New-York tribune., 1899-03-24
HOME CAPITALS CHANCE.
TROPICAL IMPORTS THAT MIGHT BE
BROUGHT FROM THE NEW
POSSESSIONS.
OVER oo.ooooOo ANNUALLY THAT COULD BE
SPENT IN CUBA. PORTO RICO. HAWAII
AND THE PHILIPPINES. INSTEAD
OF ELSEWHERE.

AND THE PHILIPPINES. INSTEAD
OBJ ELSEWHERE.
Washington, March % (SpeciaD How TO expend
among own people more than 500 100000 year
which the people of the United States have been
in the past sending abroad Is discussed in the
annual report OF the Chief Of the Bureau or
Statistics which has Just been made public. The
suggestion grows out OF the 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 moro than s25O.OOOOoO year In the pur-
chase Of the class OF articles produced In these
islands which may, with the introduction or
American capital and energy. enormously increase
their production and supply practically all or
those articles OF tropical growth for which II mas
been necessary in the past to send money ABROAD.
While ii is hoped and expected that the farmers or
the United States will steadily and rapidly increase
their sugar-producing abilities through the growth
OF the beet and the establishment OF beet-sugar
factories there still remains. aside from sugar
nearly 5000 coo worth of tropical productions an
nually imported and up to the present time the
total of tropical productions imported. including
sugar. has been over s25oooO.0Oo annually
Discussing this question the report says:
The interest felt in the prospective effect upon
our commerce of the events or the past yea. aS hs
been apparent In tho inquiries which nave reacrso
this bureau from every part OF the Iouu,iy.
production and consumption OF the ISLANDS coming
into closer relationship with us, and their aplnty
TO supply our own wants and to open malke. nIt
for our surplus products, have been the SUBJECT
This question naturally divides itself into three
distinct propositions: First, how mucn tney car, an
supply OF the class of articles for wnlcn we nave
I'm the past been compelled to send money apI9au,
second how large a market they can themselves
offer for our products; third. une introduction TO
other markets which their control may oner ~
our own producers and manufacturers.
WHY NOT FROM AMERICAN ISLANDS?
Our importations OF the classes or ARTICLES
produced in the islands Of Cuba, Porto RICO
Hawaii and the Philippines have for years aver
aged fully s25OOoOOO0 annually. OF coffee our
importations amount to nearly NOOcO,Vp per
wear: OF sugar nearly another soo.0o,ooo. and OF
troplcal fruits tobacco hemp and other articles or
this character fully $500OO0O0 more. All OF these
are produced readily in these Islands. and In most
cases their production can De grea1g, g,,l nneTev
and ingenuity, 1t seems not unreas9ndpiv " .h. us
sumo that they may supply practically an or tne
heen comneled TO buy abroad and instead or spend
ing that money annually among the people OF otner
nations shall be enabled 10 distribute la II aiho,,S S
those having interests Identical win our owl, a,.u
representing American capital and American en-
terprise. 49,, -, z..r. ~, thu
coffee which we annually import now psss p contrv
Of production. thus giving a marked advantage 10
those entering upon its production IN iocaiit'es
yhere expOrt duties not Collected
The following table shows the value OF conee,
sugar and other tropical productions Imported INTO
the United States In 1896. that year being selecteo
in which changes in tariff rates affected the year
record
vaue Of principal articles Of tropical production i'm
ported into the United States during tho year ending