 |
By the operation of the former of these instruments the United States virtually underwrites the political stability and the financial responsibility of the Cuban Government. That Government cannot borrow any important sums without the consent of the United States, and it has agreed that this country "may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the Treaty of Paris on the United States." This assumption of responsibility by the United States inspired confidence on the part of capital, and large sums have been invested in Cuban bonds, and in numerous public and private enterprises. Railways and trolley lines have been built and many other works of public utility have been undertaken. The activities of old sugar plantations have been extended under improved conditions, and many new estates with costly modern equipment have been created. The cultivation of large areas, previously lying waste and idle, afforded both directly and indirectly employment for an increased population, as did the numerous public works. The other force, perhaps no less effective, appears in the reciprocity treaty of 1903. This gave to Cuba's most important crop a large though by no means absolute control of the constantly increasing sugar market of the United States, as far as competition from other foreign countries was concerned. The sugar industry of the island may be said to have been restored to its normal proportions in 1903. Our imports for the five-year period 1904-1908 averaged 1,200,000 tons a year. For the five-year period 1910-1914 they averaged 1,720,000 tons. In 1914, they were 2,200,000 tons as compared with 1,260,000 tons in 1904. It is doubtful if the treaty had any appreciable influence on the exports of Cuban tobacco to this country. We buy Cuba's special tobacco irrespective of a custom-house advantage that affects the box price only a little, and the price of a single cigar probably not at all. On the other side of the account, that of our sales to Cuba, there also appears a large increase since the application of the reciprocity treaty. Using the figures showing exports from the United States to Cuba, instead of Cuba's records showing imports from this country, it appears that our sales to the island in the fiscal year 1903, immediately preceding the operation of the treaty, amounted to $21,761,638. In the fiscal year 1913 they were $70,581,000, and in 1914 were $68,884,000.
Not all of this quite remarkable gain may properly be credited to the influence of the reciprocity treaty. The purchases of the island are determined, broadly, by its sales. As the latter increase, so do the former. Almost invariably, a year of large export sales is followed by a year of heavy import purchases. The fact that our imports from Cuba are double our sales to Cuba, in the total of a period of years, has given rise to some foolish criticism of the Cubans on the ground that, we buying so heavily from them, they should purchase from us a much larger percentage of their import requirements. No such obligation is held to exist in regard to our trade with other lands, and it should have no place in any consideration of our trade with Cuba. There are many markets, like Brazil, British India, Japan, China, Mexico, and Egypt, in which our purchases exceed our sales. There are more, like the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Central America, and numerous others, in which our sales considerably or greatly exceed our purchases. We do not buy from them simply because they buy from us. We buy what we need or want in that market in which we can buy to the greatest advantage. The Cuban merchants, who are nearly all Spaniards, do the same. The notion held by some that, because of our service to Cuba in the time of her struggle for national life, the Cubans should buy from us is both foolish and altogether unworthy. Any notion of Cuba's obligation to pay us for what we may have done for her should be promptly dismissed and forgotten. There are commodities, such as lumber, pork products, coal, wheat flour, and mineral oil produces, that Cuba can buy in our markets on terms better than those obtainable elsewhere. Other commodities, such as textiles, leather goods, sugar mill equipment, railway equipment, drugs, chemicals, and much else, must be sold by American dealers in sharp competition with the merchants of other countries, with such assistance as may be afforded by the reciprocity treaty. That instrument gives us a custom-house advantage of 20, 25, 30, and 40 per cent, in the tariff rates. It is enough in some cases to give us a fair equality with European sellers, and in a few cases to give us a narrow margin of advantage over them. It does not give us enough to compel Cuban buyers to trade with us because of lower delivered prices.
Cuba's economic future can be safely predicted on the basis of its past. The pace of its development will depend mainly upon a further influx of capital and an increase in its working population. Its political future is less certain. There is ample ground for both hope and belief that the little clouds that hang on the political horizon will be dissipated, that there will come, year by year, a sane adjustment to the new institutions. But full assurance of peace and order will come only when the people of the island, whether planters or peasants, see clearly the difference between a government conducted in their interest and a government conducted by Cubans along Spanish lines.
