New-York tribune., 1905-06-22
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT.

Tho stiruulus given TO our trade with Cuba
bv the Bliss-Zaldo reciprocity treaty becomes
more patent with every fresh compllauoh VI
import and export statistics. Inc fecipiociis
convention has now been in force long eiious'i
to test its working qualities, and poth oupa
and the United States have ample reason 10 pe
satisfied with the progress made under IL. "A
bul,atin inst issued by the Bureau OF Statstics
of the Department of Commerce and LABOR
shows the volume Of our trade with Cuba during
tho ten months ended April 80, 1905 ana COM
mares that total with the totals Tor Tue ten
months ended April 80, 1904, and Aprll oo' looo.
Tho result of these comparisons is little less
than startling. -,
In the ten month period OF lo9s- % we @ III.
norted from Cuba articles valued at SIo, 'oo'ooo
and oxnorted to the island articles valued at
50 $50 92O. For the corresponding peiioo AZ
1eo3r04 the value of our imports had risen 10
e5e 7o2 40 and the value of our exports 10 s@l,-
s55 745 But in the ten month period WHICH
ended with April 80 last we took Iroih Ouph
goods valued at S69, ,441 ,259 and sent 10 the iSi
and goods valued at S31,31952o for 'he Luii
wear ending June 80, 1905, the bureau Vi H'"
tis1ics estimates fhat our imports VIII feach
total of s9OOOO,0OO and our exports totai oh
S3s 600 OOO-the trade both ways pelnS hloie
than five times that of 1S9i-So ana more 'hai
doube that of 1S94-95, the banner year IN 1ne
I
ton. -.
Tbesa apures bear witness to the extraorul-
NOW, raviveI of commerce which has followed
the return of Cuban prosperity and the estap
Iishment of closer political and trade reia'ion'
between Cuba and the United States. Ihey 40
not Indicate however, the full benents 10 tnS
country of the Bliss-Zaldo agreement Unuer
anv conditions we are likely to purchase more
from Cuba than we sell her. She produces t"o
great staples-sugar and tobacco-tor whlch tne
United States offers an almost unlimited niai-
ket. We should go on purchasing Cupah sugar
ond tobacco whether we had a special trade ar
rangeroent or not. The problem for us has been
+o evtend orr own sales in Cuba and to 1nduce
+bo Crbans To take from us what they might
take az easiIy-without trade concess1ons-1rom
orr commercial rivals; and the present treaty
has clearly been an effective instrument III help
ing lis to a better status in the CUBAN market
In the wear 19O2'03, before the reciprocity con-
yention went into force, we bought from Ouoa
goods valued at $62 942, 79O and sold her goous
valued at S21, ,761, ,638. Our imports were lhree
fines as great as our exports. Now, in the Sec
ond wear of reciprocity, we are buying products
vaI,,ed at 500 900 900 and selling products valued
OF sac 200 600 Cuba's sales to US have in
creased So per cent Our sales to Cuba have IN
creased 80 per cent Our imports are now not
three times. but only little more than twice as
orea+ as our exports The Cuban RECIPROCITY
+reatv was bitterly fought In and out OF Con-
eress on the ground that it was worthless
trade investment Its opponents argued that 1t
nroposed to give away something for nothing.
| The unsoundness of that contention is now be-
,no gradually demonstrated. The Bliss-Ialdo
convention has already justified itself by its
practical fruits.