National Republican., 1883-01-27
ON THE AVENUE.
sn.nII rolh About Men and measures.

ON THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About Men and Measures.
The house committee on foreign affairs and
the senate committee on finance are still
wrestling with the Hawaiian reciprocity
treaty problem. Tho senate committee has
not devoted much time to the consideration
of the question, but the house committee has
discussed it at considerable length. The
sugar refneries of Boston and New York and
the sugar planters of Louisiana are working
industriously for the abrogation of the treaty,
and spectators are putting in their leisure
moments pumping members for bits Of ad-
vance information which will serve them
as pointers" A strong opposition to the
abrogation of the treaty has sprung up in the
foreign affairs committee, although there is
an almost unanimous sentiment that it should
be modified in one particular, if this can be
done without the loss to the United States of
the valuable political privileges or advantages
it now enjoys. Under the provisions thereof
the Hawaiian kingdom binds itself not to sell,
give away, or loan any of its territories or
waters to any other power, the considcra-
ton being tho admission to American
ports, duty free, of Sandwich island sugars
of certain grades and of other products. AL
though strong proof has been produced that
importers of Hawaiian sugars are and have
been running in great quantities of high
grade sugars on the custom house officers by
inparting to them low grade colors, and wash
ing the coloring out on arrival, thereby avoid
ing the payment of duty, fears are enter
tained by some members that move on the
part of congress to take Hawaiian sugars from
tho free list will start King Kalakaua to trad
ing with France or England to the great loss
of America. They fear that one of the great
maritime powers will gain foothold on
the islands, which will be n serious menace TO
the United States. Mr. Sprecklcss agents are
playing this card energetically and fostering
the idea that France stands ready to buy up
King Kalakaua for million or two, take his
little one horse kingdom, and get him out OF
the way.
"What is to prevent Mr.. SpreckleS from
ponsioning the king and giving his seven-by.
nine islands to the United States, an intention
he has been accused of harboring," was asked
a member who is Cup" on diplomatic mat.
ters generally.
"Tho scheme is impracticable to my mind, ;
he said, "for several reasons. In tho first
place an individual cannot traffic in politica
soveroignties, and although in this case tha
objection might be met by getting the Sand
wichers to make the overtures, the govern
mcnt would not accept the islands as gift
Congress refused to tako San Doming,
when it was offered by unanimous vot
of its people, and it could not take th
Hawaiian islands. This government doesn'
want any islands to look after, and won
take any. And, Furthermore, 1 may say, tina
do not believe congress will be willing tC
pay one man q colossal tribute to compensat,
King Kalalaua for refusing to let any othe
nation use his harbors or real estate, whicl
they will take when they want them in an,
event. Ono of the reasons, and may say tn
great reason, for putting Hawaiian sugars OF
the free list was that the residents of tn
Pacific slope might have cheap sugars
The disposition shown by Mr.. Spreckle
to hog everything has defeated tha
object, however, and the far westerner
have to pay from ono to two cents more TO
sugar than consumers east of the Mississippi
when they should be supplied that mucl
into the fire, and he may as well make up hi
mind he will have to pay duty in the futur
us well as others in his line of business.
am free to say, though that / do not see hov
congress is going to reach the question thi
session in time to dispose of it,"
80
There Is little boy not more than five year
of ago who does thriving business on til
avenue below Tenth street, every evening
All the newsboys who got "stucl on thei
papers go to this little fellow and fairly bur
den him with their wares. He waddles alon
with his burden and begs the passers-by :
purchase his papers, saying; "l've got stuck
an can't go home till my papers is sold" Ii
the course of an hour he manages to find
good Samaritan who more than pays him 70
the entire stock on hand and receives in re
turn the beautifully-sobbed thanks of tn
! young sharper. As tho benevolent citizei
strides homeward with proudly beating heart
because of his charity, the newsboys flocl
about their hero and get their share Of tn,
plunder. This young Fisk never allows tn
lambs to get ahead of him in the dicker, bu
always goes homo joyfully jingling coin il
pockets which erstwhile were empty.
@@a
"You arc clear of about that Red LAX
Indian reservation scheme" observed gen
tloman from the west, drawing the avenu
man confdentially intoa corner. "The Min
nesota lumbermen, who have fastened thei
covetous eyes on the Chippewas pine landi
do not caro- copper cent whether the cOnsoli
dation bill is passed or not. If the bill coul
havo been slipped through without any fu.
being made about it, they would not have oil
jected, but it really makes little difference
In 1868 congress entered into q treaty wit