National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-24
Sugar and Reciprocity.

The sugar planters Of Louisiana do not
produce more than about one-eighth Of the
sugar consumed in the United States. The
Sandwich Islands do not produce moro than
about one-fourth as much as Louisiana does.
Mexico does not now produce more than one
arc offered treaty of commerce with Mex
leo whereby great variety of American
manufactured articles may be admitted to
that country free of duty, IL in return we
will admit free her cheap tobacco and her
sugar ifshe should raise moro than three times
her present crop. There Is no question but
that the ratification Of this treaty would
maintain the United States influence as the
dominant one in Mexico. 1t is certain that
its defeat would be hailed with great salts
faction by the commercial agents in Mexico
of European commercial houses. as we'll as by
the diplomatic representatives of European
powers. 1t would be taken as refusal to
recognize Mexico as desirable field for
American enterprise and as an indication that
she is hardly regarded as friendly
neighbor. The people Of the United States
want no Mexican territory, but they want
trade and commerce with that republic.
Their representa- tives in the senate will be
singularly indifferent to the general welfare
if the activity of a single interest is per-
mitted to obstruct the promotion of that end.
The fact that it will require railroads to do
business between the United States and
Mexico, and that citizens of the United
States will invest capital in such roads,
and that they will derive profits from the
transportation Of products between the two
countries, is not very substantial argument
in favor of turning Mexico over to close
commercial alliance with other countries
than our own. Nor would Il be very high
minded in any senator to vote against the
treaty upon the ground urged in some news
papers that it was negotiated by tho man to
whom, once upon time, he was opposed for
the presidency.
The same interest that opposes the rati6ca-
ton of the Mexican treaty Is about to com
mence war upon tho existing reciprocity
treaty with the Hawaiian kingdom, although
under that treaty this nation has political
advantages over other powers which cannot
be estimated in either money or sugar. The
Hawaiian government is bound by that
treaty, while IL continues. not to lease or
otherwise concede to any other nation than
ours foothold in the islands, nor to admit
any other to the commercial privileges it
gives to us.
The Sandwich Islands are so situated with
relation to our Pacific states that they should
be forever under our political control. So
imperative is that necessity that we cannot
too highly value their consent to it. Without
such consent the time may come when that
control might have to DO asserted in q man.
ner that would bo made tho protext for a
European alliance against us.
If ever there was an occasion when our
statesmen of tho senate should be guided by
something beyond the selfish appeals of a
single material interest it is now when they
are called upon to decide whether Mexico and
the Sandwich Islands shall be driven away
from or be drawn nearer to the United States