The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-26

A Large Meeting Concerning the ma'
walian Treaty.

Large Meess04 G0ncerWuk tWS "~'
waiian Treaty.
The meeting at the Chamber OF Com
merce last night was very large one.
and brought together the larger portion
OF our most influential merchants.
The meeting was presided over by W.
G. Raymond, Esq. the Vice President
Of the Chamber.
The following memorial was reported
by Mr.. Tobias Gibson. chairman OF the
special committee appointed for the pur-
pose:
Memorial.
70 tho Honorable the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives Of tho United state of America
In Congress assembed
The undersigned. your memorialists,
would respectfully but earnestly call
your attention TO the careful considera-
tjon Of the effects Of the passage and
adoption Of the treaty with the Hawai-
ian Islands upon tho prosperity OF tho
State OF Louisiana.
Possibly there may be advantages to
be derived by tho State OF California,
but while II gives n zest and u vigor To
the condition OF business aud enterprise
Of the Pacific coast, ut the same time 1t
will be withering blast upon every in
terest i'm tho State of Louisiana. The
preccdcnis to be established by this
treaty, II followed up to its legitimate
issue, will inaUgurate u system OF free
Introduction of products OF slave labor
from the West India Islands, and thus
stop the cultivation Of the main pro-
duets which keep alive tho agriculture
OF Louisiana. Our climate and soil nre
only adapted to the cultivation OF rice
and sugar. The production OF any other
Il. - l,nn fIt ~
years proved futile, and should tho
treaty be approved by Congress. Louisi-
ana unable to compete with the islands
OF the West or East, would Of necessity
dwindlc down to u withored and distort-
cd member of the sisterhood of States.
We cannot conceive that the General
Government would or should legislato
ono section or State into prosperity, mt
tho sacrifice of another SECTION or State.
This. IL seems to us, would be the es-
sence OF special legislation. If II uni
versal tariff bill were passed. thus put
ting us on u footing with the country Mt
large, permitting any and all foreign
products To come into the ports of the
United States free or duty. then H. would
come in bad grace from us 10 offer any
objection or remoustrancc but rs tho
treaty with the Hawaiian Islands pro
poses to discriminate in the interest OF
one section, to the utter and absolute
ruin of another, we feel that u remon-
strancc from us Il well taken. and de-
serves the consideration OF Congress.
The enactment Of discriminating
tariff in favor Of the alien. and to the
detrlmcnt of the citizen. or all the ciii-
zens Of State. would be simply to in
augurate system which Is as unwise in
precedent IA 1t Ia uni Just In it's fleet
As large pori ions Of this State are
suitable Tor no other crops than sugar
and rice, and their cultivation and de
velopnent have added largely to the
wealth OF the country and the comforts
Of the poorer classes. It does seem un-
wise, we submit, to discriminate against
the recipients Of these benefits rs well
rs against those whose living depends
upon the production of their labor
The capital now invested in these
branches or agriculture and business
would measurably bo withdrawn and
has been much impaired, and it only re
mains to adopt this treaty to put an end
TO tho struggle Of this people for mere
existence. They will lapse into state
too deplorable to contemplate ii they
finally discover that their best energies
are to be frustrated by tho highest au-
thority IN the land.
We therefore offer an earnest remon-
sirance against the passage of the bill
authorizing the adoption OF the treaty
between tho King OF tho Hawaiian
Islands and the Government of tho
United States, as initiating directly
against the vital interests Of this State,
and as perpctrating IN injury from
which we cannot recover In years to
come
We respectfully ask that tho tariff on
rice and sugar remain rs II now Is under
existing laws.
After tho adoption Of resolutions ap-
pointing committee to go to Washing
ton, the Chamber OF Commerce ad-
journed and mass meeting was held,
Bradish Johnson, Esq. presiding, and
d. Talmage, Esq, acting as secretary.
Some speech making followed, and a
resolution approving the proceedings Of
the Chamber Of Commerce was adopted
The following committee was then ap-
pointed to go to Washington w. NJ
Burwell, c. q. Antoine, Tobias Gibson
and J. G. Potts.
Mr. James M. Putnam being called
upon read a lengthy document on sta
tistics from which the following is
taken:
The sugar crop or Louisiana was in
1856 30 900 900 lhs worth. ........ $27O0. ZOO
1st2-a-l4o 00o 900 ihs worth 47bo.oo0
1883 4-495 OOo' o. Ms. worth Is 5726.0H
is5S-9-4lt.s 0,O00 ibs. worth .......... 22oOoooD
1861 2-52S. 300 600 lbs. .worth............. 6iU.oO
After the commencement OF the late
war It was reduced In
ls6i-b-IO 300 900 lbs worth ............ $1,000 900
After which it increased rapidly, so
that it was in
Is7o-ll6s oon 900 lbs. .sii 26 600
l,7b-6 l65. .i5D 900 lbs worth ......... ~ 100000
The aggregate value OF the sugar
crops OF this State from 1885 to the pres
ent time has been S430, ,5OI 900. The
United States consumed in 1862 24l All
tons OF foreign sugar. and the crop Of
Louisiana, which was about 235, 400 tons,
being very near equal to the supply OF
foreign sugar for that year, and our
lands, which are well adapted to the