The Portland daily press., 1870-03-24

AHe NONerHmcut anu people Vi oan OO-
mingo have in good faith gone forward and
ratified the treaty, completing their side of
the bargain-the little progress made by the
insurrectionists proving how little opposition
there is to annexation. If we fail to COM
plete the treaty how can we enforce the
Monroe doctrine, should the islanders, as was
more than probable, hereafter offer their ter
ritory and allegiance to some European gov
eminent capable of affording them stable in
stitutions and security, thereby insuring pros
perity.
The President urges ratification ON the
grounds Of the important geographical posi-
ton OF the island, commanding as it does in
connection with the Florida Keys, the entire
gulf; making it of the utmost value in COM
mercial, military and political character. He
urges the most thorough examination into
the character of the treaty, and caps the
reasons by reference to the vast resources, ag-
ricultural, mineral, the woods of commerce,
the fruits of the tropics, ETC., their easy access-
bility, rendered of more value to US by the
tact that the sparse population is guarantee
Oh speedy MISREPRESENTATION. In this respect
the President deems San Domingo Of more
value now than Cuba would be. 1t is easier to
make that island homogeneous than it would
oe the one now rent by revolution. He also
points out with singular clearness the value
OF San Domingo in connection with the con-
troll of the Interoceanic canal and the COM
mand both of the Pacific and West Indian
trade.
1t seems singular. in view Of the hot haste
with which Alaska was rushed through the
Senate, and elaborate argument which was
made in its behalf that their should be such
antagonism to this far more desirable acquisi-
ton. There are those who deem the opposi-
ton it encounters from sources so potent in
our foreign affairs, to be the result of chagrin
at not having been first consulted. 1t is so I'M
usual for President to act on his own mo-
ton that Premier may be INDUCED in lit
tie pettishness. AS for the others the fact
that there is no advantage to be derived by
Russia, may perhaps he sufficient reason for
lukewarmness, but hardly for opposition.
THE COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE
of San Domingo can hardly be overrated,
We get seven-tenths of an island as large as
ireland, with a population of less than 200,-
900, having all the valuable woods, spices,
al an abundant area for the cereals and roots
of the temperate zone, an inexhaustible
abundance of minerals, the precious and USE
full, fine harbOrs GOOD rivers and a. deliphtfi1l
climate. The trade of the French and Span
ish colonies used to be immense. Our trade
with Hayti alone is larger now than with the
great empire of Brazil. The whole export
trade of both Hayti and San Domingo, COM
prising coffee, cotton, tobacco, mahogany, ETC.,
is nearly exclusively done with Europe. Ac-
cording to Custom House returns and ship
ping lists, from both countries, the value of
that trade can be calculated as amounting to
nearly nine millions of gold per year from
which the different mercantile countries of
Europe derive benefit of upwards of twen-
ty-five to thirty per cent. for freight, insur-
ance, wharfage, storage, commissions, etc.,
besides the duties. Thirty per cent on this
sum of nine millions of exports would be
two millions seven hundred thousand do liars
per annnm, and in ten years would give an
aggregate of twenty-seren millions.
From the latest reliable returns of Haytlan
trade QS64) it appears that that Republic i'm
ported the following articles:
Manufactured Goods. Provisions. Total