Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-07
Our Trade With Cuba

Trade Of the United States with
Cuba for the year just ended aggrega-
ted $16S, 100000, having more than
doubled during the reciprocity period.
The exports to the island, according to
the figures of the bureau of statistics,
department of commerce and labor,
were about s62, 900, 900 in value, having
trebled under reciprocity, and imports
from the island were $106, 700 in
value, having doubled during the reci-
procity period The reciprocity agree
ment with Cuba went into effect Dec.
p, 1903, the exports from the United
States to that island in that year hav-
ing been s23,5OO,OOO, against 62,OOO,-
600 in 1911, and the imports therefrom
s57,25O,0G0, against $1O6,OO0,0OO in
1911.
The increase in imports from Cuba
during the decade has occurred chiefly
in sugar and leaf tobacco, though in
the case OF sugar a shortage in the
crop of last year caused a material de-
cline in the imports when compared
with the Immediately preceding year.
In 1910 sugar from Cuba totaled 3,673,-
100000 pounds with a value of over
S100, 900; in 1911, about 1885,, 00O,-
0G0 pounds, valued at little over $76,-
100000; in 1908, just prior to the reci-
procity period, the total was 1894 ,000,-
coo pounds, valued at 7,5OO,0 600 Leaf
| tobacco other than that used for cigar
wrappers shows steady growth, from
SIC, 100000 in 1903 to $12,633,335 in
1910 and $16,OOO,O0O in 1911. OF cigars,
cigarets, etc. total of $4,250,000 value
was imported in 1911, against a little
| less than 100000 in 1907 Imports
of Cuban iron ore have doubled since
1903, the total for that year having
been S1,500,000, compared with $1,000.
900 in the year just ended. Bananas
cabinet wood, pineapples, molasses and
! copper ore are the items next in i'm
portance, with importations ranging
from 100000 down to 100000 an
nually.
On the export side, our trade with
Cuba covers a much larger range OF
articles, chiefly manufactures and var
ious food products, such as -four and
other breadstuffs, meats, lard and lard
compounds, eggs and coffee Iron anG
steel manufactures head the list, hav
ing grown from s2,5O0,00O in 1903 tt
SS,000,O00 in 1907 and approximately
S12,000,000 in the year just ended. Tn
der this head are included locomotives
and other machinery, wire, pipes anC
fittings, steel rails, builders hardware
and numerous other articles Boot!
and shoes have sextupled in value O
exports since 1903, having risen from
100000 value in that year to $3.50,
900 in 1911. OF passenger and freigh
cars the exports are also interesting
having practically doubled in five years
In 1903 our exports of cotton cloths 4
Cuba were but little more than $3.50
600, while last year they were valuet
at 81 $685. 67. OF lard the exports t,
Cuba have increased from 81 SOC, 900 I
s4,000,000 in the period 1903-1911; O
-four, from $4,000, 900 to 81 900, 600; O
corn, from s666,667 to $1,000, 600; G
vegetables, from $500, 900 TO 1880, 900
picked or sailed pork, from $3.50, 90
to $4,000; and bituminous coal, fror
81 ,250, 900 to s2,750,00 The foregoin
are but representative of the growt
which has occurred in many other a
ticles, such as milk, chemicals an
medicines, fertilizers, furniture, pape