New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-01-20
AN EXPERT PRAISES THE TREATY.
Surprise at Opposition in the South Ex-
pressed.
by TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE !


Washington, Jan 19-Walter Fletcher Smith
ne only American remaining IN the employ Of
the Cuban Government. who is visiting Wash
irgton spoke in high praise OF the treaty to-
cay. An an Official il the Cuban customs ser
vice. M Smith is competent 10 judge or the
effect OF The convention He said
Cuba1s do not know how many articles IN use
IL That country We produce that are IN ever
way superior 10 and cheaper than the proauCtS
r4 The same sort made IL other countries. 4
friendly exchange Of commodities under q la[
reciprocity agreement would leao 70 the use q
s. 100000 OF 81. 100000 worth OF American PROD
gc-s not mentioned II the schedules OF the pro
posed treaty This use would probacly increase
each year, The government Of CUBA Wou!o pIge-
Per and use more American gooQs OF al A----l'
and the political relations would become more
Tbe-e Is o-e thing I an surprised at-that IL,
-he opposition il the South 70 the treaty \
careful study O the schedules will show that the
South would re most benefited By tE6 treaty
and lose nothing. Cotton is the principal ag[l-
cultural product Of the South, and II IS a LnL9
r1r,e The principal manufacturing producI, u1-
less il be sugar The cotton used II Cuba comes
from Manchester prllclLa-4y. a-A o., D -
next The cotton Of the South goes North ana
East as unbeached goods. Il IS bleaChec a-o
printed n New-Englznd. and distributed lr2ll
%=x-York mainly. The concessions II the
treaty would enable shipment 70 Cuba o1recl
in competition with Manchester and BARGE
iona supporting -ha business OF bleaching ana
-7r-rrirE II FIVE Southern States. where cotton
IS principally grown This business IN CUna now
creates demand for S5,pIDoUD OF u1anu-aCt-
5red cotton This the South would get II fuli
under This treaty. together with all future ousi-
ness al Of which would 60 out Of southern
rer-s The schedule gives 70 Southern coItOll
r-oduc-s an advantage over Manchester ana
barcelona OF from ~ 10 70 per cent, and can
r-ove 70 YOU that the goods are equal IN every
respect . the foreign products This being me
case I Is hard 10 understand why there should
De any opposition II The South
Low grade goods and medium knitted goods
are particularly benefited and the difference
IL r7-ices Of these goods between this country
and the foreign countries now selling cotton 70
cuba are al overcome by the concessions N
his treaty SO that this market in Cuba viii
given entirely 70 the United States In my OBJ
se-var tons the Cuban administration has been
IMPARTIAL and efficient in classification, and no
fear need BE- entertained on this score The
South viii get The Cuban market under the
--ea-v L viii lose nothing, There is some OBJ
lection among fruit growers Of The South but
- IS made under z mistaken idea The South IS
abe % reach the Northern markets QUICKER
and II most instances cheaper. The fruits are
not so long IN transit and arrive IN better cor
Ittio1. but the most striking fact IS that the
South has 10 difficulty in selling al the fruit
z fsed 10 advantag while Cuba ships no fruit
except pinea pples. Il is not in competition with
The South n fruit. and cannot compete with
The fruit growing countries Of the tropics. This
is q striking fact, but il IS true. So far as
krow-and 7 know The whole islard-there is no
fruit shipped 70 the United States from Cuba,
except ptneappIes. I Do not know OF any other
objection raised 70 The treaty by the South.
an particularly interested II the cotton propo-
sirior. for il means much to the South