New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-09
THE GAIN FOR AMERICAN INDUSTRIES.

The effects OF peace upon the industries.
trade and finances Of this country call for
speedy consideration. 1t may be some months
before n final treaty can be framed and signed
ard Spanish troops can he withdrawn from the
islands to be surrendered. Put preparation for
the new order Of things will begin 10 affect
business nj once There have been large or
ders given already. and many more will quick
" he placed not only for many kinds OF food
of which supplies are greatly needed by the
long-blockadcd islands but for materials and
eauipnents to revive old and to start new on
terpriscs This country gains what Spain does
not lose She never had ard could not lose
the fruits Of intelligent and progressive gov
eminent in the islands surrendered. and tho
development of twentieth century instead OF
eighteenth century business and industry. The
islands have been burden to Spain. and their
surrender may be n positive gain for the beaten
nation, while the victorious nation gains sim
ply incalculabc benefits and advantages which
Spain never hnd and could never lose.
The first demand upon American industries,
even before there has been time for evacuation
Of Spanish troops. must he for food. clothing
and other nccessarics. Of which the inhabitants
have been destitute during the long blockade.
|, is n pathptr coincidence that on the very
q
render word comes from the people OF Car
denas who know nothing OF the Spanish sur
render. that they desire American occupation
at once because they are hungry and in need
II will probably take some millions worth OF
supplies TO replenlsh the stocks Of stores
throughout these islands md enable them TO
restore the household stocks and meanwhile
70 feed and cothe the needy. Past records OF
tho
plies required. not merely because Of recent in
surrertions and wars, but mainly because Span
ish duties shut ont grca. proportion Of the
products which could have been bought more
cheaply from Other countries, and especially
from the United States, than from Spain Yet
Porto Rico alone imported in the latest year Of
which official returns have been published over
Sc 800 600 worth Of meats, fish. rice, -four and
provisions, while Spain sent to that island in
the same year goods of various sorts worth
sS512OOO When only about 100000 inhab-
itan,s have required much. what may be
expected from twice the population in Cuba.
whose exhaustion and devastation have been
far greater. and whose imports In 1896 were
over $50 100000 In value:
This is only the more immediate but smaller
mart Of the demands which will be made upon
ton OF estates and rebuilding Of works devas
tated will require vast quantities Of lumber
machinery iron and steel roofing material and
other products The mere restoration Of rail-
roads stations and rolling stock. ports, wharves
and coastwise vessels will require millions But
the Islands will not again see restoration after
the ancient and dead-alive methods OF Spanish
domination. New men, new enterprises. new
deveopmcnts-such as would never have been
possible without separation from Spain-wll be-
gin To come nj once. and with them greater de-
mands than can now lie calculated for all the
machinery. equipments. tools. convcncnccs and
comforts Of higher civilization. Uncertainty
about the future may retard more I'm Cuba than
IN Porto Rico. Only the most urgent and ncces-
sary changes will be covered by immediate con-
tracts. some OF which have already been mndc
with American works before the war has ended.
Rut Il Is obvious enough that there will be work
for many thousand American mechanics In
Porto Rico and Cuba. and for thousands more
in the machine shops and factories OF this coun-
try before even the beginning OF reconstruction