The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-25

l. whose first communication we
noted on this page, treats of the
American side of reciprocity with Cuba
and presents rea sons why mutual con-
cessiOns. while essential to the very eX-
istence of cuba. would also be to Uncle
Sans very considerable advantage.
When in the full title of prosperity.
prior to the late revolution, the total
yearly value Of Cuba's products was
800. 900. 900. Though the island with
proper development could support TO-
100000 inhabitants generously. that was
on the basis of / 100000 only and it pre-
sents Il minimum of what may fairly be
expected when CHba gets market FOR
its products. But. as Mr.. Gould says
'having no manufacturers, ana raising
very little foodstuffs. she is dependent
upon exterior SOiirceS for almost every
thing she eats, drinks and wears, as
well as for all machinery. coal. furn-
ture and, to IL great extent, building
materials. and even sugar, in its refined
and manufactured forms. Practically
she has. when prosperous, some $780,
OF one kind or another. Naturally she
imports from those countries with
which she can most advantageOusly
deal
80 far. with the exception of stand
ard foodstulfs, European goods have
generally suited ner the best, as they
are made in accordance with her tastes
and idiosyncrases and are sold to her
on long credits and through easy bank
ing processes. 1t would be hard for
American merchants and manufacture
ers to overcome these favorable fea-
lures directly on their merits: the best
and surest opposition which we can set
up is to underSel the Europeans. Low
prices are always Il most powerful ar
gument. The Cuban proposition is un-
derstoOd to be that, in consideration
of certain concessions on our part III
relation to sugar and tobacco. all
American products shall enter Cuba at
half duties as compared with other ma
tions. This should give America almost
the entire trade of cuba, amounting,
when prosperity shall have resumed its
full sway. to nearly 500 900.
1T is important To remember that
reciprocity with cuba would be no new
experiment.. once before, during Mr..
Harrison's administration, by the grand
statesmanship OF .Li. Blaine, Il reciprOt-
ily treaty was PASSED between Spain
and the United States in regard to
cuba. It was only partial, and was
not fully carried out by Spain, and was
of short duration. having been abrogat-
ed in Mr.. Clevcland's second adminis
trution. But ii lasted long enough to
demonstrate even in its imperfect form
the soundness of the principle. 1t revo-
lu,ioniZed Cuban trade. Tho British
consul general ut Havana in his official
report for the Year 1892, said that Brit
ish trade with cuba has almost become
Il thing of the paSr. and under the re-
cent reciprocity treaty the United
States of America practically supplies
all the wants of thc island and receives
all its produce With this treaty Il new
tide OF prosperity flowed into cuba.
with Il corresponding benefit 10 The
United States. 1t was cut short By the
abrogation uf the treaty, and was fol-
lowed by ~ period of depression all over
the island, which rendered it ripe for
the revolution winch shortly after
broke out.
"A resumption of these favorable re-
lations would lead to il like favorable
condition. If cuhu's purchases are to
be made mainly IN this country, the
more her purchasing power is increase d
the better for us. The theory of reci-
procily IN all its generality has already
been accepted by Our government; there
can be no better opportunity To test it
practically than that offered by Cuba
If successful there it could be extended
to other South American countries, ana
thus open 10 US I'LL that inviting field
which has so FAR buiiied our efforts to
enter
Il correspondent recently asked Leon
ard Wood why !, VAS that more Ameri-
can goods We're rot sold in cuba lie
replied; Chiefly because American
manufacturers do not tly 10 make what
the Cubans want 20 buy" Local pee H.
liarities are igno' cd and the foolish of-
fort IL made to induce the cubans to
come over TO nur way of looking at
things instead of offering before them
articles which comply with their Gus
toms and habits as fixed by generations.
Reciprocity, If adopted, would need TO
be supplemented by little common
sense; but the two together would he
inNincible.