Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-04-29
OUR TRADE WITH CUBA
Recent Statement Showing De.
crease Of United States Ex-
ports Misleading.
Division Of lnsular Affairs Elk.
plains How Erroneous Inn
preston Was Given.
Actual Business Shows an In
crease Of Over 81, ,000. .O0O..
Some Comparisons.

Washington. April 29.-In q recent
statement given to the press by the di-
Vision of insular affairs of the war de-
rartment, considerable loss was ind-
Gated in the trade of Cuba with the
United States for the first eight months
OF 1900 as compared with the same peri
cd in 1899. 1t is now explained by the
division of insular affairs that in the
statement above referred to the status
of gold and silver coin and bullion were
included in the total value of commerce
between Cuba and the United States.
By the elimination OF coin shipments it
ing a decrease in the value of imports
into Cuba from the United States there
is an increase Of 81 o2o, 900 for the first
eight months of 1900 over the same
period in 1899. Comparison with the i'm
Iortation of merchandise into Cuba
from the United Kingdom for the same
period shows an increase in favor of
1900 of 3S.o per cent; from Germany. 1873
per cent. These per cents look formid-
sble, but 1t is said al the war depart
ment that the amounts of increase are
not so very large when they are con-
sidered in relation to the total inn
rortation or in relation with the United
States figures. These English and Ger
ss:lan figures are expected TO continue to
rise until the United Kingdom and Ger
many secure their proportionate shares
of the trade in Cuba, that is. in propor-.
ton to their shares in other tropical
countries. AS tariff regulations orer-
ate upon all countries alike exports from
Germany. France, Spain and the United
Kingdom to Cuba will depend upon their
business methods. 1t is Stated that
while there may have been an inn
ruse of sentiment at the close of
the war on the part of Cuban import
ers to buy from the country that had
Just secured to them their liberty, but
there is no evidence OF II to be found in
subsequent statistics. There are isolat-
ed eases of Cuban merchants who tried
l3tc substitute American products for the
Spanish on sentimental grounds but
that their efforts proved very successful
can not be shown. The apparent loss in
expectations from Cuba to the United
States during the 1900 period az COM
pared with the 1899 period. as shown by
figures in the statement hereinbefora
mentioned, is accounted for by the di-
vision as follows: The explanation will
be found in the item of tobacco. The
greater part of tobacco shipped to Eu-
rope goes by way of New York, and
during the first nine months of 1890,
when heavy shipments We're made, re-
ports to the division of insular affairs
did not disclose the final destination of
this commodity. 1t is not possible now
to determine the exact amounts that
should be credited to the United States.
and to the rest of the world, Europe al
most exclusively but judging exporta-
tions of 1899 by those of 1900. it is rea Z
sonable to assume that at least $1,000. 900
worth of tobacco. chiefly cigars des-
tined for Europe is credited to the Unit
ed States. The statement in conclusion
says 1t therefore appears that instead of
there being loss in the export trade of
Cuba to the United States the same is
not only being maintained but is in
| creaSng.