Evening star., 1898-10-05
CUBA TO FURNISH Our SUGAR.
A German Forecast OF Our Commer-
ciaI ReIntions With the IsImnh.

Consul Albert at Brunswick has made a
report to the State Department in regard
to the competition of Cuban sugar. The
Brunswick consular district is situated in
the center of the beet sugar producing re-
gion of Germany. Believing that any in
formation of this important industry. in
connection with the relations between Cuba
and the United States would be interest
ing, the consul supplies the following trans
lation of an article in the Brunswick
Landeszeitung on the subject:
Whether Cuba Is annexed to the United
States or not is unimportant from an eco
nomical standpoint. The application Of the
American customs tariff to Cuba means the
free import of Cuban products into the
United States. The American sugar inter-
ests possess extensive estates I'm Cuba. and
as the need for money has not grown less
in Cuba during the insurrect1on and the
war, it will not be difficult TO acquire stilI
greater possessions there. The United
States has demand for sugar OF 2tru,Ho
tons, of which Louisiana supplies 2ou,oO
tons while 1tN. 900 tons come from beet,
sorghum. maple and other domestic sugar
productions. Before the last revolution, the
Cuban sugar production amounted to over
l 100000 tons. 1t is believed in well-inform-
ed sugar circles that Cuba will supply the
entire demand of the United States for this
article in the course of two three years.
This means. in the first place. the yearly
deficiency for the American nation of q
round S4J.e1J.uoO. which the duty on i'm
ported sugar has hitherto produced. II
means at the same time the destruction of
the sugar production Of Louisiana. which
cannot exist without the protection OF the
duty. The sugar cane can stand no frost;
in Cuba there is no frost but in Louisiana
the sugar cane is visited with frost from
time to time. We calculate Louisiana
sugar to be worth only $50 a ton, So that
the omission of the Louisiana production
represents a yearly loss of S2O,Oou.Gan. Tho
Cuban planters and the sugar trust viii
share the profit which will arise when Gu
ban sugar has no duty to pay and is made
cheaper for the United States than the
sugar of other countries. In addition To
this. cane sugar is already worth mark
more than beet sugar. In the degree in
which Cuba supplies the demand the United
States will cease to buy other cane sugar
and beet sugar. OF the latter ii has inn
ported 100000 tons, the rest OF the import
being cane sugar. The English market has
hitherto been the chief consumer for beet
sugar, England having during the last year
consumed over 25Np.ppO tons OF sugar of
which about 800 tp tons came from cuba
and Porto Rico. When the United States
ceases to buy foreign sugar the whole En-
glish demand can be supplied with cane
products. Then Europe can realize nothing
from her export premiums 1t is expected
that by the next harvest the changed cir
cumstances OF Cuba will count for much.
as sufficient cane sugar stands in the field
to supply JO.oOo tons, about double as
much the last harvest supplied
The writer believes that under the influ-
ence of American enterprise the production
of sugar in Cuba and Porto Rico Will be
enormous. and will cripple the sugar indus
tries of the bounty paying countries Of Eu-
rope.