THE CUBA REVIEW 



21 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



CUBA MERCHANTS WANT CREDIT 



"The first requirement of the American mer- 

 chant seeking to increase his trade with Cuba 

 is^that he more closely meet European com- 

 petition in the matter of credits," writes Cres- 

 censio de Vavona, Cuban Consul in Chicago. 

 At present Cubans have less choice than 

 they have enjoyed in the past because of the 

 curtailment of European commerce, and they 

 will of necessit}' buy more of American prod- 

 ucts. But to secure the trade which logically 

 is theirs, and to hold it, American merchants 

 must learn a lesson in finance from their Euro- 

 pean neighbors. 



American exporters consider credit in Cuba 

 much more of a risk than do the European ex- 

 porters. This is due to the difficulty of 

 American houses in having their banks finance 

 the transactions. A large majority of Euro- 

 pean shipjjers finance their own shipments. 

 Those who do not have no difficulty in finding 

 a bank with a capable foreign department and 

 Cuban correspondents which know good from 

 bad credit and is glad to finance a shipment. 

 Further, European shippers are wiUing to 

 meet what might be termed the prejudices of 

 the Latin American trade and cater to their 

 peculiarities. Almost invariably the Cuban 

 merchant insists on credit, at least until he 

 can inspect his goods and get them through 

 the customs. 



Not until American banks estabhsh 

 branches or capable agents represent them and 

 the banks know the trade well enough to ex- 

 tend fair credit to deserving importers will 

 America strengthen its position in Cuban 

 trade. Chicago bankers, I Ijelieve, realize 

 tliis situation, and I am told they are making 

 real efforts to make amends for their sins of 

 omission in the past. Of course responsibility 

 rests more directly with the bankers of New 

 York and New Orleans. 



Cuba sold in the United States last year 

 $126,000,000 worth of her products. In re- 

 turn she purchased of the United States only 

 $70,500,000 worth of merchandise. Much of 

 her trade balance of $55,500,000 she certainly 

 would have spent in the United States instead 

 of in England, Germany, Spain and Italy if 

 trade relations had been more cordial and the 

 credit Cuba deserved had been extended. 



The best indication of the vast opportuni- 

 ties for American manufacturers is this: Al- 

 though nearly all of the farmers of the coun- 

 try outside of the large plantations still use 

 the most primitive methods, such as plowing 

 with a wooden plowshare, the United States 

 sold in Cuba last year only $300,000 worth of 

 agricultural implements. 



Two-thirds of the people of Cuba are en- 

 gaged in agriculture. They form a great 

 army of potential customers. 



The United States has always furnished 

 much of the foodstuffs imported into Cuba, 

 but there i? considerable room for improve- 



ment. Cuba needs great supplies of textiles 

 machinery, woodenware, furniture, building 

 material. All manufactured articles are in 

 more or less demand because there is little 

 manufacturing on the island. Only 16.3 per 

 cent, of the Cuban people are engaged in 

 manufacturing. 



American methods will prevail in Cuba if 

 they are applied in the Cuban way. The 

 Cuban people will adopt modern time and 

 labor saving devices, and will buy more of 

 the things which go to raise the standard of 

 living if these things are demonstrated to them 

 in deference to their prejudices and peculiari- 

 ties by men familiar with their language and 

 customs and prepared to extend them credit 

 for service. 



CADIZ A FREE PORT 



A despatch from Madrid to the Havana 

 Lucha under date of September 19th, says 

 that the Spanish cabinet voted to grant the 

 request of the Spanish chamber of commerce 

 of Havana to declare the port of Cadiz a fran- 

 chise zone for all foreign merchandise, which 

 is to be stored there to await orders and to be 

 ready to supply the European market the 

 moment the war ends. 



The petition was based on the ground that 

 that when peace should be reestablished in 

 Europe it would be difficult to obtain ships 

 to carry the merchanside from Cuba, and that 

 having large stocks in Cadiz under bond, the 

 distribution can be made easier. 



THE PINEAPPLE CROP 



The total quantity of this fruit exported 

 through Havana up to September 8th, from 

 January 1st aggregated 1,245,849 crates. 

 New York took 665,000 crates and the balance 

 went to Chicago and other western cities. 



For the same period in 1913 the exj^orts 

 were 1,178,917 crates or 66,932 less. 



CUBAN EXPORTS TO QUEBEC 



The following amounts show the relative 

 value of the imports at Quebec from Cuba in 

 1912 and 1913. 



1912 1913 



Cuba $7,134 $10,197 



— Consular Report. 



EXPIRING TRADEMARKS NOTICE 



The Cuban Bureau of Patents and Trade- 

 marks may agree to a recommendation that 

 owners of patents and trademarks be hereafter 

 notified when their registration ends in order 

 to provide for a renewal. 



