New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-23
REVIVAL OF OUR FOREIGN COM.
MERGE.

| NAAAANOA1s
| Speech of General l.. A. Sheldon.
On the sixth instant, in the House of
Representatives, Hon. L. "A. Sheldon, of
Louisiana, delivered very interesting
speech on this subject, for which we make
room for the following extract:
Sir, there is another point, the Importance
of which cannot be over-estimated. One
half our population is now in the Mississippi
| valley, and more than a mOiety of the pro-
duciive capacity of the country. Increase
! in both these particulars is so rapid that at
the end of the present decennial period this
section will be able to control the continent
| in commerce, wealth and political power.
This region produces in greatest abundance
all those commodities which feed and clothe
| men, and which ought to make up the bulk
of our exports. Southwark OF this part of
the United States are found the countries
least adapted to the production of bread
| stutfs, and there will be found the best mar
kets for that which We produce. Those
countries produce many articles which are
necessary and useful to us, and which we
can procure by an exchange.
From Mexico, the West Indies, and South
| American States arise the adverse balances
| of trade which we ere compelled to settle
with coin and bullion. The nation can not
| be benefited more that by development
Of commerce in that direction. The natural
facilities for carrying on trade with them
surpasses those of any other section. More
| than fifteen thousand miles of river navig
ton. extending into and accommodating
sixteen States, and running southwark, in
dicate the natural course OF trade for the
| Mississippi valley and the countries to
which products of this region should be ex-
| ported. The countries south of us are
| neighbors, yet we sell them little. Distant
| nations control their trade and sell them
their food Tfis is because they have the
ships and we have not. European nations
come to our ports and purchase the bread
stutis which have been transported at great
| expense by railroads from the Northwest to
the Atlantic coast and sell them TO Mexico
| and the South American States, bringing
| back coffee and other commodities for
our consumption. making large profits,
and to the detriment of our producers and
consumers. Foreigners control prices in
| our markets because we have not the means
| of transportation.
The republic of Mexico has a foreign
commerce of about $54,000,O00, including
| imports aud exports. She exports about
| $4,000, 900 in silver. Distant England con-
trolls $33, 100000 of this commerce, other/
| European nations about sl2,000,OO0, anf
| the United States $9,000,O00, and we carlE
about one-haif we control. The people OF
| Mexico purchase largely those commodities
| which are produced by the people OF the
! Northwest. If onr trade was direct with
that country, and enlarged as it should be,
] we might expect results most advantageous
| to both nations. The trade of Mexico
| would be valuable, especially for the rea-
| son that her exports are almost wholly
| silver coin and bullion. The heavy drain
| upon this country to pay the interest on
| the national, State and railroad gold bonds
| held in Europe will exhaust our resources
| unless the supply is increased. From 1888,
| when the mint was established in New
! Orleans, TO 1861, the coinage of silver alone
| was S4S,00000O, the bullion being received
from Mexico. The receipt of silver coin Is
supposed to have been stin larger. What
amount of silver coin aud bullion was re-
| ceived by the whole country l have no
means of celebrating
Again. sir, the trade of the empire of
| Brazil is of the greatest Importance to the
whole country. more particularly to the
| people of the Mississippi valley. That ma
| ton imports little upward of Sl26, 900 900
annually. We supply but four per cent, or
a little upward of S5,000.O00. The COM
| modities which she imports will attract the
attention of the Western farmers. The
value of her -four, bacon, hams, beef,
cheese, lard. tallow, pork and tobacco pur-
chased abroad by the people of Brazil in
one-half her entire inportations. Of this
sum we sold her but S2,9l6,E0. The bal
ance came from more distant nations
While we sell Brazil the triiiing amount
stated we purchase twenty-five per cent OF
her products.
The production of coffee in that country
reaches 500, ,0O00 900 pounds annually. One
fifth at least is exported to the United
States. Coffee can be brought by the way
of the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi
river and delivered in st. Louis, Louisville.
Cincinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee, st. Paul.
all the cities on the river and westward, at
less cost than by any other route. Our
productions ought to be exchanged with
the Brazilians for their coffee, so that there
need be no balance against us to be paid IN
gold. line OF steamships from New Or
leans to Rio Janeiro can take in the princi-
nal ports in the West Indies without ma
terial DETECTION from a straight coul Sc.
This would also tend to increase our ex-
ports to those islands, which would pay for
the sugar and fruits we obtain there.
The people Of the lower Mississippi valley
are immensely interested liz commerce with
European nations especially such as de-
maud their cotton. This article constitutes
about one-third of our exports. The ships
which bear it away ought to return with
the merchandise consumed in that region.
A line OF American steamships from New
Orleans to Europe is demanded by the
growers of cotton and the producers of
cereals The Mississippi river is the natural
channel throua which to transport western
products to eitfN southern or European
market New meH&8S of conveyance are
contemplated which wzl cheaper tine cost
of transporting grain on the river to an
astonishingly low figure. If there existed
steamship lines to the points have named,
the new project would surely be put into
| operation, and flour and grain could be
suppiied to the nations south of us and in
western Europe, and to the cities on the
; Atlantic coast at cost most advantageous
to both the producer and consumer. I'm
portations to supply the demand of the
whole Mississippi valley should be made
through the same channels. Probably there
is not a city in the entire nation whose geo
graphical position and natural advantages
are so great as those of New Orleans, and
whose designation as the American terminus
of several steamship lines would prove valu-
able to so large population. The estab-
lishment Of the lines suggested from this
point would immeasurably enhance our ex-
port trade, and create markets for agrlcul-
tural products
Mr. Speaker, have endeavored to show
the most important points In this country
and those nations with which 1t is most
desirable to form connections in our at
tempts to restore the carrying trade upon
the ocean to our own people. NO section
should be neglected if it is practicable to
render assistance. Especially should our
efforts be directed to the trade which can
be most easily developed and sustained. In
nv iudpnient, the commerce on the Pacific
ocean and with Mexico and the South
American States can be controlled at less
| eypcuse than that from the Atlantic coast
| r;th EnroDa Rut would not hesitate, at