Evening star., 1902-08-16


subject would be- dropped. In the mean
time the advantageous rates for American
products continuedT and still continue
When President aPalma's administration
took hold in May last the outgoing Ameri
can officials thought that its first measure
would be a new taEf, probably a horizon
tai increase all threAisn the schedules The
Havana newspapefS were publishing daily
articles on what they called the funnel
tariff" contrasting the relatively low
duties which the products of the United
States entering Cuba paid blythe side of
the enormously high duties which Cuban
sugar, tobacco and fruits paid in the
United States. 1t was a real funnel. with
Cuba getting the small end.
Cuban Conservatism.
Instead of rash and immediate tariff ac-
ton the governing authorities and the peo-
pie gen rally gave IA marked Illustration of
Cuban seryatism. They did not want to
seem ungratoful toward the United States.
This feeling did not appeal to Americans
themselves when the failure cf reciprocity
at the then pending session of Congress
certain. Raise the duties at once
said one outgoing American official to
President Palma, "and four out of five peo-
pie in the United States will throw up their
hats and say good for Cuba "
While the new government did not want
to be put in the position of showing A
petty spirit toward this country. it also
felt the delicacy of tariff legislation and
wanted to feel its way. That is the chief
reason why no sweeping tariff legislation
has been passed.
Thus far the administration of President
Palma has been content to have the Cuban
congress authorize q few separate acts for
special articles, but in the meantime beth
the congress and the government have been
working. Results of this careful considera-
zion are now beginning to appear What
ever may be the lack in practical manaee-
n DfNt4, fS,,
ing the broad situation and generaIizing
which would do credit to the clear-sighted
French economists.
The present tendencies are all strongly
protection They have figured I'D and find
that the island imports a large number of
articles which it can produce and they want
to encourage this production. They NAV
go little too far. yet protection of Cuban
agriculture is certain to be the basis of
their new tariff. During the year 1901 the
total importations were SG6. .5S4 oGO. of which
S31 600 were from the United States An
insight into the present tendency is shown
in brief statement of the imDGrtaticns
from January 1, 1901, to May 10, 1902, of
articles which are produced in Cuba
Among these wee coffee, to the value of
s.. .2S1 0A0; corn. $sS5Go0a potatoes. $sg1,-
QUO; onions, $3;34 Goo; black beans and other
beans, $1105,oGO.
The Cuban moral of these figures is that
the duties ought to be fixed Sd that ali
these articles would be produced al nome
suggestions also are made of a high rro-
tect1Ve duty on hemp or heneuuen. and of
encouraging cotton growing
AS to Reciprocity.
AS concerns reciprocity it NAV be that
the duties on manufactures will be thought
OF more Importance than those on bread
stuffs and packing-house products, vet the
American producers will feel heavy. in
crease on the latter articles though thew
nave the natural advantages of nearness
10 the market. Rice is an article of con-
sumption the importation of which can ba
vastly increased. 1t is here that a 1.enfo
procity arrangement favoriue the I-ni+nd
states would be felt both by England aod
Gernahy, The impOrtatons of rice from
England in 1901 Amounted to So 203 900 and
from Germany $1.31S,o0O This was tba
East India rice transshInpa1 fror, 7 ia,. t,ne
pool and Hamburg. Colonel Bliss whan
ne was collector of customs. made q care
fuI study of this subject and sa tisfied
1L IIiliI5etL IHdl louisiana rice could find a
market in Cuba which would more than
sugar. ~ " ee'ile
1t is not to be understood that the hin
Whlch passed the Cuban senate authorizing
80, enetut!Ne ~ I'VE 10 increase import duties
IL rom ~ 10 800 per cent on a variety of ar
tlCleS VIII become a law in the form in
Whlch 1t was passed. 1t also was a feeIer
III us present shape it would defeat one
i iHi P0'o' "lllcn was said to be to insure ar
increase IN the customs duties so that they
would be sufficient to meet the interns+ and
SINKING fund requirements on that nro-
posed S4o.00O,000 loan. This purpose wouId
ne ueiedted because most @of the increased
aulies u are so high that they would de-
81 81 Ease ifhportatlons and in some instances
close the market entirely Poor peonle |
"0uLa De the ones to feel their force
w w HlIe eleSe proposed increases In the Gu |
"a osH lar ta+l1 Il, are not to be taken an index
IN u
be overlooked that the tentative nronosi |
Iohs gradually are crystallizing and the |
government and the congress are getting
N IN better position for the actual revision |
I,'iae Id 'neH tarIH Ihat they are going to rec
'shlze as best they NAV the protective !
principle is certain. The only question is |
" /" netiItF OF not they will carry it to such |
ensths as to abuse that principle
~. - may De said that if the United States |
gets reciprocity the Cuban rates will he Of |
no consequence because whatever tbeIy arl
l. VIII nave the advantage of a discrimina
non as against other countries Yet the |
amount Of this discrimination has to be |
s;4 IlLto account. Cuban tobacco and |
I:S u t9 may SCI along pretty well with re- |
lucuon of % per cent In the American |
Iita.a ,iai me- put sugar needs more, and the |
~ J. ise pollcy Will be to concede not less than
30 per cent to all Cuban products.
The Advantages.
Ihe flrst advantage would be in the gen.
sral prosperity which would spread over
NE island and enable its people to buy
hucn more extensively than now The
oartlcuiar advantage would be in the lower
iu'les 1of American imports as against
'ther countries. The calculation Is made
1iia' ehe average rate of duty under the |
7Alsllhs cuban tariff is "a per cent ad va
III "a elli, ana experts think an advantage of |
% De- per cent, or to 10 per cent ad valorem,
souia " not De enough for American r2anu-
atturea a products, assuming that the same
lloportlons would hold in the proposed
rev CUBAN tariff. 1t is hinted, however,
'oncede only a general reduction of 25 per
;ent @ on Cuban products imported into the
United states, in return it will ask slid
ng schedule, giving it's own products an
advantage ranging from % to so per cent
ct some public men talk as though reci-
'Ioclty win Cuba will be an act of charity
oward the new republic.
CHARLES NJ. PEPPER.