Morning journal and courier., 1890-10-31
The SUGAR TRUST REORGANIZATION.
FAVOR RECIPROCITY.

FAVOR RECIPROCITY.
The Growing Sentiment In Cuba to
Secure Reciprocal Relations with
the United States-An Appeal to the
Spanish Government to Enter Into
Negotiations.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 3O.-The de-
partment of state has received a copy of a
petition forwarded by the tobacco growers
| and cigar manufacturers union of Cuba to
the Spanish government urging the negoti-
alton Of a reciprocity treaty between the
island Of Cuba and the United States. The
petitioners assert that they are confronted
with simple problem, con the one side
ruin, stagnation, misery and vague hopes,
and on the other side abundance, wealth
and promising future. The Spanish law
of commercial relations of 1882, framed for
the purpose of protecting Spanish products,
the petition says, deals Cuba deadly blow
while at the same time the productions of
Spain receive no benefit from it, The
greater part of the Spanish goods
imported, it is asserted, do not need the
protection given them. The petition after
a necessary preliminary to the negotiation
OF reciprocity treaty says: 'eThe United
States buys from us tobacco and sugar to
the extent of $51 ,000,O 900 and it is not
strange that the American government
should make itself strong on the absolute
necessity we have of that market, SO as
to demand reciprocal concessions, or
which is the same thing, exemption for
their -four, lard, machinery, hardware
and other articles in our tariff, so as to
increase the exports to this island. In one
word, they want to pay us for the tobacco
and sugar they consume with the goods
that they produce. To-day they only sell
to us $40, 100000 or $12, 600, 900, and thew
desire to increase this amount to the S51. :.
600, 000."
This is what the Mckinley bill amounts
to. For sugar it will be effective on the
first of July prox, but in regard to tobac-
co the reform is to be applied immediate
ly, and so terrible, so radical is it that it is
equivalent to the closing of that market to
us: We will lose market that consumes
value of s500,000 just exactly
half of our commerce in this line. And
we will lose great deal more, because if
certain grades of cigars of special quality
and color particularly adapted to that
market are not consumed there, we will
not be able to supply other consumers
OF other markets with the grades
they require without immense prejudice.
The damage that we shall suffer can not be
over estimated, the cultivation. of the rich
leaf will diminish to one-half, the greater
number of our factories will disappear, and
those that remain will have to greatly re-
duce their operations; thousands of souls
dependent for a livelihood ON the factories
ho1 nff f,,n Ia,
porous and Furnishing industry will come
to ruin and bankruptcy. It is necessary
to avoid SO much harm and ward off such
calamities, and we find no other way but
commercial treaty with the United States
accepting the reciprocity that our neigh
bors propose. There is no time to lose in
making this treaty. The business crisis
that threatens us is terribly imminent and
its consequences embrace very serious
dangers. The cigar manufacturers con-
clude by endorsing the action of the Ha-
vana chamber of commerce heretofore
published and asking of the government:
First-The immediate abroeation of the
law of commercial relations of 1882.
Second-The imposition of precaution-
airy duty on Spanish products which should
be in relation to the necessities of the treas
ury OF this island SO as not to render diff
cult the negotiation of commercial treaties
with foreign countries
Third-That without losing time negoti-
atoms be opened with the United States
for q commercial treaty on the basis of
free sugar and reductions on duties on to-
bacco within the limits already prescribed.
Fourth-That the chambers of commerce
and important corporations of this island
advise in their proposed new tariff the
articles on which the export duties should
be abolished
Fifth-That negotiations be entered into
with some other countries SO as to insure
facilities for the export of Cuban pro-
ducts.
Sixth-That, providing the correspond.
ing duties are paid, the free sale of tobacco
be allowed in Spain.