The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-15

lions, but II Is Well-kn0Wn TACT that
for many years back Mexico has been
sensitively afraid of American en-
croachments. Mexican suspicious of
the United States are now
in large degree dispelled, as is
shown by their Willingness to nego-
tate such treaty as the one now be-
fore the senate. The development of
our railroads running into Mexico,
and acknowledgment in Mexico conse-
quent upon the building of those
roads, add the increase of general bus
mess and industry in Mexico, must
inevitably make Mexico a large COM
mercial country, increasing in impor-
lance from year to year at a very rap
id rate, and if we fail now to use this
first opportunity that we have had of
cultivating closer relations, it is not
only possible, but very probable, it
will be many years before we can eX-
pect another opportunity for negotiat-
ing such treaty, With this treaty
ratified by both governments, it may
be assumed it will be possible to make
another treaty subsequently, which
shall remedy any defect which may be
seen in the working of this. Another
very good reason for its ratification is
the fact that it has been, and is now,
violently opposed by all European
| merchants and agents residing in
Mexico. Foreign merchants there are
an influential class, because they inn
port pretty nearly all the goods inl-
| ported into that country, and conSe-
quently pay into the Mexican treaSu-
ry large per cent of all the present
revenues of that country. Their in
fluence is increased by the fact that
small retailers. generally natives of
the country, purchase their goods
from these importers on long credits,
paying for them out of the sales Of
goods. Consequently, rs you see,
these foreign merchants have
great influence both with
governing officials and with enterpris-
ing Mexican dealers. They are upon
the spot to work against this treaty,
while We have no corresponding class
of American citizens at present in
that country to represent our side of
the question. The president of the
republic, however. and his cabinet,
have had the independence and,
as l think, the good sense to accept
this treaty as it is now presented in
our senate, and they accepted this
though they had begun by, being very
strongly prejudiced against making
any commercial treaty with the
United States. know objection has
been or may be raised to this treaty
from the fact that there is nothing in
it which prohibits Mexico making
similar treaties with other countries.
1t would have been hardly fair for
us to have insisted on Mexico
restricting her own powers without
ever restricting ourselves in the same
way, and it is not probable any treaty
could be ratified by the senate of the
United States which contains clause
prohibiting the United States from
making treaty like this, or any
other treaty, with other countries
whenever it should seem proper and
advantageous to do so; but it is not
likely Mexico will consider similar
treaty with any EurOpeon country,
because there is no European country
which can give Mexico the market
for her surplus products that we can,
and they are furthermore remote
from Mexico and not neighbOrs, as
We are. This treaty, if it goes
into effect, will naturally not
only bring the people of the
two adjoining republics closer
together, but it gives material advan-
tages in another way. There are but
two articles produced by us which are
admitted free from Mexico under the
treaty. one crude sugar, the other leaf
tobacco. Taking the latter into con-
sideratiOn first: ! conceive the treaty
would be very advantageous to us,
and certainly very advantageous to
Mexico, because under it we
are only to receive tobacco free
from duty in its manufactured
state, and tobacco which they raise
does not correspond at all to the arti-
Gle raised by Us; but is similar and
equal in quality to tobacco raised in
Cuba. 1t is to be presumed when
Mexico raises enough of this tobacco
to supply the market, the manufac-
ture of our own Havana cigars will
take place in our own country, and the
tobacco of Mexico being free from eX-
port duty in Mexico we shall be large
ly able to compete with Havana in the
outside markets of the world in the
two articles Of manufactured tobacco
and cigars. In regard to her sugar,
Mexico at the present time does not
raise perhaps q quarter of what her
own consumption Is, or will be
with railroads to distribute it. The
country has great capacity for raising
sugar, but the territory where sugar
can be raised without irrigation lies
exclusively in the low lands of the
gulf or on the Pacific ocean, where it
is so unhealthy MexicanS cannot be
induced to live or do any hard work.
The region where sugar at present is
raised and where it will continue to
be raised as long as the country is oc-
cupied alone by its present working
population, is on plateaus at between
| 1900 and 1000 feet altitude, where it
is healthy and where the seaSOgs are
divided into rainy and dry. Sugar can
be raised there only on grounds which
can be irrigated, and the water supply
| is entirely inadequate to irrigation
anywhere of very large per centage
of land lying under climate suited
to the cultivation of sugar. This of
itself will limit production for good
many years, so that while Mexico will
resolve some benefit from the tariff of
duties upon imported sugars coming
from other countries she will not be
able to furnish enough sugar to us
within the limit of this treaty to af-
feet the price. In other words, she
will get the benefit of our tariff in the
price obtained for sugar she does send
us, while our own products of sugar
win get the same price they would if
we had no Mexican or Hawaiian COM
mercial treaties. The advantages to
us consist in the large num-
Der of our manufactured articles
which Mexico will receive free, not
only from port duties, but from inter
nal taxation while in transit to the
placeof consumption-articles which
the Mexicans very much require in
the development of their country, and
on which the present duties are SC
high they produce little or no revenue
to the Mexican government. The ar.
ticles to be so admitted are under sew.
enty-three heads, and under some OF
these heads you must enumerate q
great many, might say hundreds, OF
special articles. will give you few
of them under one head. They admit
machinery of all sorts, classes and de
scriptions for mining, agricultural anC
other purposes. Under another head
ing they admit agricultural nipple
ments. Under another, wagons
coaches, and all sorts of vehicles thai
are pulled by animals, and under tn,
head of tools, for mechanical, scientific
and all other purposes, they admit
tools that are composed of brass. iron