New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-10
IMPORTATIONS UNDER TIE HAWAIIAN
TREATY,

TREATY.
The annual message, just sent int
Congress by the President, touches upo
the subject of this treaty in words cal
culated to give the impression that til
treaty is now in full force and operation
which is not the case, as yet. Tho mess
age says
Inc convention respecting commercial re
ciprOcity concluded with the Hawajia,
islands in 1875, having been had, the pro
clamatioa to carry into effect the oonven
ton, as provided by the act approved
August 10, 1876, was duly issued upon thu
ninth day OF September last.
Those who are not acquainted with the
details of the act alluded to, no doub,
think that the Presidents proclamation
was all that was required to give full effect
to the treaty, but this is mistake.
The Secretary Of the Treasury explained
this matter very lucidly in a recent letter
to the attorney of San Francisco import
ing firm, who, with commendable fore
htand.business enterprise(?) chad large
quantities of sugar in bond in San Fran
cisco. imported from the Hawaiian Is
lands since the ratification of the treaty
with the government of said islands.
and other cargoes on the way" and,
therefore, respectfully pressed the Sec
rotary 'that provision be made
for admission, free of duty, ''of such
goods entitled to free entry by the terms
OF the treaty. The secretary, with clear
ness and perspicuity which is not to be
mistaken, says that the fifth article of
said treaty expressly provides that it shall
not take effect until certain stipulations
therein shall have been complied with.
ITO carry into effect" the Secretary in
forms the applicants, 'the convention or
treaty aforesaid, the President of the
United States is authorized, on receipt of
satisfactory evidence that the Legislature
of the Hawaiian islands have passed
laws on their part to give full effect to the
provisions of the treaty, and not before,
to issue his proclamation declaring that
he has such evidence; and hereupon, from
the date Of such proclamation, the articles
named in the act, being the growth and
manufacture or produce of the Hawaiian
islands, shall be introduced into the |
United States free of duty" The Secre-
tary concludes his letter in answer to the
request of these enterprising gentlemen
with this pungent sentence:
1t would seem. therefore. that no power
is vested in the President or in tho Secre-
tary of the Treasury, either by the treaty
Itself or by the act OF Congress- requisite to
carry 1t into operation, whereby the priv
leges to be exercised under it can be made
to have q retroactive effect as to i'm
pOrtations of any date prior to the |
ssuing of the proclamation which the Presi-
lent is required to make under said act, and
t is therefore impraoticsble for this depart
nent to insert, even with the concurrence
# the President and the Hawaiian govern
nent, any clause in the regulations to be
ssued under the treaty which could in any
manner protect" importations heretofore
nade, or which may arrive before the pro-
lamatl0n above referred to shall have been
ssued.
Thus it will be seen that before the
treaty can take effect the Presi-
ent must issue an additional proclama-
ion, and which will set forth that the
legislature of the Hawaiian government
ave passed laws on their part to give full
feet to the provisions of the treaty nego-
ated."
When that event will take place we
now not, but it is reasonable to suppose
nat the originators of the enterprise of
the refineries on the Pacific
past with sugar free of duty, after having
vercome all other obstacles, will travel
18th promptness and celebrity to secure
leo this, the finishing touch. to their job.