Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-21
TIE HUMILIATIEG CoNDITIoa OF OUR
sLUFH AMERICAN COMMERCE.

E-U III an hhlCAN CUA MkhCB.
Mr.. Low, one of the most experienced
Of commercial traders, and an excellent
judge of the status OF our shipping inter
ests, declares that while Mexico is next
door to Us and the South American Gov
ernments near at hand and initiating our
system, yet for every dollars worth of
goods which these Spanish American coun-
tries take from US they take thirteen from
England. Ex,Mayor Grace, of New York,
on the same subject, declares that the
tariff on American shipping has done all
that could be done to destroy it. We can
not bald ships here for South America as
cheaply as they can on The Clyde, because
Of our high protective taxes. He thinks,
If we keep on as we have, we shall soon be
driven to employ foreign ships to display
the American ensign for US on the high
seas. The commerce Of South America on
the Pacific Is to-day dominated by single
English steamer company, and from that
commerce we have been driven by our own
legislative folly.
We have now before US a volume issued
in 1871, being the life of William Wheel.
wright, by AIberdi. La the light of the
present it reads us a most instructive
lesson. WaeeIwright was the great pro.
moter of South American commerce. He
built for himself there monument that
will never crumble to that people he be-
came herowhose corqueata were bloodless,
but whose trlumphs were greater far than
those won by the arms of war He went
to South America from his Massachusetts,
homo to establish steam communication
between South American ports, but was
driven, by lack of encouragement IN Amer
lea to seek it in England, where it was ac-
corded, and hence the Pacific Navigation
Company, one of the most powerful and
extended commercial organizations on the
globe to-day. Senator Sherman introduced
into Congress bill
To empower the President of the United States to
AI,
and Tie republics Of Central and South America, 70
send delegates 70 conference, to be held in the
city 81 Washington during the year 1854, aud con
suit as 20 the best mode Of establishing upon 4 firm
and lasting basis. peaceful and reciprocal com
mercial relations and II adopt measures 70 prom 3te
the construction Of international railroad 10
meet the countries named with the United States,
and making appropriation of so 600 for the eX-
penses Of tho conference
OF c1urse such 4 conference can have but
one result. The countries we invite to it
viii have but one thing to say to US, IRE
lax the rigor of regulations with which
you have shut yourself out from US" The
simple question remaining then will be,
WI we do 1t? All the conferences in the
world, and al the wise Matchmaking pos.
sible, will rot restore to US the commercial
advantages we have lott. If they are re-
gained, it will be only by the most liberal
and encouraging shipping policy. The
British have a hold upon the South Amer
lean carrying trade now not easily to be
shaken, and not by US st all under our
present absurd system Of killing off ship.
ping interests by protecting ship.buiIding
materials.
The New York Herald has Just contrib
uted to the literature of the subject some
pregnant figures of its compilation, show
ing that last year we exported to Centrn
America and British Honduras goods o.
y 42434S Of values, while we imported
s. COS l5t of values. Both figures ar,
miserably small, but their dispyoportion j
absurjiy Ridiculous and any one will b,
alb, % see that we must account for tn,
difference in hard cash. Last year we ex
ported to South America SOS. 927, 097, white
we imported from South American couu
tries SO. 736 9S3. These figures call foi
No comment. They are simply hunillat
iUg. l. in the next ten years we are abl,
to reverse them we will accomplish her
cuiean task bat for all that we should
enter upon it at once and the first step il
to strike the shacklas from American ship
ping laws.
In this connection the recent report by
Minister Logan on the new Chilean taril
is Of interest. We have al advance copy
from the State Department. He explsin
the new customs regulations, and note
that while no one class of our manufact
ures will suffer damage by the change, yer,
many must be greatly benefited, for tn
rae Of duty is TO be paid upon valua
tons to be established on the basi
of cos. IN the custom houses in som,
cases, and in others upon the gros
weight These valuations are made by
commission yearly, aud can be modife,
from time TO time by the President
Now nearly, If not all American raanufact
ures are lighter weight than tina European
from agricultural and mining machinery t
silver. plated ware, and from sawmills an,
engines to furniture, and hence the ad
vantage to us. The Minister also in
r GL.I ,ro Inv from, Chila inc