The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-03-13
THE PACIFIC
G0mmertialAbbettiser
MARCH Is.
RECIPROCITY.

01SAL
The Representations OF some that the consid-
Grafton Of our treaty would be deferred until the
extra session, it appears are to be verified. The
latest Geographic information from our Commits
sioners at Washington, dated on the ID instant,
while it is hopeful in tone, indicates that they
are by 10 means Over-sanguine of success, and
find the labOrs Of their position sufficiently ardu-
Gus. A Washington dispatch OF the Oath, which
we find in the San Francisco papers, says that
Senators generally admit that the extra session
(since caIled) would be mainly for the purpose of
considering the Hawaiian Treaty. The dispatch
goes on to say that 81 King Kalakaua came here
for the purpose Of negotiating a treaty, and every
body seems 10 favor it, but Louisiana comes in
with its opposition on account of its sugar inter-
ests, and various other sections have consIdera-
tiOns of local interest. The treaty is very popu-
lar. The President and Secretary of State, and
in fact the entire Cabinet, favor it, and local in
terests will probably give way to national de-
mands. In this case it is deemed probable, how
ever, that, while there seems a certainty that the
treaty will be adopted, there will be some amend
ments to the confidential draft sent by the PresI-
dent and Secretary Of State to the Senate" We
are further told that = the Pacific coast Senator's
are unitedly in favor of the treaty. In another
column we publish the full text of the treaty, as
sent in to the Senate, and as it appears in the San
Francisco papers Of the last week in February.
The Alta, in commenting upon it says:
These are the main features Of the treaty which
is recommended to the Senate by the Cabinet, and
has an excellent prospect OF ratification. No import
ant interests in our country will be injurioasly
affected by the ratification of the treaty, while many
will be much benefited. The American people hay-
ing been pleased with Kalakaua's visit, would be
glad to do him some Ii tie favor for considerations
outside Of business influences.
'SOme objection has been made in Los Angeles to
the treaty on the ground that il will permit the free
importation Of oranges and other fruits produced in
Southern California, but We do not so understand the
language. Among the Hawaiian products entitled
to free admission here besides vegetables, dried and
undried, preserved and unpreseIVed,' are nuts, rice,
seeds, s~hrubbery and trees. The word vegetables
has two meanings, one comprehensive, including all
things not mineral or animal in character, and the
other restricted to certain plants of annual or bien-
NAL growth, cultivated for the table, and sometimes
called kitchen vegetables such as potatoes, beets,
onions, radishes, lettuce. and cabbage. The treaty
does not use the word vegetables in its comprehen-
sive sense, for If it did, the nuts, seeds, s~hrubbery
and trees-Which are vegetables as much as fruit
would not have been specially mentioned. The mar
rover Specification was intended.
Reciprocity with all our ~neIghborS is desirable,
on general principles. We are a populous and wealthy
nation, and it should be a matter Of pride with Us to
assist The growth and to concniate the good will Of
1 GaQl0a. Mexico anu Hawaii. IQelE pTOspcElly VIII
rebound to our own benefit; but even If it did not,
il is becoming in the powerful TO give their aid TO the
weak. in their vicinity, not with an air Of condescen-
sion, but of generous friendship. The failure Of the
Canadian reciprocity project is q cause for regret;
but perhaps a better treaty than the one that lately
failed can be devised. We trust that Hawaii will be
more fortunate.
But the San Francisco Sugar Re6ners, with
their ally, Mr.. David A. Wells, formerly con-
nected with the United States Treasury Depart
ment) are in the meantime doing their best to
defeat the treaty. The protest of the sormer
against it. addressed to the California delegation
in Congress, will be found in another column,
and is an extraordinarily overdrawn statement OF
the case. Its very exaggerations must operate to
defeat the object for which it is intended and in
fact. a Washington correspondent of the Bulletin
saws sit can be truthfully asserted that the
arguments which seem to be SO confidently relied
on by the San Francisco refners are not here con-
sidered of very great weight against the rati6ca-
ton of the proposed treaty." To quote further
from the same writer.
Gas TO the danger appreheuded from the most fav-
ored nation clause in existing treaties with other
su0ar producing countries, il has been answered.
first, that this customary clause Is held oy treat
Britain and various publicists to apply only TO ordi-
nary privileges Of citizens and not TO commercial IN
tercourse or import duties; Secondly, that the pend
nc trsstv Gives the United States so many privileges
ana the Sandwich Islands so few, and these mainly
distinctive and Of local application, that ii is unlikely
that any other nation could desire TO come under the
same treaty provisions; il being borne in mind that
thew would have 20 be accepted as n whole, on the
give and take principle. However, 70 obviate all
difficulty or controversy on this point, Senator Hsger
has suggested 10 Secretary Fish that tobacco might be
included in the list Of articles Of American production
which the Hawaiian Government shall admit free OF
dutV. and if this is agreed 10 no other nation would
49, anv desire 10 be placed on the same footing, for
tobacco is in almos, every other country on earth q
most important source Of customs revenue, and Is,
indeed. by many natioDs-such as France and Italy
made the subject Of Government monopoly IN all
the rami6cations Of its sale and consumption.
This suggestion will shortly be laid before the
Cabinet. and although the Hawaiian Commissioners
viii doubtless object 10 such q modification Of the pro-
toeol. the change can readily be effected by the Senate
as an amendment, and be afterwards accepted by
Hawaii. Il is also suggested that the treaty would
gain strength IL an amendment were made by the
senate pledging the Hawaiian Government against
entering into any foreign alliance or allowing any
other nation TO acquire naval stations or other foot
holds on the Islands
eft thus amended by the Senate (suppOsititiously
without the prompting Of King David's Commission
ers), DO complaint can be made by other nations
against Hawaii IL the latter Government sees nj, as
IL certainly would, 10 ratify the treaty.
alt may now be considered certain that the Foreign
Relations Committee viii report the treaty f~Avorabyi
and the prospect for its ratification, with the united
approval Of the Pacific coast Senator's and its instrin-
sic aud political merits considered, are decidedly en-
eouraging. In case time Is not found to act upon it
before the 4th Of March, the Senate will be convened
in extra session for that purpose"