Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-20
.South american Trade.
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT,

WASHINGTON, Dec. l9.-The following self
Senate from President Hayes:
TO the Senate of the United States; In an
swer to the resolution Of the Senate on the 9Th
inst, requesting transmission to the Senate of
''any information which may have been re-
ceived by the departments concerning the pos
tai and commercial intercourse between the
United States and South American countries
together with any recommendations desirable
to be submitted of measures to be adopted for
facilitating and improving such intercourse.
transmit herewith reports from the secretary
of state and the postmaster general, with &C
companying papers. The external commerce
of the United States has for many
years been the subject of solcitude
because of the outward drain of precious
metals it has caused. For fully twenty years
previous to 1877 the shipment of gold was con-
slant and heavy, heavy during the entire
period of suspension of specie payments as to
preclude the hope of resumption safely during
its continuance. In 1875, however, vigorous
efforts were made by enterprising citizens of
the country and have continued to extend our
general ommerce with foreign lands, especially
in manufactured articles. aud these efforts
have been attended with very marked success
The Importation of manufactured goods was at
the result has been an extraordinary reversal of
the conditions SO long prevailing and a com
plete cessation of the outward drain of gold
The official statement IF values re represented
IN foreign commerce will show the unprece-
denied magnitude to which the movement has
! attained and the protection TINS secured to
public interests at a time when commercial Sc
| curity has become indispensable. The agen.
cies through which this change has been effect
ed must be maintained and strengthened if the
future is to be made secure. return to ex-
| cessive imports or to material decline in the
export trade, would render possible return to
the former condition, adverse balances with the
inevitable outward drain of gold. As a neces-
sary consequence every element of aid to the
introduction of products of our soil and manu-
features into new markets should be made
available.
At present such is the favor with which
! many of the products of the United States are
held, that they obtain remuneratiye distribu-
ton notwithstanding the positive differences
OF cost resulting from our defective shipping
| and the imperfection of our arrangements in
every respect, in comparison with those of our
com pet1tors, for conducting the trade with for
| eign markets. If we have equal commercial
| facilities, we need not fear competition any,
| where.
| The laws have now directed the resumption
OF financial equality with other nations, and
have ordered return to the basis of coin
Values 1t is of the greatest importance that
| the commercial condition now fortunately at
tanned shall be made permanent, and that our
rapidly increasing export trade shall not be
| allowed to suffer for want Of ordinary means
| OF Communication with other countries.
The accompanying reports contain valuabl
| ans instructive summary of information with
respect to our commercial interests in South
America, where an inviting field for the enter
prise OF our people is presented. They are
transmitted with the assurance that any meas