The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-12
HELPING MOTHER COUNTRY
But WORKING HARM TO MANUFAC-
TURERS IN AMERICA.
Monograph ON Commercial Cuba
French Exporters Seeking Trade
I'm the Far East.

paign over the tariff question the British
colonies are rapidly following Canadas in
itiative and are setting an example for
England which will certainly add TO the
force of Mr.. Chamberlains arguments in
favor of preferential duties within the
British empire. The British colonies OF
South Africa have just put into force a new
general tariff for the South African Gus
toms union This system of import duties
applies against all foreign countries. but
with the proviso that on certain classes of
goods manufactured or brought in from
England there shall be a rebate of 20 per
cent. and on other goods there shall be
rebate of 2R per cent. of the whole duty.
The Canadian Parliament passed an act
I'm 1897 giving to the merchandise imported
from the United Kingdom and certain Brit
ish colonies a reduction of % per cent. in
the rates of duty. In 1900 this law was
amended so as to make the total reduction
of import duties on goods from the United
Kingdom and certain of the British colo
MES SO 1-3 per cent. Under this law the
importation of merchandise from the United
Kingdom increased from s33,000,00O in 1896
to $50 600, 600 in 1903
This same principle is now TO be applied
by the British colonies in South Africa to
their trade with the mother country. A
conference of representatives of the vari-
Gus colonies and territories of South Africa
was held at Bloemfontein last spring and a
form of tariff recommended which gives to
merchandise from the United Kingdom and
the British colonies lower rates of duty
than those imposed upon like articles from
other countries. This plan was recon-
mended to the various colonies, and their
legislative bodies have. one by one. assented
to it, until it has how been adopted by all
British territory in South Africa.
The rebate of 25 per cent. authorized on
articles coming from the United Kingdom
and other British colonies includes prac-
tically all classes of foodstuffs, tobacco,
spirits and certain manufactures. The class
of articles upon which the entire ad
valorem of 2h per cent. is removed in
cludes all other manufactures other than
those included In the free list. The re-
duction of duty in favor of the United
Kingdom and the colonies extends practi-
cally to all imported articles upon which
any duty is collected. This law has been
put in operation and the methods by which
the advantages obtained are the same
as those in force in Canada.
The trade between England and South
Africa has grown from $45, 600 in 1898 to
over 26,000,000 in the past fiscal year. The
trade between the United States and Brit
ish South Africa has grown from less than
$4,000000 i'm 1893 to about $H, 100000 in 1903.
The effect this preferential duty vii! have
upon the American trade in South Africa
is, as yet, more or less prohlematical. but
if the same results are achieved as in
Canada il will encourage the British trade,
while at the same time, the American trade
will not lose ground.
1t is difficult to say i'm the case of Canada
L fx1Aw he rfk.ara
trade would have shown had no preference
been given to English goods. The increase
is so large as to be highly satisfactory, but
il is safe to assume that it would have been
even larger, for the British trade has
grown perceptibly. Thus, while England is
debating with herself as to whether she
will give the colonies an advantage in her
markets. the colonies are bidding for her
trade by giving the British exporters a
decided preference at the custom houses,
thus furnishing strong arguments in sup
port of the contention made by Mr.. Cham
berlain and his followers to the effect that
there must be closer trade relation between
the mother country and the children to pre-
vent further alienation.
The Bureau of Statistics is still pursuing
its Investigations in regard to the Ameri-
can foreign trade in agricultural nipple
ments. The agricultural conditions in South
Africa present features common to agri-
cultural countries the world over. in addi-
ton to others peculiar to itself. OF these
latter two Of the leading are insufficiency of
labor (chiefiy native) and a deficient sup
ply of rain in the wet season, necessitating
extreme dispatch in sowing and harvesting
operations. These two factors make for the
use of mechanical appliances in all depart
ments OF farming In a high degree, and
this tendency has been accumulated In re-
cent years by the reduction OF draft ami
mails caused by diseases.
South Africa embraces a multiplicity of
climates, from subtrCpcal to temperate,
and the heat OF the sun either pulverizes
the soil into sand or bakes 1t to the solidfty
of stone. thus making it difficult to cater
the relative sparseness of the agricultural
population, the unmanageable extent OF the
farms. and, in many cases. the retrogres-
siveness and limited resources of the farm
ers as a body. These disadvantages, how
ever, are being overcome by the manufac-
turers. who are introducing implements
with intelligence and vigor. The more in
telligent members of the agricultural COM
munities are also doing much TO leaven
the general Indifference to Improvement,
and unless the British manufacturers
cure TOO decided an advantage in tariff dis
examinations in their favor the American
trade promises well for the future.
XXX
The Bureau of Statistics has issued very
interesting and timely monograph on COM
mercial Cuba, which Will be in great de-
mand owing to the coming extra session of
Congress, called specifically to consider
Cuban matters. This monograph is devoted
mainly to a presentation Of the business
activities and possibilities Of the island,
though there brief references to it's
physical features. climate, population, gov
eminent, etc.
The agricultural industries of the Cubans
are thoroughly described and analysed.
especially with regard to the leading indus
tries of sugar and tobacco; and the great
possibilities of Cuba in the lines of fruit
and vegetable cultivation. coffee and cotton
raising, mining. numbering and livestock
raising are convincingly set forth III Is
shown that while the soil and the climate
of Cuba are unexcelled anywhere in the
world for the cultivation of the yegeta ble
staples just mentioned, and many Others.
and while practically the whole of the land
in the island is capable of high degree of
agricultural development, not more than
half of its area has been even partly deyeI-
oped, and not more than one-twenty-fiffh
of it has been reduced to scientific culfIva-
ton in the modern sense.
One of the best features of the work IS
the publication entire of the present Cuban
tariff. with all its notifications and rulings
(Which have been numerous) down to Sent
!, 1893 Ii is shown that nearly If not quite
sloo,V0o,oV0 of American capital is now in
vested in Cuban enterprises and the infer
cncc can easily be drawn that If American