INDEX
A
Adams, President John, 127 Angulo, Governor de, 59 Animals, wild, 50 Asphalt, 232, 233 Autonomy, 143, 178
B
Babeque, 6, 7 Bacon, Hon. Robert, 160 Bacon's Rebellion, 144 Ballou, M.M., 31, 32, 71 Banes, 113 Baracoa, 12, 91, 100, 114 Batabano, 12, 116 Baths, 52 Bellamar, Caves of, 42,110 Belligerent rights, 136, 140, 157, 158, 181 Bermuda, 189, 197 Bertram, Luis, 14 Betancourt, Salvador Cisneros, 174 Black Eagle conspiracy, 147 Black Warrior, 131 Blanco, General Ramon, 178 Bolivia, 126 Bolivar, Simon, 124, 185 Bonds, Cuban, 175 Boston sugar plantation, 113 Buchanan, President, 130
C
Cabana, 57, 60 Cabinet, Cuban, 250 Cabrera, Raimundo, 135 Cadiz, 20 Caibarien, 102 Callahan, James M., 125, 139, 152 Camaguey, city, 105, 110, 111 Camaguey, province, 40, 109 Cardenas, 101 Casa de Beneficencia, 24 Castillo del Principe, 57, 60, 71, 83 Cathay, 3 Cathedral, Havana, 63 Cattle, 17, 235 Cauto river, 43 Caves, 42 Cemetery, Colon, 83 Census Reports, United States, 27, 35, 44, 144, 236 Cespedes, Carlos Manuel,154, 155 Channing, Edward, 142, 143 Chaparra sugar plantation, 113 Ciego de Avila, 106 Cienaga de Zapata, 43, 51 Cienfuegos, 102 Cigars, 224, 225, 254 Cipango, 2, 5 Clerks' Associations, 251 Climate, 45 et seq. Coal, 232 Coffee, 23, 36, 226, et seq. Colonies, American in Cuba, 12, 120 Colonies, British, 19, 236 Colonies, Spanish, 19, 21, 123, 126 Columbia, 124, 145 Columbus, Christopher Death and remains, 63 Describes Cuba, 3, 4, 7 Discovers Cuba, 2 Extract from journal, 2 Letter to Sanchez, 3 Memorial to, 64 Mistaken belief, 2, 3, 5, 8 Report to Spanish sovereigns, 7 Second expedition, 7 Commerce, 21, 22, 35, 36, 156, 253, 254, 257 Commodore, 193, 195, 197 Constitutional Convention, 247 Constitution, Cuban, 154, 245, 246 Constitution, Spanish, 29, 145, 159 Copper, 231, 232 Cordoba, de, 12 Cortes, Hernan, 13, 58 Cortes, Spanish, 29, 176 Crittenden, Col., 150 Cuba: Aborigines, 14, 15. Advice to visitors, 55. American attitude toward, 135, 137, 140. Annexation proposed, 125 et seq. Animals, wild, 49. Area, 37. Climate and temperature, 45 et seq. Colonized, 12. Commerce, 21, 22, 35, 36, 156, 253, 254, 257. Conquest by Velasquez, II. Described by Columbus, 3, 4, 7. Description, general, 37 et seq. Discovered, 2. Expeditions from, 13, 14. Flora, 48. Forests, 49. Future of, 258. Insects, 51. Intervention by United States, 25, 160, 182, 242. Mineral springs, 52. Monopolies in, 20, 144, 220, 231. Monroe Doctrine, 127. Nineteenth Century, 142. Population, 17, 23, 34. Railways, 89, 91. Relations with United States, 122 et seq., 247, 248. Republic of, 182. Revolutions, 141 et seq. Roads, 87, 95, 96. Self-government, 243. Slavery in, 15, 16, 23, 125, 145, 155. Spanish Governors, 24, 32. Spanish policy in, 17, 19 et seq. 24, 31. Trade restrictions, 20, 21, 24, 25, 30. Taxation, Spanish, 24, 27, 28, 30. Villages, 85, 93, 94, 100 Cuba and the Intervention, 154, 164 Cushing, Caleb, 138 Custom house, 62
D
Dauntless, 193, 194, 197, 199, 200 Delicias sugar plantation, 113 Dexter, Lord Timothy, 216 Domestic life, 80
