Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-26
TRADE WITH CUBA.
Its Volume is Again on the
Increase.
Cuban Ratio Of Exports to Imports is
One to Three.
Some Figures Of Particular Interest at
This Time.

Washington, Nov 25.-The trade rela-
tons between the United States and Cuba,
present and past, are the subject of a
document just issued by the Department
of Commerce and Labor through it's Blu
reau of Statistics. The United States inn
ports from Cuba have always exceeded in
value the United States exports to Cuba.
The fact has been due not to lack OF
appreciation of United States products
and merchandise on the part of the Gu
bans, nor yet to lack of purchasing pow
er on their part, but rather to the fact
that Cuba has happened to be the pro-
Queer Of two great staples of commerce
and trade which are and ever have been
in active and almost universal demand in
bacco. If it were not for these staples
the balance of trade between the United
States and Cuba would show a record
against Cuba instead of against the
United States.
The volume of trade between the two
countries and the ratio of imports to ex-
ports have been subject to many and wide
fluctuations, and the trade has not been
as steadily progressive in character as is
usual between nations at peace with 9TH
ers and closely connected in business re-
lations, as. for example. in the case of the
trade of the United States with the United
Kingdom or with Germany
The total trade between the two coun-
tries was In round numbers 900 in
1859 81 900 900 in 1856. 600 in 1857. and
only $34,OOO.OO0 in 1855. In 1872 it had adj
vanced to sSO,O00,oOO. and in 1874 to $685.
0GO. 600 the largest on record, only to re-
cede again in 1875 to $50, 0O0. 900. In 1878 it
declined to $6S, 000. 000 In 1852 advanced to
S., 900. 0O0 and in 1885 fell back to $51 600 900.
in 1896 it reached $lO3. 100000. but in 1888
was only S24, 900. 900, and has now, in 1903,
crept back to 1884. 0O0.O 900.
Further examination shows surprising
variations in the ratio of exports to ini-
ports. The ration of the domestic exports
from the United States to Cuba, as COM
pared with the United States imports
therefrOm, was in 1851 about / to 3; in
1857, about l to 5; in 1858 about / to 9; in
1853. about l to 3; in 1865, about to S;
in 1869, about to 8; in 1872, about | to 5;
in 1852, about l to s.; in 1893 about l to 8;
in 1896. about 2 to il; in 1898. about to 3;
in 1899, about 3 to a; in 1900 about 5 to 6,
and in 1903, about l to again.
These fluctuations in the Cuban trade
have been due mainly to four causes:
First, occasional revolutions and wars in
Cuba; second. occasional injuries to Gu
ban crops by hurricanes and droughts;
third. variations in the market prices of
sugar and tobacco, and. fourth. changes
in the tariffs of the two countries
Thus, taking the case of sugar as the
most important item in Cuban trade and
cdhmerce, the tables show great differ.
erIces both in the size of the crops and
in the values of the sugar exported from
the island. The differences in the size of
the crops have been owing in the main.
partly to internal disturbances and partly
to unfavorahle weather conditions. The
figures are given in the following table:
PRODUCTION OF SUGAR IN CUBA.
Willett & Gray's Statement