The New York herald., 1870-04-05
The g. Deaisge QSestiea-shert-s'snte
Policy Of tho Senate.

1
There is report from Washington that the
St. Domingo treaty is killed, and that some
new movement and further Investigations are
necessary to bring the Senate to the annexa-
| ton of the territory in question. The state
ment here made is too broadly put. We do
not believe the majority Of the Senate is
opposed to the annexation of st. Domingo;
but there is undoubtedly want of knowledge
| about that country and some injurious reports
! flying round about jobs in connection with the
| treaty which have caused Senators to hesitate
| and to ask for more information before acting
definitely upon the subject. The treaty has
not been rejected; the time for its ratification
has been extended, and it remains suspended
only till the Senate can get at the information
wanted. This appears TO be the real state of
| the case.
In the meantime both the agents of the
Dominican government and the administration
are active in enlightening the Senate and the
public, and in urging the ratification of the
treaty. The Dominican commissioner, Mr..
| Cohen, has made valuable statement as to
the condition and productions OF ST. Domingo
and relative to the popular sentiment OF the
island in favor of annexation But President
| Grant has taken the broadest and most states
manlike view of the matter. Mr.. Cohen says
''Coffee, sugar and tobacco can be grown in
St. Domingo, through the enterprise and
industry of the American people, in sufficient
quantities to supply the United States" The
President takes still more comprehensive
| view. In his conversation with our sorrespon
dent published few days ago, he shows that
the United States consume about seventy-fve
millions of dollars worth of sugar year,
besides coffee and other tropical products, which
are imported chiefly fr9p the West Indies.
and that this really constitutes the balance Of
trade against us. ''It is true" he remarked,
''the bills for this trade are drawn on Europe,
but they are chiefly to pay balances against
us in the tropics. This is a drain upon the
wealth of the country" He went on to say,
"a country as extensive and populous as the
United States consumes many things that grow
only in the tropics. The population of the
country is rapidly increasing and, as a natural
result the consumption of tropical productions
becomes larger in proportion. 1t is desirable
| to acquire country where American capital
| labor and enterprise could be employed in rails
| ing sugar, coffee and other tropical growths
for home consumption"
The President showed, too that there is q
large field for American commerce and an
! extensive market for American manufactures
and products in the West Indies. But the laws
| Of Cuba, Porto Rico and other islands are
inimical to the commerce and interests of the
United Statcs-they are check upon American
commerce. While expressing these views the
President exclaimed, 81 wish most earnestly
to see commerce revived. A strong foothold
in the West Indies would soon regulate this"
Then, he argued, the country has become so
| vast in its proportions that it requires out
posts ''Our vulnerable point is the Gulf
Before 1t is too late we should plant ourselves
there. This will be guard against aggres
sion from foreign sources and will consolidate
the power Of resistance by this country.
| Without such foothold, in the event Of
| struggle, the enemies of the United States
| would rendezvous in the Gulf and the whole
I
danger which by timely action could be
averted"
Comparing these broad, statesmanlike and
patriotic views of the President and his earn
est desire to carry them out with the delays
and quibbles Of the Senate about ratifying the
| st. Domingo treaty, we are struck with his
| foresight and ability and see how weak are
the petty arguments and contracted policy
| of Mr.. Sumner and the other Senators
who have opposed annexation. Though he
has had but short experience in public life
| General Grant shows that he is greater
statesman than those Senators who have been
| long in the councils of the nation. He has
| plenty of practical common sense cool
| Judgment, and looks t6 the future These,
really, are the first qualities for craftsmanship.
! The President looks at the acquisition of st.
| Domingo as we see from his language, in two
important points of view. The one is COM
mercial and the other military or strategic.
| We complain, and with reason, of our
| depressed and declining commerce and of our
greatly decreased tonnage. We know what q
difference there is in our present condition in
this respect as compared with what it was
lust before the war. We see the carrying
trade and the profits of freights pass to the
hands of our maritime rivals, and we are
earnestly discussing the means to restore our
commerce. We see other nations pushing
their commercial conquests, and England
particularly pushing hers, all around us
and in every part of the globe. Yet
we have here in our own hemisphere
in our immediate neighborhood-a vast
field for commercial enterprise and for increas-
ing our shipping. With st. Domingo, Cuba,
Porto Rico and the other West Indies in our
possession or under our control we would have
monopoly of sugar, coffee, tobacco and
other tropical products, as we now have of the
best staple of cotton. Extensive markets