The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-19
Showing the Effect of HostiIities on
Our Commercial Intercourse with
the War-Rent Island.
HEAVY DECREASE SINCE 1893
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS HAVE FALL
EN- OFF MORE THAN SO PER CENT.
Comments of La Lucha on the Pro-
posed Sale of the IsIand-AIIeged In
structionsStO Minister WOOdfOrd.

WASHINGTON, June 1S.-A significant re-
port on our trade with Cuba from 1887 to 1897
prepared by Chief Hitchcock, of the for
eign markets section of the Agricultural
Department, has been promulgated by Sec
rotary of Agriculture Wilson. The statistics
show very clearly the effect of the present
hostilities in Cuba on the commercial inter-
course of the United States with that ISL
and During the fiscal year 1886 the total
value of our Cuban trade amounted to only
$47 548,610, as compared with Sl02 1874 2O4 in
1898, the year preceding the breaking out
of the war. This falling off of more
than 90 per cent. in three years. Returns
already available for the current fiscal year
indicate a still further decline, the records
for the nine months ending March 81 1897,
placing the total value of the trade for that
period as low as $14,926,S17. At this rate
the figures for the fiscal year 1897 will hard
ly reach $20,0G00 900, or less than one-ffth the
value recorded for 1893 During the early
years of the present decade our Cuban
trade had received a material impetus, the
years 1887 to 1892 inclusive, showing unin-
terrupted gains and but for the opening of
the a still greater expansion, it is
predicted, probably would have followed AS
1t is, however, commercial interchange be-
tween the United States and Cuba has been
very largely abridged. Continuing, the
port says:
Our imports from Cuba have generally
been much in excess of our exports to that
island the balance of trade being decidedly
against the United States. During the ten
years. 1SS7-1S97 the value of the merchan-
disc imported averaged $59, ,656 per an
mum and that Of the merchandise exported
only $14,017,572 per annum In 1896 the inn
ports fell to $40, or 100; exports to $3.50, $50.
The remarkable decline in trade with
Cuba from July /, 1896, to March 81, 1897,
occurred chiefly in the case of the imports,
the total value of the merchandise imported
during the nine months amounting to only
So, SAL S31, or little more than the value of
the exports for the same period, the latter
being returned al Sc, 0S4, 1856.
"Of the merchandise imported into the
United States from Cuba fully 80 per cent.
IS agricultural. Sugar, the most important
of the products imported from Cuba,
amounted in value to more than 70 per
cent of the entire imports for the decade.
The heaviest shipments on record were in
1894, reaching in that year as high as q
127 502, 3l9 pounds, valued at $63, l41. 745 I'M
portations of sugar were much smaller in
the two succeeding years, amounting in
1896 to only 1O93,11 ,312 pounds. valued at
$24 100, S95. Returns for nine months ending
March 81 of the present year exhibit a still
then being only 205579. 1917 pounds, valued at
$4,251 ,64. MolasSes imports from Cuba
which in 1894 amounted to 15,S03579 gallons,
valued at $14S,412, were reduced in 1896 to
l, 7lO.l61 gallons, valued at $128,41
1.-THE largest importation of leaf tobacco,
the next important commodity, prior to the
21,694,S9l pounds, valued at SS940,05S. In 1896,
however these figures were considerably
exceeded, the quantity then imported being
26,77,3 pounds, valued at $10,613, 46S. These
uninterrupted shipments are probably
counted for by the fact that the western
end of the island, where the chief tobacco
growing districts are situated, has only re-
Gently been invaded by the opposing forces.
Since the invasion of this region, however,
there has been a great decline In our i'm
portations of Cuban tobacco, the records
for the nine months ending March 81, 1897,
placing the total amount It. received during
at 81, 6Sl, 298. According to the returns for
the corresponding months of the fiscal year
1896 the importations during that period
amounted to 210S5, 251 pounds, valued at
IS, 05S 647.'
The report contains numerous tables
showing in detail the extent to which the
importatons of all kinds have steadily de-
clined since the outbreak of the rebellion
The most important manufactured products
imported-clgarS, cigarettes and cheroots-
comprised in value more than half of the
nonagricultural imports for the decade. The
returns for them last year We're $2,O7S,270,
against So, $50 in 1890.
AS to the exports from this country to
Cuba the relative importance of the agri-
cultural articles mas increased during the
last few years. The shipments of lard to
Cuba during the ten years aggregated
$25 100000 in value forming nearly one-half
of the total agricultural exports. For the
last fiscal year there was an extraordinary
fall in this class of imports, amounting to
only $l,551. 1855. Bacon and hams attained
their highest figure in 1S93 since which they
have steadily declined Breadstuffs steadily
decreased in the last three years. last years
total shipments being only STA, 1872 or a little
more than a fifth Of the value returned for
1893. Wheat flour and Indian corn suffered
a marked decline, as did other articles of
food Milk is one of the few commodities
whose expectation increased last year, but
the falling off in butter and cheese was SO
great that the total value of the three dairy
products exported declined from $12S09S in
1893 to ISL, 440 in 1896. Iron and steel manu-
features of wood, and coal and mineral oil
have also materially declined in the last