E
EARTHQUAKES, 53 Elections, 240, 250 Elson, Henry William, 186 England, 19, 128, 130, 139, 145 Everett, Alexander H., 130
F
FILIBUSTERING expeditions, 148 et seq., 184 et seq. Firemen, 83 Fish, Secretary, 157 Flora, 48 Florida, 13 Forests, 48, 49 Fortifications, 59, 60 France, 128, 145 Fritot, Alphonso, 196, 199 Fruits, 5, 229 Fuerza, la, 17, 58, 59
G
Garcia, General Calixto, 84, 190 Geerligs, H.C. Prinsen, 206 Gibara, 112 Gold, 2, 6, 231 Gomez, General Maximo, 84, 158, 164, 172, 174. Proclamations, 167 et seq. Government, 250 Grant, President, 135 et seq. Guane, 101 Guantanamo, 91, 115 Guines, 90
H
Haiti, 9, 10, 144 Harbors, 44 Hart, John D., 191, 197 Hatuey, 8 et seq. Havana: Bells, church, 65. British occupation, 20. Capital, 20, 59. Cathedral, 63. Changes in, 66, 67, 82, 85. Commerce limited to, 20. Destroyed, 17, 58, 59. Discovered, 12, 57. Early conditions, 61. Excursions from, 97 et seq. Firemen, 83. Fortifications, 59, 60. Homes in, 77 et seq. Las Casas as governor, 24. Market, fish, 74. Name, origin of, 58. New City, 70 et seq. Old city, 54 et seq. Parks, 70, 71. Paseo, 75. Public buildings, 62 et seq. Sanitation of, 63. Settled 12, 58. Shopping in, 68. Streets 61, 71. Suburbs, 85. Sunrise in harbor, 54. Theatre, Nacional, 71 et seq. Havana, province, 38, 41 Hayes, President, 136 Hazard, Samuel, 33, 65, 111 Henry, Patrick, 143 Heredia, Jose Maria, 146 Hill, Robert T., 39, 48 Holguin, 113 Hotels, 91, 111 Homes, 77 et seq. Humboldt, Baron Alexander, 8, 14, 15, 16, 35, 53 Hurricanes, 53
I
Imports and Exports, 253, 256 Independence, 162 et seq. Insect life, 51 Intervention, First, 25, 182, 242 Intervention, Second, 160 Iron ore, 233, 234 Irving, Washington, 4, 5, 6 Isle of Pines, 8, 116, 117 et seq.
J
Jefferson, Thomas, 122 Joint Resolution of 1898, 242 Jolo, 54 Juana, 2, 4 Jucaro, 106 Junta, 164, 174, 188
K
Kimball, R.B. 32
L
Las Casas, Bartolome, 9, 14 Las Casas, Governor Luis de, 24 Laurada, 193 et seq. Lemus, Jose Francisco, 146 Llorente, Pedro, 246 Lodge, Henry Cabot, 123 Lopez, Narciso, 148 et seq. Ludlow, General William, 63
M
Maceo, General Antonio, 99, 164, 172, 174 McKinley, President, 122, 178, 179 Magoon, Charles E., 160 Maine, battleship, 179 Maisi, Cape, 7, 8, 38, 115 Malecon, 75 Manufactures, 234 Marti, Jose, 164, 166 Marti, the smuggler, 72 et seq. Martinez Campos, General, 158, 165, 166, 177. Maso, Bartolome, 165, 174 Massachusetts rebellion, 144 Matanzas, city, 41, 101 Matanzas, province, 41 Menocal, General Mario, 241, 244 Mexico, 13, 58, 124, 145 Minerals, 231 et seq. Mineral springs, 52 Miranda, Francisco, 126, 185 Monopolies, 20, 144, 220, 231. Monroe Doctrine, 127 Monroe, President, 129 Monuments: Firemen's, 83, 84 Students', 84 Moret law, 16 Morgan, Henry, no Morro Castle, 17, 57, 59, 60 Mountains, 5, 41, 93 Murielo, 13
N
NARVAEZ, 13 Navigation acts, British, 19, 144 Nelson, Hugh, 127 Nipe Bay, 2, 91, 113, 114 Nuevitas, 2, 3, 110, 111, 112 Nunez, General Emilio, 191, 192, 199
