The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-02-02

Trade Of The United States Win Cuba
Aod Share o. Leading Countries in
The Commerce Of That Island.

luDl in the year Just EAaru oEst rsat
Cd lsS million dollars having more
than doubled during the reciprocity
period. The exports to the island. &C
cording to the figures OF the bureau
Of statistics. Department Of Commerce
and Labor. were about So million dol
lars in value, Aaying trebled under reel
procity. and imports from the island
were 1O6 million dollars in value. hay
ing doubled during the reciprocity
period. The reciprocity agreement
with Cuba went into effect December
n. 1903, the exports from the United
states to that island Ia that year haT.
ing been z3lz million dollars. against
81 million in 1911. and the imports
therefrom 57ls million dollars. against
I0s million in 1911
The increase Ia imports from Cuba
during the decade has occurred chiefly
in sugar and leaf tobacco though in
the case Of sugar shortage IN the
crop Of last year caused a material de-
cline in the imports when compared
with the Immediately pFs eding year.
In 1910 sugar from Cuba totaled 1878
million pounds with a value Of over
100 million dollars. in 1911. about
1892 million pounds. valued at little
over 76 million dollars. in 1908. Just
prior to the reciprocity period. the
total was 1894 million pounds, valued
at 371s million dollars. Leaf tobacco
other than that used for cigar wrap
pers shows a steady growth. from 10
million dollars in 1908 to 2 2-3 million
in 1910 and l6 million in 1911. OF
cigars. cigarettes. etc, a total of 4A
million dollars value was imported in
1911, against a little less than 4 mil
lion In 1907. Imports of Cuban iron
ore have doubled since 1908. the total
for that year having been / " million
dollars, compared with million in the
year just ended Bananas, cabinet
wood, pineapples, molasses and copper
ore are the items next in Importance.
with importations ranging from one
million down to half million dollars
annually.
On the export side, our trade with
Cuba covers much larfer range OF
articles. chiefly manufactures and
various food products. such as -four
and other breadsthffs. meats. lard and
lard compounds, eggs. and coffee. Iron
and steel manufactures head the list.
having grown from 2ia million dollars
in 1903 to million in 1907 and approx
imately 12 million in the year just end
ed Under this head are included loco
motives and other machinery wire,
pipes and fittings. steel rails, builders
hardware, and numerous other articles.
Boots and shoes have sextupled in
value of exports since 1903. having
risen from one-half million dollars
value in that year to 81 million in
1911. or passenger and freight cars
the exports are also increasing, having
practically doubled in FIVE years. In
1908 our exports OF cotton cloths to
Cuba were but little more than a quar-
ter million dollars, while last year they
were valued at 90 million OF lard
the exports TO Cuba have increased
from ~ to million dollars in the
period 1903-19ll. OF -four, from to 4
million dollars. of corn. from 20 mil
lion to 11s million dollars. OF yege
tables, from a half million to 5a mill
lion dollars picked or salted pork,
from one-quarter 10 three-quarter mil
lion dollars; and bitumiuous coal, from
az to 2& million dollars The fore
going are but representative Of the
growth which has occurred in many
other articles. such as milk. chemicals
and medicines. fertilizers. furniture,
paper manufactures. mineral oil and
scientific instruments. the exports of
which in 1908 had not, ia some cases
attained sufficient importance to war
rant their separate enumeration in
the Monthly Summary by the bureau
Of statistics.
Not only is the Uni.ed States in
creasing its trade with Cuba, but il is
a larger share of the com
merce of that island than ever before.
In the calendar year 1910, according
to the official figures Of that island. the
United States supplied 52.5 per cent
of the imports. compared with ass per
cent in 1900, aud al per cent in 1908.
the year Immediately preceding reel.
procity and of the exports from Cuba
in 1910 s5.S per cent were sent to the
United States. as against SIS per cent
u 1900 and T79 per cent Ia 1903. Mean
lime both Spain and the United King
lom have lost in the share which they
supply of the imports into Cuba and
are also taking a smaller share Of the
exports from that island OF the total
imports into Cuba. the share Of the
United Kingdom was. in 1900 15.7 per
,ent in 1903, le.i per cent, in 1910, 1i.9