New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-04
GOODS FROM ISLAND COLONIES.
LARGE INCREASE IN THE IMPORTS OF
TROPICAL PRODUCTS FOR THE
LAST TEN MONTHS

Washington. Dec. 3 (SpeciaD-The commercial
possibilities awaiting the tropical island territories
which have come into closer relationship with the
Onited States in the last year. In supplying per-
manent and growing market In this country are
suggested by q compilation just made by the
Treasury Bureau Of Statistics OF the importation
or tropical and sub-tropcal products into the
United States during ten months OF the present
year. compared with that OF the corresponding
months OF the preceding year. They amount to the
surprisingly large OF $3.50 900 900 during the
three hundred days in question. or an average Of
over 100000 for each business day Of the year,
showing that for the full year the total Will reach
more than S3OOoO00O. This compilation II is proper
TO add, includes raw silk tea and rice, and the
small proportion Of sugar importations which is
manufactured from beets: but, even II these be
omitted the total which would be clearly entitled
TO be cassed tropical products would exceed
S250000.O00 annually. Sugar. coffee. india rubber,
1bres, tropical fruits and nuts, cocoa, tobacco Of
the finer grades, spices gums indigo dyewoods
and cabinet woods form the important features Of
this large importation. All Of them articles
for which the United States is absolutely depend
ent. with the possible exception Of sugar upon
other parts Of the world. and, for the present al
least. for the large proportion OF the sugar used
here. All Of these articles can be produced and
produced to a greater or less extent In the
islands in question. Sugar. everybody knows. Is
produced in large quantities in Cuba. Porto Rico.
Hawaii and the Philippines. OF sugar importations
In the ten months just ended. Cuba has furnished
6S3, 100000 pounds. other West Indies 5lLp0lOo
pounds the Hawaiian Islands 534 0OCOO pounds and
the Philippine Islands 100000 pounds while the
East Indies have in the present year furnished
larger share OF the sugar importations than any
other single part of the world the total number of
pounds from the East Indies alone being for the
ten months ending with October 107S 975iS. out of
a total Of s76 756 9S1 pounds Coffee, Of which the
inportations are growing constantly and rapidly,
amounting to about S5OOOOcO pounds annually. as
against an average of about 55O,OOOO0 pounds in
the earlier years Of the decade, is successfully
grown in all parts OF the islands in question, and
at one time was an important crop in Cuba, as
well as at present in Porto Rico Hawaii and the
Philippines. Fibre, of which the importations in
the present year will amount to $2O,Co0o0 in value,
can readily De grown in all OF the Islands the
Philippines already supplying that most important
feature Of the fibre importations. manila hemp,
which alone in the present year will amount TO
about 5000 600 in value While two or three OF the
larger items Of tropical and sub-tropical imports
rubber silk and tea. are not produced IN any con-
siderable quantities in the islands in question at
present experiments which have been made In
those islands especially in tea and SILK indicate at
least that their production is possible, ana may
prove entirely practicable with further experiment
Even without these items. the list Of mportations
of tropical products which it is well known can be
produced in these islands suggests the possibility
that fully 500 100000 which the United States has
been heretofore expending outside her own terri
tory and population for products which her people
future. be distributed in these islands IN exchange
for their supplies. whose production VIII aouDTiess
be stimulated by the introduction Of American
capital and American methods .,
The following table shows the imports OF tlopIct.
the ten months ending with October lsSs compared
with 1895 arranged in the order Of magnitude;