Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-13

iana and the other gulf states are nov
raising more rice than we need. an,
under his direction are beginning I,
export 1t. He believes that within
few years they will be able to sun
ply the markets of Porto Rico and
the Philippines. When he came into
office there were few struggling
beet sugar factories. but the industry
has grown until last year we produc
ed $7.SO0,O00 worth OF sugar. or 10
per cent Of all We use. The remark.
able success which has attended his
EFFORTS to promote the export of agri.
cultural products Is expected to be re.
peated in Porto Rico Hawaii and the
philippines, and the Cuban planters
nave accurately estimated the danger
that threatens them from competi-
tion. and their only means of escape
is annexation.
Secretary Wilson has an Idea that
within the limits of our new posses
sions we ought to produce everything
we need except the fancy goods that
people will insist upon buying in Eu-
rope. He is working to reduce the
volume of imports, one-half of which
are raw materials. During the last
year we paid $100.25O,974 for sugar.
which he thinks can be raised on our
own land; $57.935, sos for hides and
skins. which certainly ought to be
produced on the ranges of Texas and
Montana; $52.467.943 for coffee
much of which can be raised in Porto
Rico and on the high lands of Cuba,
and he now has n commission looking
into the possibilities of coffee culture
in the Philippines.
We imported $34,334 $50 of vegeta-
BILE flbers, hemp and other things.
mostly from Yucatan. and that is the
principal staple of the Philippines
The cultivation of sistal in Florida is
also progressing. The wool bill of
the nation in 1900 was $2O.2GO. 1886,
which certainly might have been less.
ened by increasing our focks of
sheep. instead of buying from the Ar
gentine republic. Australia and 9TH
er countries. We paid $19.263. 500
for fruits and nuts, Notwithstanding
the efforts Of the California people to
shut out all foreign fruits from our
markets. Most of this money was
paid for bananas, however, which we
have never been able to raise sue
cessfully within the limits of the Unit
ed States. ~
Our bill for india rubber last year
was 3l.376,S77. most OF which was
paid to Brazil. Under the supervis-
ion OF the agricultural department rub
ber trees have been introduced into
Florida to a limited extent and with
some success. but they have not yet
reached the productive period. In
the Philippines the climate, the soil
and all conditions are said to be IA
vorable for that industry, and Secre-
tary Wilson Is determined to give 1t n
good start. A
This leaves tea. silk and tobacco.
which We must buy from foreigners
although II We take Cuba into the un-
Ion the tobacco question will be solv-
ed. The experimental production OF
tea in South Carolina has already in
vited limitations. and two new planta-
tions are being started there. but our
tea bill amounts annually to $l0.50O.-
900. and we shall have to pay it to
year We paid 345.329.76O. and that can
never be raised In this country.
Thus 1t can be seen that the secre-
tary OF agriculture has entered n wide
and fruitful field. and II he can In
duce our own people to produce hides
skins. wool, sugar. vegetable fibers.
rubber and other raw materials that
are demanded by our manufacturers,
he will be entitled to a high place
among the benefactors OF mankind
This Is going to be serious ques-
ton when the annexation of Cuba Is
proposed. as it certainly will be soon
er or later. The beet sugar manu-
facturers have already invested Sell
000. 900 In plants In the United States
and are increasing the amount rapid
ly. The planters of Louisiana have
much larger sum involved and pro
duce 100000 tons OF sugar a year from
cane, or about one-third az much as
we import from Cuba. For the pro
lection OF these two interests CON
gress has placed a tariff on sugar
amounting to as much as the cost OF
producing II in Cuba because the
growers in this country cannot com
pete with the planters in that island.
To admit Cuban sugar free. they
claim. would be their ruin, because
1t costs at least two cents pound
more to produce 1t in this country
than 1t does in Cuba, but II that
country is annexed to the United
States. either as territory or a state.
the tariff will have to be removed.