New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-19

1,XEECIPROCAL PROTECTION RUINOUS.
trsou A STAFF CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUNE.
Natanzas. Dec. I'm previous letters | have
,hoxn that the Reciprocity Convention with Spain
hos Greatly benefited producers both in the United
C.o,os and in Cuba An increase Of nearly
o,o ooo 600 during thirteen months in the export
- fond products, machinery and general manu-
,.o,r,cs s the gain on the American side and
:, ;s divided on fairly equal terms between
,,rr,ors and manufacturers. On the Cnban side
.La cain is an increase of nearly 100000 tons
:: ,be production of sugar in two wears. AS sugar
=; tho chief staple of the island this enormous
d.velopment of productive resources has pro-
noted directly Or indirectly the prosperity OF
..r, form of business. An increase Of over
e,s 600 600 in the exports OF the Spanish NeSt
1rdios during the last thirteen months IL an
un.rring indication of the commercial revival
hi.b ba, been the direct result Of the Reciprocity
policy $500.
zion from the consumers point OF view In the
Tni,ed States the free market for imported
srcar has materially cheapencd the price OF one
=, IN. necessaries Of life. Whatever advantages
hov. hern derived from Reciprocity by 'npan
smear PRODUCERS and American farmers and manu-
facturers have not been gained AT the expense
- ,bs consumers of the United states. lheir
snrar mas cost them less and they nave no
cround for complaining of the reduction OF
...onro +ax.s moon their food II Democratic
Congress restores the duties on sugar IL VIII IN
...aso Tho cost Of one of the chief staples Of
;mnorted food. II will do this. moreover lor
$751; I,oc, nrotcction of the Louisiana planters,
who are utterly unable 70 supply 'he american
1910. The consumer will then be taxed in
.rl,;o oh fhc pUrp of
Oh. producing belt hut is not fairly within
:. - undertake. the hopeless and impracticable
,asL of increasing It's production so as 10 Keep
,n NTH tho enormous yearly expansion OF con-
snmntion. By the maintenance OF Reciprocl'y IL
= nioi, that fine interests of the main body OF
American consumers will be directly promoted.
Tho ouestion of prices in Cuba has been compli-
.a,od nv the changes Of the currency which have
accompaned the rcadjustmcnt OF the tarih schen-
r,cs To rct nj the truth is like looking Tor inc
traditional needle in a haystac: Two years ago
,bore was deprecated paper currency worm ~
car,s N the dollar. Int all large business trans
.c+ions were on the gold basis. This paper money
has been redeemed at 30 cents, the REMAINING
30 cents being reppdiatcd outright. ms proces7
OF semi-redemption and semi-repndiauon was
manared in such a way "a 10 place Dahk MUGS VI
small denominations at premium over iaiHe'
,,;us and AZ the same time - increase their
vaIpe artiGciav 10 cents. KS these small notes
,.oro mainly in the possession Of retail merchants
restaurant-keepers and wine-deaHrs nearly an
~ whom were Of Spanish birth, the Cupans nave
complained that it was an obnoxious form u.
class LEGISLATION. As the result OF TINS hhahclai
compromise Solver currency has replaced paper
with Spanish gold as an accompanying iao''i
While the volume Of the new currency Is ul"c"
less than is required by trade, the standard mas
boon changed and the purchasing power OF
dollar raised. ,.,-,
A tho mercantile classes and the individual
consumer have not become wholly accustoiHeu
10 the change. they are in considerable bewldcr-
r,ent respecting prices found many informants
who seemed TO be convinced that ordinary living
eypenses were higher than they were two years
400. Some OF them who had been paid bXed
salaries on the gold basis contended that their
rents were higher, and that when they paid thelr
scryants' wages and grocers bakers anu butchers
bills they had less 10 live on turing the 'non'"
than they had two years ago soon oecann'
oonvinced that much Of the misrepresentation re-
..oo.i,,, rricos was caused by bewildermcnt over
,bo transition from deprecated paper to coin
told them that they were asking 1orelsner w
believe in economic anomalies ana nhancidi
,no-voIs. that il would he miracle II the pnr-
chasing pcwer Of the standard OF eNchan2e "eie
increased and the prices measured ov IL rai'e"
instead Of lowered. and That it would be ano'"oi
miracle if a generF rise Of prices had lolio"Na
very large reductions in the revenue duties on
food products and other imports Inc changes
in the currency have inevitably caused much con-
fusion. and thereby complicated the natural opera
ton OF Reciprocity in cheapening prices
When arrived at Havana I found that the
l.aI of4a aI
tho nrjce Of bread by combination. While the
,,icA ~ wheat -four had been reduced nearly -
borrel bv the Reciprocity schedule Of January
1902. the consumer had not obtained the full
honoGt since the bakers had agreed among them
solves 70 keep up price. 70 fixed level As
Cuban houses are built without clhmneys ana
all the domestic cooking is done by charcoai
broziers and op.n-air stoves, bread Is suppHsd
almost entirely BY the bakers. The consumer
could not buy his -four in open market ana nave
his chcap leaf baked at home. lie was NJ Tue
mercy OF his baker, and was inclined TO grumole
because the price was not Immediately reduced
| have learned by painstalng inquiry that wha'
Is called "a bakers trust bears little resemblance
20 the combinations with which Americans are
familiar II is very loosely formed organza-
ton which Is grounded upon o mutual under
standing that common interests shall be inatl-
tanned. Competition IS already undermining IT,
The bakers, iadecd do not merit all the apns"
which has been heaped upon them. While they
have adhered 10 standard ratc-so many siIaH
rolls for q ccnts--a few have increased The size OF
roll, and all nave raised the quality of bread. Inc
restaurants, cafes and planters can buy bread IN
large quantities at greatly reduced rates, even II
the small consumer gets more bread for o cents
than lie did year ago, and il Is better Dread
When there was duty Of s. GO on barrel OF
American -four only the lowest grades were IN
ported from that quarter and these were mixed
with Spanish -four With duty of only 90 cents
on barrel all the -four comes from the Untci
States and the grades have been raised have
noticed at the hotel tables and in the cafes
marked Improvement in the quality of bread The
market has been opened TO American millers anu
,bc,, have learned by oXpcrience how to produce