New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-09
CUBAN DIPLOMACY
~ow THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN DrpED
BY SPAIN.
,rAcryoA& OPERATION OF THE COMMERCIAL,
AenREMnNT OF iss4-REupRoCITY
GREAT FORCE IN RESERVE

ORION srAyP CORRESPONDENT rRlBuSp)
Matanzas. January %.
YANKEE shrewdness has been no match
,or Spanish guile during recent years of
Cuban diplomacy. Never was one Government
vore completely outwitted, duped and outma-
noeuyred by another than the United States by
Snain in the negotiations which led to the COM
nerc,d agreement of 1884. There had been n
,oria war between the two countries by which
,be shipping of each had been protected by dis
terminating and retaiatory duties. Inasmuch
os higher imposts were levied in Cuban ports upon
caraoes under the American flag than upon cargoes
under the Spanish flag, merchandise in Spanish
bottoms was subjected in American ports to an ad-
yalorem duty of 10 per cent. The retaliatory du-
tes were more prejudicia to the interests of Span
ish than to those of American shipping, fer the
reason that the volume OF the exports from Cuba
greatly exceeded that of the imports received in
return before the American Civil War Spanish
ships took general cargoes to Montevideo and
Buenos Ayres, loaded up again with jerlted beef
dor Cuba and carried sugar from Havana, Matan-
yas and Santiago dc Cuf to Europe. This was
n triangular course highly favorable to the Span
sh commercial marine The circuit was broken
when beet sugar displaced cane sugar in Europe,
and when, through the collapse of Louisiana sugar
PRODUCTION, the American market was supplied
largely from Cuba and the West Indies. Spanish
vessels had no return cargoes from Cuba to Europe
when 80 per cent of the sugar went TO the United
States, and ii was impracticable for them to take
freight to New York when there was dlscrlmlna-
fion of 10 per cent against them there In order
10 rescue its shipping frem these runous conditions
Spain succeeded in entrapping the United States
Into commercial agreement for the equaliza-
tien of the flags and the abolition of the dis
eliminating duties on each side.
In order to obtain admission for Cuban sugar
into American ports under the spanish flag, it was
necessary to otter compensating advantages for
American shipping in Cuban ports This was NOM
inally done by the removal of discriminating Tag
duties. American ships were placed on terms OF
EQUALITY with Spanish ships in Havana and other
Cuban ports But before this was done measures
were taken TO neutraliZe this advantage by pro-
viding for gradual reduction of the import du-
ties ON breadstutis and manufactures shipped from
Spaia The commercial agreement was made on
February IS, 1884, but the Tariff act of July
90 1882, had reduced to a minimum all the
benefits which could be derived by the United
States frem the compact. This can readily be IL
Illustrated. Before the agreement was made Hour
from Spain was subject i'll Cuba TO duty Of
81 2j per 100 Kilograms when shipped under the
Spanish dag. American -four in Spanish bottoms
was liable to duty of "a 90. On American flour
in American bottoms duty of So 81 paid.
The effect of the agreement Of 1884 was TO re-
move the discrimination between American and
Spanish bottoms amounting to SO cents. Amer
lean flour still had the difference between the
first and the third columns against it, amount
ing to 81 "a; and under the Spanish tariff law
OF 1882, this broad margin TO be widened
every year by the reduction of duties on Spanish
-four, as shown below