The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-03-22
OUTLET
FOr Americas Products in Our
New Possessions.

WASHINGTON, MARCH 2i.--The
prospective value of Cuba, Puerto
Rico, and the Hawaiian. Philippine
and Samoan islands as markets for the
products of the farm and factory in
i the United States Is illustrated by a
recent publication In the 'Monite1rr Of
ficiel du Commerce." an official publi-
cation of the French government,
which discusses at considerable length
the consuming power OF those islands
and their consequent economic value
to the United Stares and the prospect
I've increase I'm their consuming powers
Through enlarged production under
American capital:
AT present the imports Of those
countries amounh to about one hundred
million dollars Those OF Cuba were in
1892 (Which was an average good year,
$50, ,10i 6S2: of the Philippines in 1896
$2S,S15075; of the Hawiian islands in
1898, $11 650.S90. and Of Puerto Rico In
1896. 's,656,57S The imports. however
show a. 'eady an increase. az is seen by
the An5ertcan export figures to these
islands, those OF the Haiwiian islands
being. for 1899. s9.3O54 40. as against
$5SO7,155 for 1898 and s4690075 for 1897;
khose to Cuba. S1S616,S17 in 1899 as
against $9561. Gao in 1898 and SS.259 776
in 1897; the respective figures Of ex-
ports to Puerto Rico being S2.6S5s4S
for the year 1899, as compared with
81, sos. .946 for 1898 and 1.9SS, SSs for 1897.
There Is no doubt that with an in
creased productive power which must
naturally be followed by increased con-
sumption. the volume OF the foreign
trade OF these islands is likewise bound
to increase considerably.
"The consumption Of foreign products
by these islands * made up almost en-
tirely Of articles Of manufacture and OF
agriculture of the temperate zone. Out
Of $50, 125. .32 worth Of products exported
from the Unified States TO Cuba in 1894,
the value OF 80 953 was in products
OF agriculture. and out of s18616,377
worth Of exports for the year 1899.
50, 700 513 worth belonged TO the same
category. The exports form the Unfed
States to the Pearl OF the Antilles" are
made up principally of cereals, live an
imals salt meat cotton goods machln-
cry footwear. Instruments etc.
Spain, under normal conditions, sold
annually to Cuba Puerto Rico. and the
Philippines about forty million dollars
worth OF goods principally manufac~
tured articles, besides wines. oils. -four.
n9eats and vegetables. Out Of 1856 900. 900
pese'tas worth OF merchandise shipped
from Spain to Cuba In 1896. about fifty
millions represented the value Of pro-
ducts OF agriculture. The proportion
was nearly the same in the case OF
Puerto Rico and che Philippine islands
Speaking generally we may assume
that under normal conditions the sur
plus production OF Cuba and the Philip
pines before the war amounted to about
S125 000. 900 annually. and their con-
sumption TO 800, 900 900. but that their
productive power Is capable Of great
increase which In turn win cause SIM
liar increase in consumption About
one-half OF the imports to these islands
was Of Spanish origin and the other
half canle from otSe- countries In pro-
portion to their proximity or distance.
Thus the United States furnished the
greater part OF the import into cuba
and Puerto Rico, while the Philippine
islands received whatever Spain was
unable to furnish them with, from
Hong Kong, Shanhai Yokohama. Sing
apore. Calcutta. and Australian ports"