The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-27

staples of commerce and trade which
are and ever have been in active and
almost universal demand in the United
States, namely, sugar and tobacco. If
it were net for these staples the bal
ance of trade between the United
States and Cuba would show record
against Cuba instead of against the
United States
The volume of trade between the two
countries and the ratio of imports to
exports have been subject to many
and wide fluctuations, and the trade
has not been as steadily progressive
in character as is usual between ma
tons at peace with each other and
closely connected in business relations,
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
countries was in round numbers $685.
100000 in 1855 s31, 600, 900 in 1856. $54. Oo0.-
600 in 1857. and only $34, 900. 900 in 1853.
In 1872 it had advanced to $50, 900, 900,
and in 1874 to SOS, 000,0 600 (the largest
on record, only to recede again in 1875
to $4,000, 600. In 1873 it declined to $685.
100000, in 1882 advanced to $50, 900, 600,
and in 1885 fell back to $51 ,O0O, 900. In
1898 it reached $1O3. 100000, but in 1898
was only $4,000. 600, and has now, in
1903 crept back to $s4.OooOOO.
These fluctuations in the Cuban trade
have been due mainly to four causes:
% Occasional revolutions and wars in
Cuba; % occasional injuries to Cuban
crops by hurricanes and drouths; 30
variations in the market prices of
sugar and tobacco, and "a changes in
the tariffs in the two countries.
Thus, taking the case of suge< as
the most important item in Cuban
trade and commerce, the tables show
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
unfavorable weather conditions.
The sharp falling off in production in
1871 was due to damage by hurricanes.
The effects of the unsuccessful ten
years war are seen in the small fig
ures for 1876, 1877, and 1878. The poor
returns along in the early eighties
were also chargeable partly to the bad
after effects of that war and also in
some instances to bad weather The
tremendous decrease in 1896, 1897 and
1893 was due, of course. to the recent
war for independence. and the setback
in 1900 was caused by a severe drouth
in the autumn of 1899.
The differences in the value of
Cuba's sugar exports have had some
relation of course to the size of the
crops. but they have been occasioned
mainly by fluctuations in the worlds
price of sugar. and also to some ex-
tent by changes in the United States
tariffs. AS from so to 80 per cent. of
the Cuban sugar export goes to the
United States, the tariff rates of this
country are obviously of much greater
concern to Cuba than the tariff rates
of any other country.
While the amounts of sugar exported
by Cuba to the United States in 1893
and 1895 were almost exactly equal.
the value of the 1895 exports was only
about two-thirds that of the 1893 ex-
port. Both the amounts and values
of the exports decreased greatly after
1895 until very recently. These de-
creases are attributable in part to the
interference of the war with Industrial
occupations, but in the main to the fall
in the worlds price of sugar since 1895,
and in part also to the discontinuance
OF the reciprocal agreement or 1891. by
which Cuban sugar was admitted into
the United States free of duty until
1894, which agreement undoubtedly
and naturally stimulated Cuban ex-
ports of sugar to the country in 1892,
1893, and 1894
Similar effects have been produced
by these causes upon the amounts and
values of Cuban tobacco exports.
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