Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-30
Depression in Many Branches Of
Industry.
DEMAND FOR FREE RAW MATERIALS
Injury Sustained through the Loss
of the Colonies.
SEEKING WIDER MARKETS

Written Tor The Evening Star.
The merchants and manufacturers of
Spain have discovered to their cost that
trade follows the flag" From a CONNER
cial point of view it is little wonder that
Spain made a desperate attempt to retain
her colonies in the West Indies and in the
Philippines The loss she sustained in the
commerce of one year by the segregation of
those colonies amounts to more than the
entire value of both her fleets destroyed,
the cost of maintaining her armies and the
value Of all other property wiped out by
the war with the United States
The recent political crisis in Spain has
overshadowed industrial crisis which has
even more seriously threatened social and
economic conditions. To investigate as to
the cause OF his crisis was the work as
signed to a representative committee of a
manufacturing organization In Barcelona,
and the report of this committee. as now
given to the public, is a frank exposure OF
the commercial decline of Spain and the
enormous commercial gains made by the
United States as the results of the recent
war
Generally speaking every branch of Span
ish trade suffered severely by the loss OF
the colonies. Before the war with the
United States the Spanish exports to Cuba
amounted annually to sl36.0O.DO, Whlle
during the past year they were reduced to
Sts.O0O 600. Before the war the Spanish ex-
ports to Porto Rico were s44. 100000. Now
they are less than sl3yO00.0G0- Spanish trade
with the Philippines before the American
occupation was $40 Vt0 900 annually, and is
now less than ST. 900. This makes
total annual loss in trade to Spain. through
the loss of her colonies to the United
States. of over S123,UsD,OOO.
Rotations Toward Lost Colonies.
IN regard to the future relations of
Spain toward Cuba. Porto Rico and the
Philippines, this report says:
yxit tn no
Antilles and Philippines Is as follows:
Cuba. subject to a military occupation
pending the decision to its future, grants
the same terms 1T does to other coun-
tries including the United States; Porto
Rico applies the United States tariff to all
foreign goods, and the Philippines treat us
i'll the same way as all other countries
the United States included
I'm regard to Cuba, we must watch
closely the decision of its coming parlia-
Iucnt and at once enter into negotiations
rs as it's independence is recognized.
Should il be annexed to the United States,
which is not likely. we shall have to seek
for concessions through a commercial
treaty with the United States, which is
what we must do to obtain concessions in
Porto Rico.
With respect to the Philippines. We can
only wait, seeing that according to the
treaty of Paris any advantage conceded to
the United States during ten years is to be
at once extended to Spain The first thing
to be done is therefore to make treaty of
Commerce with the United States. The
granting of the second tminirnum) tariff to
the United States which now pays accord
ing to the first maximum. would have the
immediate effect of benefting. among
other of it's products. its mineral oils,
GOALS minerals slaves and machinery Our
minimum tariff would allow these to COM
pete with European products In several
branches. In order to extend the aGvln-
tages of the treaty to Porto Rico. which is
what principally interests US. we should
have TO grant special favors to the products
Of that island particularly to coffee, which
has its best market in Spain
Injury to Spanish industries.
The two Spanish industries which appear
t. have suffered most through the loss of
the colonies are the manufacturing of cot
ton and -four. the colonies having taken
nearly the entire Spanish production. AS
a result of the loss of this foreign mar
ket the Spanish looms and -four mills are
nearly all idle and the whole market is
badly giutted with those products In
many other items of trade, such as boots
and shoes. barrels. soap. canned goods,
dried meats and wines. it is acknowledged
By the Spanish manufacturers that the
United States has not only made serious
tnroads upon their trade. but in several
instances has wiped 1t out entirely.
y general revival in Spanish trade fol-
lowed the signing of the treaty of peace
in Paris. This was due to a cessation Of
the war and to the fact that nearly 1OO,-
NS Spaniards, many of whom We're
came alienated from the home country
and returned to Spain. The year follow
Ing the war with the United States was
one. therefore. comparatively of good
times During the past year however the
general increase In taxation, oyerproduc-
ton In many important lines and a de-
crease In the absorptive power of the peo-
Pie as a whole have again brought about
very serious condition. which has now
reached the nature of crisis
Free Raw Materials Wanted
The Spanish manufacturers after sug-
costing that the solution Of this crisis lies
in an increase Of exports. the growth of
the home market and the perfection of
manufacturing methods, turn their atten-
ZION 70 the fiscal policy of their own coun-
try They find that their tariff system pos-
sesSes the serious defect apparent In ali
tarin systems of Spanish countries in that
the duties are imposed solely for the pur-
pose or obtaining large receipts for the
treasury. the custom houses being merely
the entire source Of income for the gov
eminent. DIV
There is no free list in the Spanish tariff
law. Even the raw materials which ora
not produced In Spain and which are i'm
ported Tor manufacturing purposes nav
ooty- Even the chemicals which are i'm
ported TO make fertilizers so Indispensable
To spanish agriculture pay their tribute to
the national revenue The tariff system ia
based entirely upon the import point of
view The Spanish manufacturers demand
that 1t should be revised from an exnort
point OF view. allowing free entry for ali
material used In the manufacture of ar
ticies for export or where there is no com
petition with the home market
manufacturers are urged to make strong
euorts 10 retain the remaining Spanish
trade IN the ex-cOlOnies. for the reason az
Is explained. that we have in our favor
not only the acquired tastes of the people
nut also vested interests, a numerous
Spanish population and trade marks thai
enjoy certain preference"
Commercial Treaties Urged.
The spanish government Is urged to OBJ
tain further advantages for Spanish pro-
ducts by means of commercial treaties with
foreign countries. Spanish manufacturers
find in their attempts to encourage COM
merctal treaties with other Spanish speak
1ng countries. especially those In Central
and South America. that they are met with
one same difficulty which they find at home
4hose countries depend upon their custom
houses for their revenue and force the i'm
ports To yield their utmost. Spain is ap-
paTcntly taking the lead in acknowledging