The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-28
Tarin Troubles with Other Countries.

/ 4a1lH AEOuD4e8 with Other countries.
Germany and Spain don like our duty
on sugar and they are making trouble
about il. They have adopted policy Of
retaliation which is annoying TO this
country and is the cause OF considerable
I friction. Germany has reason TO com
/ plain but Spain has not. our sugar tariff
I discriminates TO the extent Of ono tenth
I Of one per cent. against German sugar. and
Germany is taking steps % shuS az our
! Reef The fact that the discrimination
; against German sugar is untsir is quite
/ generally recognized in congress, and a
bill TO put German sugar on an equal
footing with the sugar Of other countries
will be passed in all probability The
ground for the discrimination is that Ger
many pays a bounty on sugar that is
exported.
There is no discrimination against Cuban
sugar. but Spain insists that Cuban sugar
shall be admitted free of duty. With the
hope Of forcing this country TO concede
her demand she exacts higher duty on
articles imported from this country than
from any other except Brazil. The effect
of this policy is 10 destroy the flour trade
which this country has with Cuba. Be
fore the sugar tariff went into operation
American flour was about the only -four
used in cuba. Now Canada has d monop-
oily of the flour trade. on Hour from
the United States duty of s4.75 barrel
is exacted. On Canadian flour the duty
is only $500 a barrel. 1t is apparent that
this country cannot compete with Canada
upon such conditions.
our state department has been trying
to get Spain to remove the discrimina-
ton, and our minister to that country
has been instructed to inform the Span
ish government that unless American
goods were admitted into Spain and Cuba
on the same conditions as goods from
other countries Cuban sugar would be
shut out of this country.
1t is a question whether our state de-
partment is serious in making this threat.
The bulk of the sugar consumed in this
country comes from Cuba. II the Cubans
were deprived of this market for their
sugar the sugar planters would be
brought to the verge of ruin. It is about
as much as they can do now to operate
their sugar plantations.
But what would be the effect in this
country of shutting out Cuban sugar?
The probabilities are that it would cause
the price of sugar to advance or cents
a pound our own people therefore would
be sufferers as well as the Cuban sugar
producers. In fact. it would be difficult
to get enough sugar to supply our market.
Home production would be stimulated
greatly if there We're an assurance that
the prohibition against Cuban sugar
would be continued for a long time, but
there could be no such assurance given.
Capitalists therefore would be timid about
investing in an industry concerning which
there was such uncertainty.
What viii be done to bring Spain to
terms is a matter of doubt. 1t does not
look as if the proposition TO shut out
Cuban sugar would be popular. Those
who are interested in the flour trade are
insisting that something shall be done to
I restore to them that trade with Cuba.
Just at present it does not appear that
diplomacy Will succeed in accomplishing
that object.