The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-23
TRADE HIrH CUBa ~ roos.

was in iOn5. when imports were valued
nj toS,sS7 .sSS. The figures OF Last year
are due to a record importation ~
sugar. 1.2SO. O0O. 90 pounds. at prices re-
garCied an good rather than high. The
indications for 1910 ara that imports
will exceed those ~ last year and that
sugar pricee will continu. good because
IT beet sugar conditions in Europe.
Imports u leaf tobacco show an increase
IN quantity hut practically M change
in total value. nearly si5.OOo.OOO Cigar
imports show. in value. return to the
figures ~ 1917. about A.OOO.0oo. These
three articles sugar. leaf tobacco and
cigars. account for ~ re cent of the
imports from the ialaud
The remaining ite'as 81 spec al impor-
tanoe ar" copper ore. s7IaOO; iron orr.
g. .asI IN, bananas. saSs.O0 molassss.
o. .uS7OoO; cabinet woodz. SS'DOOo. and
hides - cattle. s7IO.On The pineapple
trade. which amounted Ia spO.OcO IN I90s
~ not separately reported Assuming
Cuba's Galea "a other Countries tn have
been up tn the average 90 recent years.
the islands total exports for the year
would be about SI2O.0o.OOo. a consider
able business for a population ~ not
more than 2.2oO.OO A. nearly all 81 the
exPorts are distinctly agricultural prod
ucts they are property tn be credited to
the industry % a peasant class number
ina about I 10000.
Exports from the United States 10
Tuba were valued at Sss,2I7. as0. This
eXceeds the sales OF 1913 by ss.O0,OoO.
hut does not reach the figures II the roc
ord year. 1877. when shipments were
valued At 81 .SOO.OOO. American sales
represent about One-half of Cuta's pur-
chasss from abroad. Il IL the fault of
the sellers rather than % the buyers that
they do not represent = larger percentage
Wheat -four. to a value % A.27a. 600. ~
tho largest single item in the 1900 table
~ exports To Cuba. Collectively. sales
~ manufactures % iron and steel
amounted to o. .O1i 600. and sales &c lard
and lard compounds To 1875 an Sales
of boots and shoes amounted To g. 90 On.
a record shipment. and ssslas &C cotton
cloth to o. .3aSO O0. also a record. To the
cotton account there ~ Co he added s7Ii OOO
worth % manufactures cotton goods,
making about q, OOO.OOO in all. or about
one-fifth q Cuba's purchases in that
line. This limited percentage stands In
spite 81 duties adjusted Ivy am American
Official with the specific purpose oG throw
ing the bulk of the Cuban cotton trade
into American hands.
The export list includes automobiles
valued at s27S.OOO. coffee from Porto Rico.
o. az 80; bItLminous coal. o. .DOS On. eggs.
s6s6 ,Oo0; fertilizers. t416OO, scientific IN
-tr1Iments and apparatus. SSIssO. bacon.
s7Os.Ooo picked pork $50 90. condensed
milk. 500. 0oO; crude oil. tsss 'oo. refined
oil. SsSO ono; paper. hooks and other printed
matter. t5sO.O0O; Vegetables. $4,000. lum-
her and timber. o. $1,000. furniture.
sSSI .O0O. The list in full detail 10 long and
vaTied and indicates clearly the require
ments 81 we'll dsveloped civilization.
Those WHOSE interest In and knowledge
nf the island of Cuba runs hack no further
than the time of the war betwe.n spain
and the United States probably do not
realize that Cibas present cummer,. -
no morn than a return - conditions sNt-i.
ing AZ the time ~ the revolution IN Iss5
There ~ general belief that the present
economic and commercial activity and the
present volume % import ami sxport
trade are due entirely tn American infiu-
ence, Co political and economic conditions
Of American Introduction and establish
ment The fact is quite otherwise. There
are no complete returns of Cuban trade
PRIOR To IsaS. Spain and the United States
kept records ~ their business with the
island. hut England. France. Germany
and other nations merged their statistics
~ Cuban trade with those Of Porto Rico
and other islands e the Caribbean No
returns at all ara available for the wears
from 1871 70 Ispa In the latter year even
the incomplete returns show irnports II
81. 7oO,5I5 and exports u SiIS.iSs.7Is.
Theae figures are taken from British crn-
sulaT reports.
There II another gap in the records
including the years ispa. 1877 and ISns
With the Assurance ~ peace there came
the restoration ~ industry The exports
~ isa9 were valued at SSO. .nssI. and
imports az t-5.OoOO0 Then exports
steadily increaScI until last year. when
they were probably a little larger than
ever before The returns for 1874 are
not yet At hand. and when they are their
comparison with the figures for 1891 must
bN made subject tn the fact ~ incon-
plete returns for the earlier years I'm
ports reached their low water mark during
the fourth year 81 American occupation
the year - the transfer. whom they
dropped 20 81 .0OoOOO. Sine. that time
they have increased about So per cent
The business - recent years - reported
thus tcalendar years.
fur1rfa F'rnrTss
ian ss-nisspa Nn7 ait s.s
ip7 iNs ia0als ia 80 49,
isp sSsia.aat aseu.a.g
The figures for 1879 ~ III doubtless rom
siderably Nrc.-ni those ~ any ~ these
years This comparison with tho sta
ti~ticN ~ earlier years NAV disturb the
notions of tho~e Who think that Cuba
was asleep until Americans went down
and woke u mp. hut the figures are ~
of1~ial record The notable difference
h transfer ~ Cuha'- imports 20 the
American aCcount due largely to tho
resiprocity treaty
nW~aA