aud to Porto
Rico $2,llG 1919, only u little more in the
aggregate than in 1850. In lSS the mcrchan-
disc sent from this country to Cuba was valued
at Sl0,9l0, 1913, and to Porto Rico $50 ,6l5,
but we also sent 50, 100. 900 in specie The
diminished. This, at least is plain if Cuba
and Porto Rico were to buy from the United
States exclusively everything that they now
buy from any foreign country except this, the
entire increase Of purchases from us would be
less. not only than the cost of the sugar alone
which We now import, but less than tho duty
now paid into orr treasury, largely by foreign
producers, on that sugar alone.
Bnt we are not to gain the whole Of this trade,
be it large or small. In the first place, we have
Il share of it already In spite of all existing
duties, Cuba buys lumber and sundry other
things from Us, in value 81 4, 567, 900 in 1888,
and $lO,9lO,753 in 1884, because those things
can be bought cheaper here than elsewhere
No thanks are due from us to Spain, if Spain
chooses to take off the duty on those things
that is Il matter between Spain and its subjects
III Cuba, who buy from us at any rate The
question. them is only IA to that fragment of
the trade which remains. If the whole of il
was not very large, the remainder is certainly
not more cntcing.
But of that remainder Spain would retain a
part. The commerce between Spain and Cuba,
it is safe to say, would not be e1tinguished by
reciprocity with this country, even if it were an
is no indication, either, that the Spanish Gov
eminent has intended to surrender even the
smallest fraction of the trade of Spain with
Cuba; on the contrary, such duties AZ the
otherwise absurd So per barrel on flour from
the United States. which appear in the pending
treaty, are plainly designed to retain for
Spanish producers the infnitesimal market
which Cuba now affords them. Presumably. If
Spain sells 500, 500, 900 worth of stuff To Cuba
and Porto Rico now, Spain will be found able to
sell $40, 600 900 worth of stuil to Cuba and
Porto Rico In spite of any competition which
the proposed treaty would allow. All that we
can hope to get, then, is an increased share of
the trade of about $2l, 200, 900 with those
islands which is not now enjoyed either by the
United States or by Spain.
Two-thrds of that trade such ms IL still IA.
Great Britain now gets. To all the foreign
West Indies" during ten months ending
October 81, as appears from official reports.
Great Britain has sent cotton goods worth
+ A 600 900, linen goods worth ~ 600, 900.
hardware and cutlery worth 5000, 900, and no
other item large enough to have separate men
ton IN the published reports. Apparently the
Spanish Islands have been equally unable 10
buy IA much, either ffom va ~ from Great
britain, during The past year as they bought IN
| upo ~ iHTp The fact Ia, Mnislef Fes,at hes
introduced VA a. a bankrupt eastemef tut
this i,fi,lsh trade With Cuba. be u much ~
little. appeara IL have beea eaaided bY the
spanish dlplomatists with angular care, Thns
Tar. not a single article has been detected,