The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-05-24
CUBAN RECIPROCITY.


@ The results of the Cuban reciprocity treaty are
already becoming apparent and must be regarded
as gratifying and as vindcatng the contentious of
the advocates of that policy Briefly stated, our inn
ports from and our exports to Cuba are both ncreas
ing, and at steadily increasing ratio That is pre-
eisey as it should be- and we are confirmed in the ex
pectation that the process viii continue at least ON
one side and in one direction until the United States
has the dominant place in Cuban trade to which it is
entitled by its proximity and by the natural recproc
ty Of demands and supplies which exists between the
two countries
1t IS observed that imports from Cuba have in
creased much more than exports to that country
That was fully expected when reciprocity was adopt
ed 1t was inevitable that it should be So and there
was no reason to depreeate it, and there no reason
to regret it. The circumstance arises, of course, from
the fact that Cuba's contributions to our market
are much less varied than are ours to hers. Reel
procity meant to her. chiefly an open market for her
sugar She has been able in the first year of the new
system to send to us greatly increased proportion of
her sugar crop. That has meant an enormous in
crease in her sales to u.s. about 50 per cent But there
can be no great continuation m the increase. Her
productive capacity is limited When she is sending
us all her sugar her sales can increase only as her
xrh;o ha non,
paratively, slowly. On the other hand the increase
In our sales of varied products to her. although slow
er, will probably be much longer maintained, and
will be maintained at greater rate Thus far has
been only Is per cent, compared with her 95. But
next year the report is likely to be that her sales to
us have increased much less than 95 per cent, while
ours to 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 it 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 implements for
example, of from $285S to $40 155 and of locomotives
from $5174 to $685. That is good for the manufac-
turers But the exports Of wheat flour have also
from $17S,83O to $375,8OO That is good
for the farmers of the United States In fact the
very circumstance that has made the increase in our
exports slower than that in imports makes the in
crease beneficial to the greatest variety Of American
Industries and industralists. The current statistics
lmonstrate that Cuban reciprocity has secured an
enlarged market and consequent advantages for
American farmers There are no indications anywhere
hat it has caused any injury to them not even to
hose sugar beet growers whose impending ruin was
lot long ago 50 tearfully set forth. We have not
leard Of the abandonment of the American beet sugar
industry, and we have perceived no reason why it |
should be abandoned on account of Cuban reci- |
)rocity.
This is the practical vindcation of reciprocity
lpon the basis Of dollars and cents 1t is gratifying
% have such vindication Of it, which we were from
he outset confident we should have The higher
Of it resides in the fact that it just and
light as matter Of international ethics, apart from
III considerations Of profit and loss Not always do
abstract right and practical concrete profit so closely
coincide as in this case they happily do.