The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-11

We DO not know JUST What influences
are at work in effort to force the Cuban
reciprocity situation. Any movement in
that direction seems premature, and the
experience Of the present treaty thus
far certainly does not warrant any at
tempt to compel the Cuban people to
accept terms which they regard as harm
full to them. The present treaty has
been in effect for two years and three
months, with the following result: Our
sales in 1903, the year preceding the
treaty, were, by II wi export Stats
tics, $23, 504. All. During the first year
OF the life of the treaty they increased
to $32, 644, 345. During the second year
Of the treaty they were 80, 500, s12.
Surely an increase of 90 per cent. in two
years does not justify an assertion Of
failure. The sales for January and
February Of 1904 are not Immediately
at hand, but they we're notably in excess
Of those for the same months in 1908.
They increased largely in 1905, when
they were for these two months IS $780,
OPT. For the corresponding months Of
this year they reach 1888, 1888, an in
crease of more than $1,000, 900 a month
over last years sales.
There is another way Of figuring, and
the news reports from Washington are
in need of correction on that point.
Those reports state that only a little
more than one-third of the imports into
Cuba are furnished by American farm
ers and merchants" Our share Of Cuba's
trade last year was As per cent, as COM
pared with Al per cent. in 1908. Using
Cuba's import figures for last year, her
purchases appear as follows:
From the United States .............. .s4z. 9i. sSs
From England. lS'Ass.oSo
From Spain. ......... 10. 100
From e,7sA,76a
Spain beats US in wines and certain
wares and fo~odstuffsto which the Cubans
and Spaniards resident in Cuba have
long been accustomed and which they
will continue to Use under almost any
circumstances. England beats us on
cotton goods and certain other wares in
spite of our advantage Of 80 and 40 per
cent in the tariff arranged specifically
in our interest by General BLISS. This
is because our merchants do not seek the
trade and decline to meet the require
ments OF the local market as do our
competitors. 1t is our own fault that
we sell so little, rather than Cuba's fault
that she does not buy more. To insist
that she bear the penalty Of our short
comings is a gross injustice.
AS for the fact that we buy 90 per cent.
of Cuba's products, that has no bearing
whatever on the case. We do not buy
as a favor to Cuba or as a matter of
charity, We should buy her sugar, her
tobacco, her fruits and early vegetables
to practically the same amount IL there
were no treaty or if we gave her even
more than the 20 per cent. now accorded
to her in exchange for what she admits
free and at a reduction Of rs, 80 and 40
per cent. from her schedule.
The increase Of our sales to a plump
$50, 900, 900 or more before the present
treaty expires, at the end Of December,
1905, will depend upon two factors,
One OF these is the general industrial
prosperity of the island people, and the
other the commercial enterprise of
American merchants. The present treaty
should be tested fully before there is
discussion of a new one, and in no case
should there be an abuse of our position
as absolute masters of the situation If
that abuse will result in injury to a
weaker neighbor.
The best thing to do with this new
instrument is to put it in cold storage
for the next two years.