The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-04-25
Reciprocity.

ISccIprocIty.
Gen. McCook, our Minister to IL. Sandwich Isl
and-, is using every effort to secure the ratification
by the Senate Of the treaty with the Government Of
tllOse Islands, negotiated by him, but strange to say
he meets with almost iasuperable obstacles, and with
objections from Senators on exactly opposite grounds
lie i urging the treaty on the ground that the ISL
ands are ultimately destined, and perhaps At no dist
ant day, u belong to u, and that We should extend
"A helping hand To their industry, 50 that they may
not come TO US IN n ruined and pauPer condition.
Their products and trade are falling oil FROM year 10
ycar-plantatiOns are Icing abandoned, and sources
of profit gradually drying up, until 1t has become
apparent the Islands will relapse into their primitive
barbarisn unless some encouragement IL extended by
this country. Nine-tenths Of the planters and BUSH
ness men are Americans, who warmly sympathized
with the country during the war Of the rebellion,
and who contributed literally Of their means to the
Sanitary Commission. California is their natural
market, but the existing high rates of duties almost
exclude their products. Reduce these rates, and n
stimulus will BE- given to industry that will soon res
store the Islands To prosperity Ii Is urged that no
serious loss Of revenue can accrue to the government
if this treaty is ratified, because the entire exports
from the Islands hardly reach 81 DOC, 900 per annum,
and under the most favorable circumstances cannot,
until annexation, be expected to exceed S2,OpO,OOO.
Their products, moreover, are of such a nature that
they will not enter into competition with the industry
of any class in this country. And yet the treaty Is
vigorously opposed. Senator Grimes objects to it
because he is a Freetrader, while Senator Morrill,
IL tlAAAANE ~ - - BANN~4NhN sAeN NAA NONo
mischief TO Protection. One denounces il fer con-
tanning n feature, which the other declares il does not
contain, and therefore he, too, is hostile to it. Be
tween these two classes Of opponents, the treaty is
threatened with defeat. Senator CONFESS is warmly
enlisted in its favor, and is using his utmost en-
deavOrs to secure its ratification.
The above paragraph is quoted from the Wash
ington correspondence of the San Francisco Bnk-
htin, under date of March 81.
We are aware that General McCook is thor
oughly acquainted with the condition of the trade
and ommerc of this group, no pains having
been spared to place in his hands all the statisti-
cal information which could he obtained and
when he says that the trade and products of the
group are falling of from year to year, he speaks
from positive knowledge procured from the most
reliable data. This is the position which we hold.
and can maintain, although the Ministry and
Gazette hold the contrary opinion.
The sources of revenue are gradually decreasing,
trade languishcs, and it requires but little fore
sight to point to the final result of the present
governmental policy. Therefore it is of the ut
most Importance to every individual on this group
that the Reciprocity Treaty should be ratified.
Nothing has operated ~ powerfully against the
ratification of the treaty. rs the attitude assumed
by His Majesty's Ministers. From the first, they
have given the treaty but a lukcwarm support,
fearing perhaps His Majesty's di-plensure if they
dared openly oppose it. Their friends may point
to their speeches in the special Legislative session
Us proof Of their hearty support OF the measure
If 80, We have but to point To their subsequent
10 show the depth of their d~npiicity and
How can it be expected that the United
States Government will ratify the treaty when
they have the most Ialpable evidence of the hos
of Ills Nlajesty's Ministers towards Ameri-
cans generally, and particularly against the United
States Government, as shown at the late election,
and by their insulting conduct towards an officer
Of the United States, such hostility being founded
On the most Frivolous p~retexts.
The Hawaiian Minister at Washington is pain
fully aware that the dispatches forwarded to him,
from the Foreign Office, net powerfully against the
treaty. Repeated demands are made for the
withdrawal of the LackGpcanna, some of which
are in the archives of the United States Govern
ment, and others less friendly in tone are with
held by the Minister, by the advice of Mr.. Seward,
to whom they have been shown, but not present.
ed. Ii Is true there are some in this community
who, for reasons best known To themselves, have
persistently opposed the treaty, and have eagerly
seized upon every act and word uttered by the
Ministers, which could be used for the purpose
Of defeating the passage of the treaty. Such op
ponents have been beautifully supplied. The
of the Interior is said to have remarked
before the sailing of the Idaho q. l wish the id
treaty was in h-ll." What a morsel for the enc :
of the treaty, il it expresses the views of the
The question which naturally arises is-why
should the best interests of this group of islands
Re jeopardi5ed, by maintaining in office individu-
as who do &" their little best to destroy the
material progress, if not the independence of the
Kingdom?
nu. -. -. Lt. -. ,.