The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-02

Trade status of Cubn. Porto Rico,
Philippines and Hawaii.

ands their commerce, conditions and pro-
ducing and consuming power, is the sun
ject of a monograph just issued by the
treasury bureau of statistics in response
to the renewed demand for information
regarding those islands.
In this volume, two previous editions Of
which have been entirely exhausted an
effort hos been made to picture present
physical conditions. as well as the presen-
tation of statistics OF commerce, and the
prospective producing uhd consuming
power Of the Islands Their present con-
suming power is estimated in round terms
al $l00000009, about equally divided be-
tween the products of agriculture and
manufactures. The imports into Cuba in
1892 when normal conditions of prosper
ity prevailed, were $52 1Ol $50; those of
Porto Rico in 1896. SO 656, SIS; those of the
Hawaiian Islands in 1898, 81 $50; of the
Philippine Islands in 1895, S2s.S15,075. while
those of the Samoan Islands in 1895 were
s4lS $40 the chief commercial value Of
those Islands being as a harbor and port
Of repair, refuge and supplies.
The exports of the Islands have in years
of prosperity exceeded considerably their
imports. In 1892 Cubo's exports were $S3,-
Dps, against $50 1O1, CSC of imports; these
of the Hawaiian Islands in 1898. SIT 346-
H4, against 81, $50 $50 of imports, and those
OF the Philippines in 1896, 1913, 4S1 ,4S4 against
SIS $500 of imports. Porto Rico's ex-
ports usually about equal her imports,
the density of population in that island
requiring large importati lions of manufac-
lures and the agricultural products of the
temperate zone. The expectations of
these Islands consist chiefly of sugar. to-
bacco, coffee tropical fruits and in the
case OF the Philippines, hemp. From Cuba
the sugar exports under normal conditions
formed fully four-fiths of the total value
of articles exported. From the Hawaiian
Islands sugar forms probably nine-tenths
of the total expectations From the
Philippines exports of sugar and hemp
are about equal in value together form
inng about four-fifths of the normal ex-
portations; while from Porto Rico coffee
is the largest item of export its exporta-
ton having been in 1896 more than three
times as great in value as sugar and
forming considerably more than one-half
the total exports of the island.
Ihat the producing capacity of certain
of these islands. especially Cuba, and the
Philippines, may be greatly increased by
the creation of improved methods of in
ternal communication cannot be doubted
OF the 100000 acres composing the ISL
and of Cuba, not more than 1000 600 have
ever been under cultivation. There are
HGO0O0O acres of virgin forest and 100000
acres of fertile plains which have only
served up to this time as pastures. and az
most of this land is extremely fertile its
producing capabilities, when reached by
roads and railways, are almost beyond
present conjecture.
Similar conditions exist in the Philip
pine Islands. In the Hawaiian Islands
the sugar-producing area IS being greatly
Increased by the Introduction of irriga-
ton. The exports of sugar from the Ha-
waiian Islands in 1896 1897 and 1898 ore
nearly double those of 1886, 1887 and 1898
In Porto Rico the coffee-producing area
may be very ma ierialy increased by the
Introduction of roads and facilities for
reaching the interior of the island and
transporting its products to the coast
large areas in the mountainous portions
of the island being capable of producing
coffee of high quality so soon as they
can be brought under cultivation and their
products transported to the seabOard In
Cuba coffee was at one time the principal
source of wealth, the value of its product
having reached during the early part of
che century, about $50 900 0C0 in a single
year. The industry was established by
the French refugees from Santo Domingo.
After their expulsion the plantations
passed INFO the hands of Spaniards and
Americans, and 1t is estimated that there
were at one time six coffee estate to
one of sugar, coffee plantations contain
ing from 10000 to 1,000,0S0 trees being in
existence in the island prior 10 1890, when
the decline in the price of coffee led 10 the
introduction of sugar-growing. The to-
bacco-producing area in all of the islands
may also be materially increased, while
the hemp production of the Philippines
may be doubled with proper facilities for
transportation.
The great increase in areas devoted 10
the production of coffee. especially in Bra
zil and Central America, has materially
increased the worlds product and lowered
prices, which is illustra ted by the fact that
in the United States the average import
price of coffee has declined from IA cents
per pound In 1894 to 6.7 cents in 1899. In
sugar production similar conditions pre-
vail The rapid development of the beet
sugar industry has resulted in a marked
increase of beet-sugar production and at
low prices, until about two-hirds Of he
worlds sugar supply is now from beets,
thus greatly reducing the price of sugar
This reduction is shown by the fact that
in the United States he average import
price of sugar has fallen from 5.06 cents
in 1878. to POI cents in 1891 Somewhat
similar conditions exist with reference TO
hemp, which has recently encountered
strong competition from sisal and from
jute whose production and use in certain
lines of manufacture have been greatly
increased. Thus while the producing
area of these islands may be greatly en-
larged, It can scarcely be expected that
the prices obtained in earlier years for
their principal products win again be
realized.
All of the principal products of these is
lands are largely imported into The Unit
ed States, and seem likely to continue in
definitely among our largest items of i'm
portation. OF our total importations of the
fiscal year 1899, sugar amounted 70 @4,94,-
100: coffee, $j5275,470; fibers, $2O,S000O3:
fruits and nuts, $1S,3l4206; crude rubber
and tropical products, 49,, $40 2O7 raw silk.
with which successful experiments have
tesn made in Cuba and the Philippines
$50. 479 e27, while numerous other products
of the island, including tea. cabinet woods
gums, indigo. and spices. amount 10 many
mill ons of dollars. The average annual
importation OF tropical products into the
intel States exceeds s25O000.000, and all
or nearly all of them may be produced in
the islands in question.
AT present the total imports of these is
lands amount 10 about $1C00.0,C00, that of
Cuba in 1892 being So, 1Cl, 6S2; the Philip
pines in 1896 S2SSl5075 the Hawaiian Is
lands in 1898. 81, S50,S00, and Porto Rico