New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-12

,-uov . sTIry CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRlRUNk''
uo,anzas. Dec. The island OF Cuba is very
asenlv concerned in the maintenance oil 'he n'''-
-,oc;tv policv During the last week nave hv'
nanv prominent planters, merchants anu pun
49, w. md 7 have talked freely with leaders oil
~. ,utonomist or Liberal party Wherever l
- oone Tho question of Reciprocity has peen
80 and the chances of the abrsgation oil the
80 with Spain by the incoming Aominis"a-
49,, have been eagerly discussed. Not once nave
haord any desire expressed for the reversal OF
-. Racinrocjty policy Every one whom nave
,O.. IN Cuba has strongly favored the mamie
nance Of the existing relations OF commerciai
union with the United States. Every one mas
aid most cmphatically that the restoration OIL ue
snoa, duties and the repeal of the Mdrlch amend
WON, under which the treaties were maze, "ouiu
he nothing less than a calamity 10 the opAhis"
West Indies .,
I, ,ell-infcrmed Cubans consider the reversal
~ the Reciprocity policy by the next Democra'c
C.rrrass and Administration an incredible act OF
folv. they are reasoning from lndispu'apie e'i-
,arce If very great increase of the American en-
mart trade They do not need to be remlhueu
H. tho statistics of that trade obainable at
washington show a gain of nearly S1O,OoO,ooo
s;rc. the first Reciprocity schedule went into Ell
toot They know that every New-lOrk steamer
Games into mort heavily loaded with cargo that
,bA nublic wharf in Havana Is always hcapen
nth with American freight; that the lighters
have been unable 10 load and unload vessels With
ont nrotractcd delay in consequence of the enor-
minus increase of business: and that the enter
nrisinr Ward Line in order 10 escape detention al
Havana and TO fulfil the conditions OF its nlah
contracts has been compelled 10 charter large
feet for freight service with Matanzas. Cardenas,
Sacpa and other ports. We may have reason,
they viii say " for disappointment In not nav
ing our bread Immediately chcapcned one-half, as
II would have been if the bakers had not been
greedy: but certainly American exporters have
70 ground for complaining of the operation of the
treaty II is rapidly giving them complete con-
trol of the markets Of the Spanish West Indies.
II has enormously increased the trade in flour and
provisions and il has brought into Cuba not ONLY
machinery of all kinds but also wide range of
American manufactures which were never be-
fore seen here. When il is suggested
that the Democratic Congress may restore the
sugar duties and cancel the Reciprocity treaties,
these quick -witted Cubans arch their eyebrows
and smile incrcdulously. Has the Yankee ceased
10 be A Yankee ?T they viii exc'aim with panic
mine of wink and gesture Does he not knew
when lie has made a good bargain in trade ?'
Whatever may be the logic of the Cuban side
of the Reciprocity question. the popularity of
the policy cannot be called into question The con-
slmer here may not have obtained in current prices
the full advantage of the reduced schedules, but
while lie decaims passOnately against the bak-
ers' combination, be is conscious OF a marked
Improvement in general business. He knows
that when -four is selling for g barrel whereas
il cost Sl3 80 two years ago the price of bread
must fall sooner or later, and that whatever may
he the temporary arrangements caused by the
substitution of silver for a deprecated paper
currency, the general tendency in living en-
penses is downward Moreover, the increased
prosperity Of tie sugar planters is unmistska
BE. and that alone reconcies Cuba to the re-
suits of the Reciprocity policy. The free market
for the chief products of the Spanish islands
has stimulated production and increased their
exports more than SlG,OOO,OOO since the first
schedule went into effect The railways lighter
men and shipping houses have profted directly by
this prosperity and every form Of business has been
benefited indirectly Every wellinformed CUBAN
frankly admits that Reciprocity has been mark
edly helpful 10 tile islands.
TIE same signs of improvement which are
noticeable in Havana may be observed IN Ma
tanzas As the centre OF the richest sugar belt
It's commerce has been largely increased. There is
. brisk movement of traffic in the streets ana an
improved tone among business men. The cher
planters have been making large investments IN
machinery and many of them are still heavily IN
debt. but when they speak without equivocation
they admit that the last year was a prosperous
one for them and that with two more seasons
equally favorable they will be In excellent con-
dition provided always, they make haste TO add,
that the Government does not plumber them with
increased taxation. As for the smaller planters
who raise cain under contracts for selling it TO
the great factories, they have not taken any risks,
and with their enlarged acreage are clearly better
ing their condition. The Improvement in ma
chnery has created a demand for cane, and this
season IL is feared that there will not be enough
10 supply all the factories and 10 keep them IN
full operation. TIE small planters consequently
command better prices for their cane and have
reason to lie cOntcnted with the outlook for the
winter
Another uner,ing indication of improvement
Of the times may be- mentioned. Two years ago
when i was in Havana and Matanzas the pawn
shops were filed with antique silver and furnitur'
diamonds, lace and embrodcries; medals of honor
IN the field and heirlooms of the early colonial
period; old china and cunOs Of all kinds. The
pressure Of hard times had brought all this wealth
Of brIcd-brac into tine cheapest OF cheap markets.
There were bargains 10 be had then in ever pawn
e"Vp W ulc NOhppst"ld nave b"'h tHlOu-H thc
same shops within week and found them empty.
The old clocks. bedsteads, jewclry, china, silver
and aces have disappearcl from the showcases
The times are better and the most melancholy
slgn OF exhaustion Of Cuban resources i, no longer
revealed III pawnshOps crowded with cheap bar
gains
II Is not. however, Of these matters that the
Cuban speaks when he advocates the maintenance
Of tic existing conditions OF commercial union.
He listens .rayely when he is assured that the
purchasing power Of what the island has u sell
has been increased by Reciprocity, but he is not
particularly interested in economic studies. When
he reads in his Havana journal that Secretary
Foster, III Washington has protested against the
farming Out OF the customs revenues of the Spanish