The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-25
Tho Spanish-Ame Peace Conference a
Washingt0n.

Washington.
Four years ago proposition was made by
our government to mediate between Spain and
the Spanish-American republics of Peru, Ecu
ador, Chile and Bolivia, then at war with
Spain, for terms which might secure perma-
nent peace. Spain acceded to the proposition;
so did the American belligerent republics;
but meantime no action has been taken in the
matter until now, when, it appears, that
conference is at once to be organized in Wash
ington at the request of the Secretary of State.
We hope that the various relations between
these republics and the mother country will
be settled in such q shape as not only to
insure peace in the future among the Spanish
American countries but in substantial man
ner to assist them in developing the magnif-
cent resources of wealth which they possess,
but which to-day are and for q century past
have been lying dormant for want Of spirit
in the population to utilize them, and proba-
bly, quite as much from want of friendly
encouragement and proper facilities from the
United States to open a market for them
here.
The products of the Spanish American coun-
tries comprise nearly everything which we use
in this country. There is literally no limit to
their riches in this respect while, at the same
time, there is not an article which we manu-
facture that is not positive want to the Span
ish-American people. 1t is a lamentable fact
that the valuable exports of these countries,
to the amount OF many millions annually, find
their way to Europe by the English and French
steamship lines because we have no direct
steam communication with the Spanish-Amer-
| lean ports. 1t is fact also-and one that
might invite some question as to the reason
why-that many Of the products of these coun-
| tries are imported here from Europe and are
put upon the American market, taxed, of
| course, by the cost of transportation to and
| from Europe and all the incidental expenses
besides, while Spanish America, with all its
! golden wealth, its tropical products and its
hundreds of millions of exported riches,
| stands right at the door of the United States.
There has been a lack of enterprise in this
direction or else we should have enjoyed a
| fair share Of South American trade, whereas
| the figures show that we have but contempt
BILE portion of it. Compared with the importa-
tions of English and French manufactures we
send very little of our fabrics or products of
any kind to Spanish America, although we
produce almost everything that the popula-
ton Of that country require, and we could
assuredly compete in cheapness with any arti-
Gle shipped from Europe. We hope, there
fore, that the conference Of ministers from the
| Spanish-American republics about to be
held in Washington will give some attention
to these facts. Let it be a commercial con-
ference as well as peace conference. It is
necessary that these countries should pledge
themselves to peace with one another, so that
the painful spectacle Of internal warfare should
no longer be presented to the world, and that
trade and commerce may flourish in degree
commensurate with their splendid resources
We trust, also, that our government will
avail itself Of this opportunity to strengthen
our commercial relations with Spanish
America to the extent, if necessary, of send
ing commissioner to ascertain the precise
commercial value Of these countries and make
such friendly arrangements with the govern
ments as will facilitate an international COM
merce. The Senate took action upon this
matter at the late session Of Congress by a
resolution asking for information from the
State Department upon the subject, and the
information was supplied in very able report