The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1904-05-26
Cuban ReciDrOcitY.

The results Of the Cuban RECIPROCITY
treaty are already becoming apparent,
ard must be regarded az gratifying and
a. Yndlcating the contentious Of the ad-
Yocates Of that policy. Briefly stated,
our imports from and our exports to
| cuba are both Increasing, and at a
.teadily Increasing ratio. That Is pre-
ciselY as Il should BE-, ard we are con-
flfmed IN the expectation that the pro-
cess will continue at least on one side
and 10 one direction, until the United
States has the dominant place In Cuban
trade to which II Il entitled by its prox-
unity and by the natural reciprocity of
demands and supplies which exist be-
tween the two countries.
II s observed that imports from Cuba
have increased much more than exports
to that country. That Wa fully ex-
pected when reciprocity va. adopted.
/ was inevitable that 1t should be 90.
and there was no reason To deprecate IL.
and there IL no reason 70 regret Il. The
circumstance ariaes, OF course, from the
fact that Cuba's contributions 70 our
market are much less varied than are
ours to hers. Reciprocity Hesnt, 10 her,
chiefly an open market for her sugar.
new system to send to u a greatly H.
creased proportion OF Der sugar crop.
That has meant an enormous Increase Ia
her sales to us, about % per cent. But
there can be no great continuation Of the
increase. Her productive capacity is
limited. When abe lie sending us all her
sugar her sales can Increase only as her
sugar growing capacity Increases, which
will be, comparatively, slowly. On the
other hand, the increase in our sales Of
varied products to her, although slower,
will probably be much longer maintain
ed, and will be maintained at q greater
rate. Thus far 1t has been only - per
cent, as compared with her 81 But
next year the report is likely TO be that
her sales TO us have increased much less
han 50 per cent, while ours 10 her have
increased far more than %. The growth
of varied trade Is necessarily slower
than that of trade in only one or two
articles. But 1t is no less sure.
The prediction that reciprocity would
benefit all classes OF American producers
seems TO be verified. Comparison Of
March, 1903. with March. 1904, shows an
increase in sales of agricultural imple-
ments, for example, OF from 2,s53 to
$40, 1856 and of locomotives from s5,l74
to s., $50. That is good for the manu-
facturers. But the exports OF wheat
-four have also increased, from Sis $50
to 1874, 500. That lie good for the far
mers of the United States, 10 fact, the
very circumstances that has made the
increase In our exports slower than that
in imports makes the increase beneficial
to the greatest variety OF American in
dustries and industrialists. The current
statistics demonstrate that Cuban reci-
procity has secured an enlarged market
and consequent advantages for Ameri-
can farmers. There are no indications
anywhere that it has caused any injury
to them, not even to those sugar beet
growers whose impending ruin was not
long ago so tearfully set forth. We
have not heard of the abandonment Of
the American beet sugar Industry, and
we have perceived no reason why it
should be abandoned on account Of Gu
ban reciprocity. This is the practical
vindication of reciprocity upon the basis
of dollars and cents.-Tri5une Farmer.