The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-19
MARKETS FOR AMERICA.
The Prospective Value of Recently
Acquired Possessions.


The prospective value of Cuba, Porto
Rico. and the Hawaiian, Philippine. and
Samoan Islands as markets for the prod
uets OF the farm and factory in the United
States is illustrated by a recent publication
in the "Honiteur Oficel du Commerce" an
official publication OF the French Govern
ment which discusses at considerable
length the consuming powers of those ISL
ands. their consequent economic value to
the United States. and the prospective in
crease in their consuming powers through
enlarged production under American capt
TAI The statement is as follows:
AT present the imports of these eouu-
tries amount to about s1eo. o0o. GOO Those
OF Cuba were. in 1892 (which was an aver
age good year.. So. 1Ol. $50; of the Philip
pines, in 1896. s2s. sl5, 075; of the Hawaiian
Islands. in 1895 81. $50, $40. and of Porto
Rico, in 1886, s3,656.57S. The imports
however, show already an increase. as is
seen by the American export figures to
these islands, those to the Hawaiian ISL
snds for 1889 being ss,305.470, as against
s5.907 155 for 1898 and 81 ,6s0o7 for 1897;
those to Cuba, s1S.616,3I7 in 1899, as
1897; the respective figures OF exports to
Porto Rico being 81. 6S5. s4S for the year
1899, as compared with sI,5059 4s for 1893
and $1,sSS, SIS for 1897. There is no doubt
that with an increased productive power.
which must naturally be followed by in
creased consumption. the volume of the
foreign trade OF these islands is likewise
bound to increase considerably
''The consumption of foreign products by
f-ra 81
articles of manufacture and OF agriculture
of the temperate zone. Out of $40, 1921
worth of products exported from the
United States to Cuba in 1894. the value of
s9,440953 WIS in products of agriculture.
and out Of S1S.61s.3I7 worth Of exports for
the year 1899, SO, 1888 worth belonged to
the same category. The exports from the
United States to the Pearl Of the Antilles
are made up principally of cereals, live
animals. salt meat cotton goods, machin-
cry. footwear, instruments, etc.
Spain. under normal conditions. sold an
nually to Cuba, Porto Rico. and the Phil
ippines about $4,000 600 worth Of goods,
principally manufactured articles. besides
wines, oils, -four. meats. and vegetables.
Out of 1875. 600 600 pesetas worth of mer
chandise shipped from Spain to Cuba in
1896. about fifty millions represented the
value of products of agriculture. The pro-
portion was nearly the same in the case
of Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands.
Speaking generally, we may assume
that under normal conditions the surplus
production of Cuba and the Philippines be-
fore the war amounted to about si25.000,
900 annually. and their consumption to
sl00. 000, 600. but that their productive pow
er is capable of great increase, which in
turn Will cause similar increase in con-
sumption. About one-half of the imports
into these islands was of Spanish origin.
and the other half came from other coun-
tries proportionate TO their proximity or
distance. Thus the United States furnish
ed the greater part of the imports into
Cuba and Porto Rico, while the Philippine
Islands received whatever Spain was I'M
able to furnish them with. from Hongkong.
Shanghai, Yokohama, Singapore, Caleut-
ia. and Australian ports"
The following figures, compiled by
the Treasury Bureau Of Statistics, shows
the exports from the United States to
each of the islands. The statement COW
ers the seven months ending with janu-
airy, 1900, and compares that period with
the corresponding period in earlier years |
thus indicating the growth in exports from !
thu United States to those islands since |
1897.
The principal exports to the possessions |
are as follows:
Animals. Cuba. s2.O5O.232; Porto Rico,
ST. 1C4; Hawaii. s1679i1; Philippines, Si67,-
500
Breadstuffs Cuba, sl.7SS 800; Porto Rico, |
S4G0.270; Hawaii. secs. 49O; Philippines, |
SII6.543.
Iron and steel-Cuba. S2O90. SOL Porto |
Rico, 1910. 800: Hawaii, 81. as, SO; Philip |
pines. s291.796.
Provisions-Cuba. 80 as. 1873; Porto Rico. |
sll6,346; Hawaii, s246.494 Philippines. !
s22. $50. a ,-,t i.-.fa
Total of all exports for the seven months: |
Cuba. SIS. .154; Porto Rico s2,264.2i3: |
Hawaii 1851. 219; Philippines. Si.552, To-. |