New-York tribune., 1902-01-22
ASKS RELIEF FOR CUBA
SENIOR DE ABAD TELLS OF ECONOMIC
CONDITIONS IN THE ISLAND.
BACCO AND SUGAR MADE TO THE
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1RuSE1

E..
Washington, jan 21.-As the representative OF
the Planters and Agriculturists' Association and
the Cigar and Cigarette Manufacturers Associa-
uon OF Cuba, Sehor L. V de Abad this after
noon presented to the Ways and Means Commit
tee OF the House an interesting and valuable
statement on economic conditions in Cuba Senior
de Abad said in part:
Economically, the ~eduation of duty on imports
United States and Cuba and the interests of both
Go9 b Will be harmonized This reduction viii
Of ssscs nsgd g the figures Of the
during the ve Years $3.50 of be 80 nonnd
date @ on manufactured tobacco, the yearly average
following years 1Ssl-IsO0j under the 81 and 81 50
RIuho rates the yearly average only & 1893 POP
d aurtng d5g g. the FISCAL year of 1890 (ar Of 1850 was
Since 1894 the Collection Of duties has been still
Therefore the treasury would not be affected in
smisT 70 Pg ge r@5urnng on to tariff rate equal or
dTty souqb m b TOBACCO the difference in
and the filler would not benefit any one but simply
oe detrInt ntal to the American tobacco merchants
ported here because of its high price and does not
and the fact that oya fo oI tne n marke "a &
article is imported from Sumatra in spite of exist
t' is th n th of he
American grower and manufacturer that plenty of
Cuba 1t is a fact that cigar made exclusively of
little Cuban tobacco to it and you make an anu ac
ceptabe and marketable article The difference
by the CUBAN P producer ereh' Of na no sae ac
e9 to the money M by the Amer
and lavorless leaf with the other, which is not
AS under a decreased duty on the Cuban filler
the manufactured will not Increase the proportion
each additional pound Of Cuban fller imported
sumption of the domestic article. and. therefore
In the production of domestic tobacco
and We do not compete in the quantity of our crop
Va R RS our RTf a in Prt6 6 DbaGo G The o cost of
S per acre ana there is no competition with the
our is sf to cigars
over 65ooQo Our imPortat ton IS not more than
fgars WITH or OF per cent OF the
sumption Of this, article would Increase. without
and much to the beneat Of the American trade,
E9T sVey cry cent that hat the CuPan
American trader % makes three cents The present
cent for cigars and more than 9 peT e cent mt for
cigarettes. is practically prohibtive. and sti the
smoke gbf any other article He only consumes less
to hll and must therefore reduce his production.
WORSE THAN UNDER SPANISH RULE.
Under the Spanish regime due to the commercial
arrangements with this country. than 125 Co.,.
TO-DAY Cuba has lost the sPanish market is e1
cinded from this country cannot make treaties
remarks with surprise and without being able to
on the Moro there is iess 6read and butter in his
home, and he is worse of than under the Spanish
domination. The Cuban tobacco does not compete
in price; it stands on its quality and reputation.
~ ne IN fn4nuLac{urer @ Pays the w9rkngnan accotang
we're 10000 cigars exported to the United States
laborer earns but one-third much as he did be-
fore the revolution; or. in other words. to three
works and two unoccUped,
For the Cuban grower the situation is still worse
i
other branch OF farming. the work goes on day
is work FOR all According to the last report OF
General ne Wood oJanqary sop there are in cuba
ar in size less than eight each. 1880 eight to
only 500 over twenty-four acres. in Pinar del Rio
the average size OF tobacco plantation is 73 acres.
- Another detail TO show that whatever benefits
island is the fact that OF s745 devoted the
cultivation OF tobacco. only 2l0Qo were worked by
acres are located in the Province OF Plnar del Rio.
shows that 5000 people IN Guba are employed n tRe
cultivation of tobacco; therefore, whatever the
tobacco will operate directly to the benefit OF the
Cuban people.
NEEDS OF SUGAR PLANTERS.
IT is very - hard to fix the price OF
ditions' but it is fact beyond doubt that at the
not realize the expenses Of producton In report
of the Secretary of Agriculture the progress OF
M PS BG Tcs onsn e lG at Gned saa ha6
shows that In Porto Rico sugar costs 81 "A per 100
wages were low in iS9S-haIf Of What they are in
CATION increase and regulate the production. In
Cuoa there is no irrigation, and wages double
what they are In Porto Rico and from five 10 six
times higher than in Java.
The scarcity OF labor in Cuba is not sign OF
1888 and 1884 the crop made under great diff
culties. because of the scarcity of abor For the
or one-eighth only of the present crop will be
made and the next crop VIII be reduced to 900
or 100000 tons particularly II the rains begin early
For this reason there is foundation in the cur
rent belief that Cuba double Its present pro-
how much immigration may be fostered, the in
crease OF labor will not realize the wonderful in
crease or production that optmists foresee. Thus,
from the fact that the United States must at
present buy abroad nearly 500 900 tons of sugar,
or double the entire Cuban production, IL may be
inferred that all the advantages granted to Cuban
crease Of the domestic Industry. not even If the
beet sugar industry should meet the expectations
The press has repeatedly stated that more than
80 per cent of the Cuban mills are owned by Span
by by @ the aey %oud n6
benefit the Cubans. Nothing could be errone-
than 90 per cent of the sugar mills of Cuba belong
contrary were in 1900 mortgaged S02 0C0 O0 about
Of the creditors being foreign merchants
way will fall into their hands many farms owned by
Topane Syo 81 II the United States now finishing the
some kind Of economic help.
CONCESSIONS TO CUBA OPPOSED.
OF DOMESTIC TOBACCO
INTERESTS TO HAVE A HEARING.
Washington. Jan. 21-The Ways and Means Com
mittee to-day resumed hearings Cuban reci-
procity with special reference the proposed re-
duction Cuban tobacco. The tobacco interests
of the United States were largely represented the
officers OF the large leaf, manufacturers and grow
erS associations being