The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-03-08

HAVANA, February 9-When an
amicabIe agreement as to the price to
be paid for Cuba,s sugar crop of the
current season was reached, after pro.
lonGed negotiations, and the contract
providing for the disposal Of $500, 009
long tons of the crop to the lnterna
tiOnal Sugar Committee, acting for the
United States and the Allies, was
finally closed, the settlement was wei
comed with relief by those elements in
Cuba who were concerned for the main
tenaRre unimpaired of feelings of real
confidence and friendship toward the
United States on the part of the Cuban
people. 1t was felt that the terms
! agreed upon were, on the whole, fairly
! cOnsi,lerate of Cuha's interests aud
that the outcome in general was dis
| tinctly calculated to strengthen the
moral position of the United States
and to discredt the influences WHICH
were working to stir up distrust and
! i'll feeling among the more impression
, able part of the Cuban population.
Delays Unfortunate
| 1t is unfortunate, therefore, that re-
cent Developments in connection with
/
to undo, in a degree, the good impress
sion then made, and that a spirit of
doubt and unrest is again beginning to
he manifest, especially among those
whose interests are closely bound up
with the sugar industry.
That this is the ease is due to two
| causes, the slOwnpss in taking delivery
{ of the Cuban crop at a time when
/ Of VT
; States and in Europe, and the failure
=! promptly to complete the arrange
ncmtS for the loan of 800, 700, 900
| promised the Cuban producers to, as
SlSt them in financing their crop dur
ing the period to the end of Novem-
Der, 1918, covered by the contract.
According to the terms Of the agree,
ment by which the sale was made, de.
! livery Of not less than two percent of
| the proportion Of two thirds of the
whole sold on account Of the United
States was to be taken in December
and the balance in approximately equal
monthly shipments from January to
| November, inclusive, while of the 800,
600 tons bought on account of the Brit,
iSh Royal Commission on Sugar Supply
for shipment to Europe, delivery of
10000 to 10000 tons was to be taken
not later than January Is, $4,000 tons
not later than January ii, and the
balance thereafter at the rate of So.
600 TO 100000 tons monthly.
The | nted States has lived up to
ITS part of thus agreement, having tax
en- delivery Of the full amount of ap.
proXimateIy ISL 900 tons thus provided
for TO February |. At the same time
shipments +" the United States have
fallen far below those of cOrrespOnd-
ing dates III previous years, while the
Royal commission, at the best calcu.
iatIon, has tnIled to come anywhere
near taking ITS proportion, shipments
to Europe having amounted to only
1861 long toss
Certain hnantial interests in Cuba
have taken ada antuge Of the oppOr,
tunlty thus offered to start a quiet
propaganda, directed to creating in the
mlhd" OF the producers belief that
th' apparent slOwnrSs IN taking de
cry OF their sugars in the face of
IN" present pressing need of them fore
casts still slower deliveries later on
ami that the taking Of the full $500,
600 tons contracted for is doubtful, to
say nothing Of the surplus of the
CROP on winch the agreement gives an
option.
rms propaganda has been given
added erect by the unexplained de
lay IN arranging the loan, upon whieh
the producers are depending for the