New-York tribune., 1902-08-26
REVIEW OF CUBAN TRADE.
GOOD QUIT LOOK FOR FUTURE TRADE WITH
ISLAND.
Inv r..,Ecu,rH TO THE TRIBUNE.

IpV TIKI Et,ll
yrasbi,gtop Aug 25-The last monthly COM
,erce ranort for cuba containing a review of the
entire period OF army control was issued from 'he
War Department to-day. In the time OF American
occupa tion the total value of merchandise tAclu-
sive of gold and silver. imported, was s2o ,l5o
ord the exports were $50 6G9 OS7. OF the imports
the United States furnished 43 per cent. the United
Kingdom l5 Spain -, France Az ana Germany r
nar cent The importatiOns from all Europe were
Il per cent OF the whole amount, nearly equaliing
the United States. In the matter nf exports the
cornnaratiye ratios are quite different. the United
States taking a per cent, the United Kingdom y
Germany 7. France Ply and Spain per cent. all
Europe receiving but % per cent. which consisted
principally of tobacco and cigars, sponges. honey
hides textile fbres wax and rum, Practically all
of the sugar exported went to the United States
The balance of trade between Cuba and the United
States during the American occupation has beea
decidedly in favor OF the former, although not TO
so great an extent in previous years. In this
period Cuba while importing from all countries
$45cooO0) worth more than she sold, exported more
than S31 O0O 900 worth the United States in excess
of her purchases the latter 1t Is to be noted
however that the ratio of imports from the United
States is materially greater than it in the
Spanish regime.
THE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
More than % per cent OF Cuban exports during
American control consisted of agricultural prod
ucts and n per cent of imports consisted OF food
and animals Breadstuffs and other provisions and
from the United States. while cattle were procured
from Mexico. Central America and South America.
Sugar constituted practically one-hah the exports
for 1901 For the years lSl9-SS the crops
averaged nearly 60000q tons. In the last ten years
of Spanish occupancy the production varied great
y exceeding 900 0o0 tons in each of the years 1894
and 1885, and after the beginning of the insurrec-
zion running as 225,b0 tons III 1896 and ~
$50 tons in 1897. The average for this decade was
about GOO coo tons The expectation OF sugar for
the calendar year 1899 in round numbers $1,000
tons; in 1900 2S700O and in 1901 $4,000 tons
and In the entire period of American occupation
more than 10000 tons.
1t is estimated by good authorities that about
2ooOoo acres or one-fourteenth of the total acre
age of the island is devoted to the culture of
stIgar cane With the establishment of new plants
equipped with the latest appliances, the planters
GUS burdens of the various taxes formerly imposed
by the government of Spain. the acreage in cane
NAV be greatly increased and the cost or pfouuc-
ton lie reduced to minimum
CAUSE OF LACK OF TOBACCO.
Two great checks TO tobacco raising in recent
wears have been lack of laborers and of oxen.
An import duty of s22 oxen and $40 on cows a
head was formerly exacted. rendering 1t impessi-
BILE for planters replensh their supply of cattle
and without oxen the raising of tobacco is profit
les Since American occupation there has been a
heavy Importation of cattle. and the tobacco INDUS
try has already revived. The production. while
heavy and important now. is light compared with
What II will become IL conditions remain normal
The value aS OF xcseed 5aw and nr he st me that Of
sugar but the partial reha Utilization OF the sugar
in 1901 It's exported value exceeded that of to-.
bacco by about one-hfth. The acreage profit Of
tobacco is greater than that of sugar, but the eu
tivaton of it requires more skill on the part OF
laborers. ~ c,, o,,s ., co, ,,,,sra,ts
While nearly every nationality In the world was
the great majority we're from sRain
s.:i7; Mexico. Las; Porto Rico 1883, and China.