The Hawaiian gazette., 1876-04-12

From the Washington Cor. sac UuniOu
The Hawaiian Reciprocity treaty
The Bill 10 Give it Enect-The
Free List of Hawaiian Pro-
ducts.
You are aware that January 80. 1875. a treaty
Of commercial reciprocity-io last seven years.
and until year after notice of withdrawal-was
concluded between the United States ana the
Hawaiian Islands. The ratification of which was
advised by the Senate March 18Th, which was
ratified accordingly by the President May 3lst,
ratified by the King April 18th, Publications ex-
| changed at Washington. June 81, and the treaty
proclaimed on the same day. As this treaty
.abolishes duties on certain Enumerated articles,
an Act OF Congress is necessary to give it effect,
and the proposition must originate ia the House
of Representatives. Accordingly the Committee
on Ways and Means have made favorable re-
port upon and submitted to the House II bill on
the subject--introduced by Luttrel-which pro-
provides
That whenever the President of the United
States shall receive satisfactory evidence that the
Legislature Of the Hawaiian Islands have passed
laws on their part to give full effect to the pro-
visions of the Convention between the United
States and his Majesty the King of the Hawaiian
Islands, sigGed on the 18th day of January, 1875,
he s.aulhouzed to issue bis proclamation declaring
that he has such evidence and thereupOH. from
the date Of such proclamation, the following arti-
cles, being the growth aud manufacture or pro-
duce Of the Hawaiian Islands to wit arrow root,
castor OIL bananas, nuts, vegetables dried and
uudried, preserved and unpreseryed, hides anil
skins, undressed, rice, pull, seeds, plants. shrubs
or trees, muscOvado. brown and all other unr
fined sugar, meaning hereby the grades of sugar
heretofore commonly imported from the Hawai-
ian Islands, and now known 10 the markets Of
San Francisco and Portland as Sandwich Is
land sugar." syrups of sugar cane. meldO and
molasses, tallow. shall lie introduced into the
United STATES free of duty so lorg as the said
convention shall remain in force,
The committee gives the figures to show that
already there is large trade between the Islands
aud Australian and New Zealond ports, which
latter are struggling for a monopoly of tie sugar
trade with Hawaii, now that the sugar supply of
the MIauritius is rapidly declining. The British
Government aud people are ever on the alert to
icrease their commercial advantages and in the
absence of the commercial relations under this
treaty the United States may iOuse its trade with
the Islands and from the necessities Of the case
must make n commercial treaty with some coun-
try. Under this treaty the United States will have
the carrying trade, as the Islanders have no large
vessels
The treaty provides that no export duty or
charges shall be imposed by either Government
On the articles enumerated above. And -" it is
agreed on the part of His Hawaiian Majesty" I
says the treaty, that so long as this treaty shall
-emain in force he will not lease or otherwise
dispose of or create a lien upon any port, or 9th
)r territory in his dominion, or grant any special
lights of use therein, to any other power, Stale
,r Government, make any treaty by which
my other nation shall obtain the same privileges,
eIative to the admission of any articles free OF
luty, hereby secured to the United States
1t is upon this clause that the committee lay
he greatest stress. 1t makes the United States
he favored nation to the exclusion by discrim-
mating duties of all others-not commercially
My, but politically as we'll "fhe geographical
POSITION of the Hawaiian Islands," SAYS the COM
nttee, their relation to our Pacific coast and
o the countries adjacent to the Pacific ocean,
beir history, area, and capabilities of production,
he character Of their harbors and their COM
lerca the present and future commerce of the
cean which surrounds them, the problem as to
heir future political status, together with the
ertainty that they cannot maintain autonomy or
old their place as a separate nation and not be-
1me absorbed by some other power, are TO be
)nsdered in determining the question as to the
Olicy of making this treaty"
For over 30 years the importance of these is
IDS geographically and politically has been ap-
lrent to our Government. Webster when Sec
tary of State, declared that the Government II
lie United States would look with displeasure
BON any effort by any other Government to ac-
lire any preponderating influence over these
lands, aud as to the ntimation that the French
taking possession Of them, he
listed they would not. " bat they would be DIG
dyed Il 1t took the whole power of this Govern
ent to do it-if bis advice were taken" Marcy
ID Seward contemplated the possibility of such
treaty as this with faYOr-as did many others
the leading statesmen Of the country, aud many
ministra tons. The Oregon Legislature, the !
IN Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the
1ston Board of Trade, ditto. The committee
tote from Stewards speech Jarvis history the
missions Of the London Times, the writings of
r George Simpson, Admiral Porter, Admiral
9ynolds, General SchOfeld and even from a re-
ut Speech from the throne" to show the i'm
rtance OF these islands to US. From these va 2
,us sources it appears in brief, that the Pacific
can, its shores, its islands, and the vast region
yond is to become " the chief theatre of events
the worlds grert hereafter ;" that the commerce
tween the Pocfc States with Asia and Aus.
lila will ere long become enormous I" that the
ritime power which holds Pearl river harbor,
] moves her feet there, holds also the key Of
North Pacifc:" that il the British could Sc
z cOuIOl OF lDe lsluuns, - the BRUSH Navy y
Id draw line from British Columbia to Aus
LA, completely held against nation, and the ;,
cifc Coast States would be defenceIess = that T
recent acquisition by Great Britain Of the 225
i Islands, has given important maritime ad-
itages to the British fleets in the Pacific
the Hawaiian Islands constitute "the only
eruption to the chief contro' by the British
those waters. The COMMITTEES declare en- y
tically that:
he Pacific ocean is an American ocean, destined
old far higher place in the future history Of the
ID than the Atlantic. 1t il the future great high
between ourselves and the hundreds Of millions ii
siltics who look to US for commerce, civilization,
Christianity. The islands rest between Us and
as the necessary post provided by the rsat RB-
of the universe, points Of observation, rest,
by. military strategy and command. to enable
other TO unitc il protecting both hs9ispheres az
! European assault, aggression and aEarice.
-eey Of Pennsylvania, will fight the bill a
h and nail 10 the House. and, judging from ovl
previous opposition to the treaty in the Sen =
where be was beaten by 81 to Ex-senator ~
tn will antagOnize it in the latter body Bat
e is not doubt that the bill will pass both
SEES. Carrot