The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-10
THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.

| At Chicago. on Tuesday next, will meet s.
commercial convention, convened for the
purpose Of discussing the means of further
extending the foreign trade Of the United
States, especially with Brazil and the Span
| ish Americas To New Orleans this conven-
tion will be o most important one, and we
trust that the opportunity will not
| be lost Of presenting to the Western
cities her unusual advantages, as the
| port OF entry and departure, for
the commerce Of those countries. We do not
know what arrangements have been made to
have this city represented, but we understand
that Gen. Bussey, who Is thoroughly Informed
In regard to all these particular interests Of
our commercial community, will attend the
convention as O delegate. Another reason
why we should be represented at this conyen-
tion is the fact that o similar one has been
called to meet in this city In December, and
We can hardly expect the Northern cities to
send delegates here IL We fail to have repre-
sentatives at Chicago.
The re-establishment OF the New Orleans
Mint gives the city extraordinary advan-
tage, aside from thai locality, for controll-
ing the Mexican trade. These advantages
|
to Mexico than TO this country. The pro-
ductiou Of the Mexican silver mines Is esti-
mated annually at abont $tg,O0Oo00, thus
constituting that metal the commodity upon
which the commerce Of the country Is
chiefly dependent. Now the bulk Of this pro-
duct goes necessarily to Europe for lack OF e.
market nearer home With b mint here In ac-
tive operation, wlt1 n capacity for coming
from ss,OoOo0O to b10,0oo000 yearly, markev
or the bulk Of this silver will be found here,
at the nearest great commercial centre TO that
country where 1t can be readily exchanged
for such merchandise and produce as may be
necessary to supply the demands Of that
trade. So far the reconciliation Of silver has
had no per-eptible effect upon our Mexican
trade, but we venture to say that our Mint will
not be In operation Il twevemonth before the
m ost beneficial results shall be attained
The bullion for the first coinage under the
silver bill was obtained in Europe but It all
came originally from Mexico. To It's original
value was added the additional charges Of
half o. dozen commissions, expressage, freight
and insurance. IT has been estimated by the
director Of our Mint that this same amount
Of silver could have been obtained direct from
Mexico through this port at 21a per cent less
than it cost the government by way Of the
European markets, Two and q half per cent
on ten millions of dollars Is an immense con-
sideration to the government, and this saving
alone is bound to make the New Orleans Mint
supply almost the entire silver coinage Of the
country. Necessarily it will greatly augment
our Mexican trade, and will compel the great
productive and commercial regions OF
tho West to establish through this city their
trade relations with Mexico.
This consideration, together with our I'M
pnralleled geographical advantages for con-
trolling oil Of this commerce with Mexico,
Central and South America, should be ear
negtly and ably pressed upon the North and
West, and we should never permit such an
opportunity for doing this rs is afforded at
this Chicago convention to pass unheeded.