Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1894-09-18
OUR TRADE WITH CUBA.
An Inviting Field for the Enterprise
Charaotor istic of Americans.
Extensive Trade Transactions Between
This Country and the Island-Good
Markets for United States
Products.

Cuba is country of practically two
products and tobacco-and one
market-the United States, says the
Troy Press. The scarcity of trustwor-
thy statistics renders it impossible to
do more than approximate in touching
upon the commercial relations between
that country and the United States,
and the best data that can be obtained
in this direction come from the British
consul general at Havana While Cuba
raises and exports to this country vast
amounts of tobacco, its exports of
sugar greatly outweigh in value the
tobacco production. Further than
this nine-tenths of the entire amount
Of sugar exported comes to this coun-
try. The table referred to, which is
reproduced in the Engineering Maya
zine by E. Sherman Gould, c. E., shows
that between 1891 and 1894 Cuba fur
nished one-third of the entire cane
sugar production Of the world. No
doubt much of this expectation to this
country in turn is exported in other
forms, certain quantity finding its
way back to Cuba in the form of 'sweet
goods" 1t may be said, therefore, that
the entire commercial existence of
the island is dependent upon sugar.
On the other hand the cultivation of
the cane, the grinding of it, the treat
ment of the juice and the necessary
transportation require vast amount
of machinery, implements, rails, loco
motives and other rolling stock.
The total yearly value of all exports
from Cuba to this country is estimated
at about s60,0oO,0OO. This great value
in exports, then, is sent by a country
without manufactures to the great
est manufacturing country in the
world, and one in which the danger of
overproduction is supposed to be a
standing menace. 1t is, therefore, ap-
parent that these imports should be
paid for by US with manufactured
goods. Yet the balance of trade is
largely against us. The total value of
the exports from the United States to
Cuba last year was but about 500, 6OO,-
600, less than one-half the value of the
imports from that country. There is
evidently room for over $4,000, 900
worth of our manufactured goods in
Cuban markets. Worse than this, about
one-half of the value of our exports
the past year-which is proportionate-
ly the same for many preceding years
consisted of bread-stuffs, provisions,
etc., while wood and woodworks
amounted to about one-eighth, and
coal, iron, hardware and machinery en-
tered the list for about one-fourth OF
the entire amount
Without going further into detail it
is sufficient to state that Cuba offers an
inviting field for American enterprise.
Her prosperity and even her very ex-
istence may be said to depend upon her
commercial relations with this coun-
try. 1t ought to be comparatively easy
for us to complete the commercial cen
quest of the island; but, as we have
said in referring previously to our
commercial transactions with other
countries, we should deal with her only
ION the square" The market is one that
recognizes and fully appreciates fair
dealing. Further, the Americans are at a
disadvantage, we areinformed, by their
careless selection of their representa-
lives in Cuban markets. Many of them
are reported to be too sharp dealers,
and few of them are able to speak
Spanish. We should be ready to give
the Cubans exactly what they want
and are willing to pay for. The rule
should apply to all countries, for that
matter. There would be little com.
plant of overproduction if we were to
take advantage of every market that
might at first appear. We should be
constantly on the lookout for new
markets in every part of the world and
for every product manufactured with
in this country. With the United
States practically in control of the
commerce of Cuba, it is hardly con
sistent to see the balance of trade
against us so heavily as is shown by
the figures given by the British consu
general at Havana.
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