O
O'BRIEN, "Dynamite Johnny," 189, et seq. Ocampo, Sebastian de, 8, 12, 57 Oriente, province, 40, 41 Ostend Manifesto, 133 Otis, James, 143
P
PALACE, Governor's, 64 Palma, Tomas Estrada y, 162, 174, 192 Palms, 5, 7, 48, 49 Panama Congress (1826), 126 Parks, Havana, 70, 71 Parties, Political, 159, 176, 237, 238, 240, 244 Pearcy v. Stranahan, 120 Pepper, Charles M., 105, 134, 152, 176 Petroleum, 233 Pierce, President, 130, 132, 151 Pinar del Rio, city, 101 Pinar del Rio, province, 41 Platt Amendment, 118, 247 et seq., 255 Politics, 252 Polk, President, 130 Ponce de Leon, 13 Population, 14, 17, 23, 34 Porto Rico, 118 Prado, 71, 75 Preston sugar plantation, 113 Puerto de Carenas, 12, 57 Puerto Principe, see Camaguey Punta, la, 17
Q
QUITMAN expedition, 151
R
RAILWAYS, 89, 91 Rainfall, 46 Real estate speculation, 120 Reciprocity treaty, 255, 258 Reconcentration, 177 "Relations," question of, 247, 248 Remedios, 102 Revolutions, 19, 141 et seq. of 1868, 153 et seq. of 1895, 162 et seq. of 1906, 159, 160 Rhodes, James Ford, 131 Rivers, 43 44 Roads, 87, 95, 96 Rubens, Horatio, S., 165, 181, 191, 192, 195 Ruskin, John, 56
S
Saco, Antonio, 31 Sagua la Grande, 101 Sanchez, Rafael, 3 Sancti Spiritus, 12, 91, 104 Santa Clara, city, 102 Santa Clara, province, 40 Santangel, Luis de, 4 Santiago de Cuba, 12, 13, 20, 115, 116 Santo Domingo, 7 Seville, 20 Slavery, 15, 16, 23, 125, 145, 155 Smuggling, 21, 26 Snakes, 50 Sociedad Economica, 24 Sociedad Patriotica, 24 Soles de Bolivar, 146 Soto, Hernando de, 13, 14, 17, 58 Soule, Pierre, 132, 133 Spain, 17, 19, 24, 29, 123 et seq., 145, 236 Spanish-American independence, 126 Sugar, 113, 203 et seq. Beet sugar, 208 Countries producing, 209 History, 207 In Cuba, 210 Manufacture of, 204, 213 Muscovado, 205 Origin of, 206 Planting and cutting, 213 et seq. Production of, 209, 254, 256 Supreme Court, United States, 120
T
Tacon, Governor Miguel, 32, 33, 70, 71 et seq. Taft, Hon. William H., 99, 160 Tariff, Spanish, 21, 25 Taxes, 24, 27, 30, 163 Taylor, President, 148 Teller Amendment, 182 Temperance question, 76 Temperature, 45 et seq. Templete, el, 64 Ten Years' War, 16, 134, 135 et seq., 153 et seq. Thrasher, J.S., 15, 29 Three Friends, 193 et seq. Tillie, wreck of the, 210 Times, New York, 150 Tobacco, 36, 102, 221, 222 Cultivation in Cuba, 223 History, 219 et seq. Origin, 218 Use in Cuba, 225 Trade restricted, 20, 24, 25, 30 Transportation, 90 Treaty of Paris, 118, 182 Trinidad, 12, 91, 100, 103 Turnbull, David, 25
U
UNITED STATES: Diplomatic correspondence, 125 et seq. Mediation offered, 156 Presidential messages, 125, 135, 136, 137, 158, 178, 179, 180, 184 Relations with Cuba, 122 et seq., 179
V
Valmaseda proclamation, 156 Varona, Enrique Jose, 153 Vedado, el, 82 Vegetable products, 228 et seq. Velasquez, 8, 58 Villages, 85, 93 Virginius affair, 116, 137, 185 Volantes, 88
W
Welles, Gideon, 186 Weyler, General Valeriano, 177, 198 Wilson, Henry, 125
Y
Yumuri valley, 41
Z
Zanjon, treaty of, 158
THE END |
|
