Arizona republican., 1899-03-27
Immense Sums Expended for
 Tropical Productions.
ISLANDS GAN PRODUCE THEM
Bureau Of Statistics Issues d Cir CuIar Suggesting inc Idea Of inc New Possessions Supplying inc American MarketS-AnnuaI Im- Years Averaged $25O,O0O.OoO.

Washington, March 25. Especial. D. How to eXpend among our own people
 more than $2O0, ,00O, 900 a year which
 the people of the United States have
 been in the past sending abroad is dis
 cussed in the annual report of the chief
 of the bureau of statistics, which has
 just been made public The suggestion
 grows out of the nearer relations be-
 tween the United States and Cuba,
 Porto Rico Hawaii and the Philippines,
 which have developed during the year.
 The report shows that the people of the United States have been sending
 abroad more than S25O,000,000 a year
 in the purchase of the class of articles
 produced in these islands which may, with the introduction of American cap
 ital and energy, enormously increase
 their production and supply practically
 all of those articles of tropical growth
 fer which we have in the past been
 compelled to send money abroad.
 While it is hoped and ex-
 pected that the farmers of the
 United States will steadily and rapidly
 increase their sugar producing abili-
 ties through the growth of the beet
 and the establishment of beet sugar
 factories, there still remains, aside from sugar, nearly $20O,OOO,000 worth
 of tropical productions annually inn ported, and up to the present time the total tropical productions imported. including sugar, has been over $250,- ,000 annually
 Discussing this question, the report says: "The interest felt in the pros pective effect upon our commerce of the events of the past year has been apparent in the inquiries which have reached this bureau from every part of the country. Tbe production and consumption of the islands coming into closer relationship with us, and their ability to supply our own wants and to open a market for our surplus products, have been the subject of eager inquiry.
 This question naturally divides it. self into three distinct propositions. First, how much they can supply of the class of articles for which we have in the past been compelled to send money abroad; seccnd, how large a market can they themselves offer for our pro ducts; third. the introduction to other markets which their control may offer to our own producers and manufac- turers
 Our annual importations of the classes of articles produced in the is lands Of Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines have fer years ay- eraged fully S250,000,0O0 annually. Of coffee our annual anlportations amount to nearly $1OO, 900 per year; of sugar nearly another $1O0, ,0Oe, ,0OO, and of tropical fruits, tobacco, hemp and other articles of this character fully $50, 0,000,000 more. All of these are produced readily in these islands, and in most cases their production can be greatly increased. With the introduc- tion of American capital, energy and it seems not unreasonable to assume that they may supply prac- tically all of the $25O,0O0 ,OOO worth of these productions which we have been compelled to buy abroad, and instead of spending that money annually among the people. of other nations, we shall be enabled to distribute it among hose having interests identical with )ur own and representing American It is worthy of note that d arge share of the coffee which we an lually import now pays an export tax ,f 12 per cent before leaving the coun- ry of production, thus giving marked ldvantage to those entering upon it's production in localities where export IUties are not collected.
 The following table shows the value If coffee, sugar and other tropical pro- luctions imported into the United States in 1896, that year being selected ater date in which changes in tariff ates affected the years record: Talue of Principal Articles of Tropical
 Production Imported into the United
 States During the Year Ending June
 30, 1896:
 'offee ..... ...... ....S S4.793, ,124 ugar S9, zlS,1I3 'ruits and nuts ........ 16,957, ,307 ODaccO lS,7OS,942 Temp, jute, etc.. ....... 11,S46,247 IfsceIlaneous (estimated) 30.000,OOO Total ..... ....... $251, ,320, ,393 ''The direct market offered by the 'lands brought into closer relation nip with us by the events of the year to fully $1O0,0 ,0OO. The nnual importations into Porto Rico