New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-24
SUGAR PROTECTION PRACTICALLY CON.
NIDRRED.

i SIDBRED.
| The important interests of sugar AM
rice planting are naturally egitated by tn
precedent cot for the admission Of suga
duty free by virtue of treaty with tn
island of Hawaii Il brings PRACTICAL!
before these interests the importance
the protection afforded them by the dutie
on sugars imported.
| This should be treated as question 0
industrial policy. and all who deem tn
protection just should unite in bringing t
bear their influence upon the Legislature
and President Of the United States. w,
shall cordially, and from sense of duty
advocate protection on Louisiana sugars
as, according to the argument of Henry
Clay in similar case, part of the grea
American system. Upon this proposition
the Republican party, having inherited
the Wing principles Of Union and
industrial protection, will be- found
sincere and consistent The REPUBLICAN
was, we believe, the first to publish the
speech of Hon. r. L. Gibson upon the
Hawaiian treaty. 1t has never omitted to
advocate the measure and the principle Of
general protection, nor will it withhold
a support which, though condemned by
political opponents here, will avail with
the reading and thinking Republicans in
Congress charged with legislation upon
the subject We are aware that the in
falibility Of the Democrats is such that
they may take either side of any question
without thereby FORGETTING their party
membership. We know that nothing
which Republican can do or say will be
received by the Democracy with credence
or respect. Democracy sometimes conde-
scends to accept Republican aid. as for
the river improvement voted by Repub-
ican Congress, and for the duties on
sugar maintained by the same authority.
A general amnesty, due to the whole Re-
publican party. has been graciously en-
ployed by many Confederate benedciaries
to aggregate an embitt cred sectional op-
position, yet we do not suppose that
Republican vote in Congress would be
rel ected by the Democracy for either the
levees or the Texas railroad.
But those who conduct our local poll
tics had better perhaps separate the ques-
ton of protective policy from the party
controversies of the day. Not that it
would affect the sincerity of our own
support. but if the national Republican
party be assailed in Louisiana as the foe
Of protection, and the Democratic party
be proclaimed as the friend Of protection,
the attempt to employ the sugar ladle as
a weapon in the fight may prove at once
impotent and injurious.
It has been within few days past that
the Bulletin said
A Radical President and Senate entered
into treaty with the King of the Sandwich
islands, and ,0,c, mainly BY Radical rotes
and influence, the Senate and House hare
ratified that treaty, under which sugar and
rlC6, t00 pEOOuCt0 u Q8WAI, 8E0 70 10 III
mitted into American ports duty free.
We are concerned to observe that Mr..
Tobias Gibson, in his remarks before a
meeting called to protest against the
formal ratification and exchange of this
commercial conven ton between the two
governments, has deemed it necessary to
repeat the same assertions. MI. Gibson
is reported to have
Alluded to the fact that very powerful
and plausible arguments had been made in
Congress in favor of the treaty, and stated
that it was backed by the influence of Cali
fOrnia, and generally by the Republican party,
and had been already signed by the Presl-
dent.
Justice to the Republican party de-
mands that both these assertions should
be corrected from the record.
The reader will remember that it is the
exclusive province of the President and
Senate to institute and execute treaties |
with foreign powers The treaty under |
was thus initiated. It re.
quired the action Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives for its confirmation, because its |
provisions affected the revenue laws Of the |
country. There was House report in
favor of the bill exempting the commodi-
ties recited in the treaty from obligations
to pay revenue. There was minority re-
port which opposed the enactment Of such
! bill. A debate arose involving the le-
,ality and polity of such bill. 1t was
discussed by Messrs. Mills, Banks,
Gibson, Tucker and Others In the
course of this debate Hon. N. P.
Banks, of Massachusetts,, who has been
'lassed as member of the Dem
'cratic majority, made an able and
Elaborate argument in favor of the largest
commercial development upon the con-
inents of Asia and Africa, and the six
thousand islands Of the Pacific ocean.
he especial advocate Of reciprocity with
anada, Mr.. Banks, argues for the gen.
raj adoption and application of this
rinciple throughout our entire CONNER
ial relations. He considers that the
.eaty will ''be regarded as an embodi- '
lent Of a new principle. 1t constitutes
n era in diplomatic history" Our pro- {
,ctionist friends may, then, regard this {
eaty as test question of exceeding i'm
ortance to themselves. One question
10 ID nv the OnuonenfS of tho hill was a
neither the House had the power to de-