New-York tribune., 1901-12-24
LESSONS FROM SUGAR STATISTICS.

Some suggestive and instructive light upon
the question Of Cuban reciprocity is TO be gained
from statistics of the sugar trade and especially
of nrices in the Cuban market-Jhe prices Cuban
manufa cturers and merchants have been able
to obtain for the chief product of the island
The sixteen years 1S53-'6S have been called
the golden age of Cuba. In them the produc-
ton Of sugar rose pretty steadily from $4,000
to $4,000 tons, and the price averaged from /
to 450 cents a pound. But the Spanish ad-
ministration was perversely bad, intolerable
burdens were laid upon industry and commerce,
the rivalry of European beet sugar began to be
felt. and in 1868 the Ten Years Rebellion began
The result was to send sugar production down
TO 533 600 tons in 1878. This reduction of prod
uct helped, however, TO keep up prices, and
down TO 1883 they remained at the figures men
toned AS the United States was leyying
tariff of about three cents a pound on sugar. a
large proportion Of Cuban sugar went to the
English market.
A change occurred in 1888, when the United
States adopted a new tariff, reducing the rate
of duty on sugar TO about two cents a pound
European beet sugar competition drove Cuban
sugar largely out of the English market, and so
it came to this country in vast quantities But
the price was steadily forced down to SCI
1885 from which. however, it rallied to 3.2S
cents pound in 1890 During these years the
cost of production was somewhat reduced, and
| the amount produced rose in one year as high
as 100000 tons. The bulk of it came to the
United States. 4 new era came in 1890 when
the Spanish export tax Of so of cent pound
was abolished and the Mckinley bill estab
lished reciprocity and put sugar Oh the free list
The price did not change much, being 3.03 cents
a pound in 1891 293 in 1892. 800 in 1893 and
| 2.92 in 1894 But production increased enor-
mousy to $4,000 tons in 1891 and more than
100000 in 1894. and practically all of it came
to the United States Those We're years of pros
perity and contentment in Cuba. But in 1895
the Wilson bill went into full effect Reciproc-
! ity was abolished, the United States import
duty aud the Spanish export tax on sugar We're
remposed. the price of sugar declined. as did
alse the production and the sales to the United
States, and the island burst into a revolution.
Now, let us note present conditions. Germany
is the greatest sugar producing country in the
world, and therefore fixes the price of that com
modify. Her price at Hamburg is about two
cents pound. Cuban sugar, therefore must be
sold at Havana for the same price, or a trlfe
niore-say from to 225 pound. The cost
Of producing the cane in Cuba is from / to
| 1.25 cents pound of sugar. That leaves from
! TO 125 cents pound for the manufacturer,
/ TO pay manufacturing expenses. wages and sal
aries. maintenance and repairs, interest, insur-
ance and freight to the seaboard few can
perhaps do it. In the conditions which pre-
/ vailed before the war most could do IT, But
with the burden Of wars ravages TO bear TO
the great majority It is said to be simply i'm
possible. They must let the cane go uncrushed
or crush il at loss. and the latter. of course.
they cannot afford to DO.
What the Cubans need. then. is a reciprocal
arrangement by which they will be enabled to
compete successfully in our market with the
bounty aided sugar of Germany. Belgium and
| Austria, and We. In return, will be enabled to
supply them with the tens of millions of dollars
! worth of goods which they now yearly purchase