New-York tribune., 1891-04-22
FAIR TRADING WITH CUBA.

Mr. Baine's successful negotiation OF a
Reciprocity Treaty with Spain concerning our
commerce with the Spanish West Indies July
redecms the representations he made before
the Tariff Committees of the last Congress, and
amply iustifies their adoption OF his Suggestions
II recalls the celebrated letter he addressed to
Senator FRYE at a time when his plans were
challenged and their efficacy disputed. TAX
ing issue with those who claimed that SPAN
would not make concessions to our commerce
against the interests OF her own, Mr.. Blame
| argued that she had already offered us hDeral
terms for free sugar, and that what she had
done in hope she was quite likely to do again
upon a certainty. All he desired was the
power to say to Spain: " Let us sell IN Cuba
as freely as Cuba can sell here" and he would
cheerfulIy abide the issue Congress gave the
mower he solicited. The issue is the opening
of Cuban ports precisely as he said they would
ojen. and the development of an export trade
which in a single year will be worth at least
100000 to our wheat growers alone.
Our trade with Cuba has never been con-
Quoted on an equitable basis. For forty years
we have supplied, practically, every dollar
Cuba has earned. We have taken her annual
production substantially in full We have
| paid her as much as $50, 900, 600 in single
year, but we have never been permitted by
Spanish tariffs to sell more than one-titth Ill
value Of the amount of our annual purchases.
! Spain's exactons have become so intolerable
that even our Import trade has materially de-
creased in volume, and is less by S25,0OO,0 900
to-day than in 1874. This is simply the
falling off in our sugar imports. Germany
l,o,- ;r-;d doI haftt
ings that would naturally have gone into Cuba
but were diverted by Spanish taxation. The
opportunity now presented to both Cuban and
American producers is difficult of Limitation.
There is no real reason why our exports should
not amount to fully half the figures OF our I'M
ports, nor why the imports should not increase
within very few years to at least S1OO, OOO,-
OOO If Spain were to carry her new policy
of Iiberality still further to the colonys ad-
vantage and permit the opening up OF the
Cuban hardwood forests, as she has lately per-
mitted New-Yorll and Pennsylvania capitalists
to develop the iron mines, il would certainly
be possible under this treaty admitting our ma
chinery, cereals and breadstuifs, and In spite
of the enormously increasing beet-sugar crop
of Europe, to create a commerce between thlS
country and the island of fully S15O,OOO,OOO'
Undoubtedly the growth of the beet-sugar
industry in Germany and the large purchases
made there last year by the United States sup
piled another argument to Spain, in addition
to the Mckinley bill and Cuban restleSsness,
why the Reciprocity Treaty should be made
There is no denying, in view of the present
artificial currents of Cuban import trade, that
the admission of our farm products ana ma
chineIy must be hurtful to the interest OF
Spanish merchants. 1t means the extinction
of many lines of business hitherto held by them
under the protection OF tariff which our mer-
chants could not possibly smmount. Kansas,
Nebraska. Minnesota and the Red River Val
lev will now produce the grain, and Ahnneap-
oils will now grind the flour, for the entire
Cuban market, and at one bound our export
business will spring from S13, 100000 to S2O,-
O0O. 900. The introduction of American ma
chinery will revolutionize the methods of Gu
ban sugar production, and at much less
comparative cost the products OF the sugar
cane will greatly increase in quantity and de-
crease in value. Ii is not unlikely that the
very first year of reciprocal trading, consider
ing that lard oils and numerous manufactures
are included with wheat and flour in the treaty
schedules, will carry our Cuban exports well
along toward S50,000,O00.
In the face of such accomplishments as these
if is inevitable that public ,opinion should
crown Republican craftsmanship with Its en-
thusiastic approval. When the Mckinley bill
was passed these were the declarations OF Sen
ator Carlisle vocing Free Trade prophecy as
to its effects First, it would increase taxa
ton and swell the surplus revenues; second,
it would decrease importationS, and create
greater distractions than ever in the way OF
foreign commences third, the extended free
| list would prove of no value fourth, new IN
dustries would not be created fifth, reel
| procity. being a humbug, could not succeed
| 1t is already proved that all these prophecies
| are false-how false another year Will show
Already the custom-house entries prove that
the revenues are much smaller than they were
in the same months of 1890. They also prove
| that importatons are much greater, both IN
| volume and value; that the free list has at
| tracted vast How OF new business which is
| business that does not compete with American
production, and that the importation of those
| foreign goods upon which the duties were
raised has been checked. Already in the max
ing of these goods American manufacturers are
active, and the market, held for their benefit,
is being occupied rapidly, without penny of
increased expense to the consumer. And reci-
procity, denOuuce it as they may, has opened
two new and vast markets to American pro-
ducton, under conditions that are giving our
farmers and merchants an unriyalled oppor-
tunity, and are calling forth the jealous pro-
| tests of Europe.
-
BRIDGE LEGISL1TION