St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-11
AMERICAN RECIPROCITY.
Proposal to Negotiate With All
Countries of North and
South America.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Adopts the Plan of Secretary
Frelinghuysen.
Looking First to; Reciprocal Commercial
Treaties and Then the HOldingof
an American Congress-.

" cOhoCOl ScNhiOll, W PiOfioN ~ ~
pointment of commission to visit the prin-
cipal countries of Central and South Amer
lea, for the purpose Of collecting informa-
ton looking to the extension OF American
trade and commerce in that direction, and
one bill introduced by Senator Sherman tc
authorize the president to extend invitations
to the governments Of the Republics OF
Mexico, Central America and South America,
and of the Empire of Brazil, to send dele
gates to convention at Washington to con-
| slider questions relating to reciprocal com
mercial relations, etc.
In the place of these bills they reported an
amendment to the consular and diplomatic
bill, which provides that $1,000 be appro-
priated to enable the president to compensate
a commission to be appointed to examine
| and report upon the relations Of the United
States with the several countries in Central
and South America, and upon the best
modes of securing intimate national and
commercial relations between them and the
United States, and to enable him to defray
the expenses of such commission, should it
be deemed advisable for it or any members
of it to visit any of said countries. Also to
enable him to compensate the delegates OF
the United States to a congress of these
states, to be held at Washington, should it be
deemed advisable to convene such congress
after the report of the commission shall have
been made. Also to meet such portions OF
the expenses of said congress as it may be
proper for the United States to pay.
In submitting this proposed amendment,
which it asks to have referred to the appropri-
ate committee on foreign relations. The
letter from the secretary of state, dated March
20, 1884, endorsing the proposed amend
ment. The letter is addressed to Senator
Miller, of California, chairman of the com
mittee, and is in part as follows:
II am thoroughly convinced Of the advisa-
bility of knitting closely our relations with
the states on this continent, and no effort on
my part shall be wanting to accomplish re-
suit so consonant with the constant policy OF
this country, and in the spirit of the Monroe
Doctrine, which, in excluding foreign politi-
cal interference, recognizes the common in
terest of the states of North and South Amer
lea. 1t is the history of all diplo-
macy, that close political relations and
friendship spring from the unity of com
mercial interests. The merchant or trader
is the forerunner and aid to diplomatic in
timacy and international amity. With the
spirit of the proposed amendments | am in
harmony, but certain practical objections to
the mode suggested occur to me. | fear a
congress, so soon to meet, without previous
conference with the several governments,
and without the preparation of a well digest
ed programme for discussion, might be una
BILE to accomplish valuable result. The
views of the states, which are to be parties to
the conference, should be obtained, their
wishes and aims carefully considered, and
thereupon the scope and purpose of the con-
gress carefully defined and outlined in the
invitation.
The disadvantage Of summoning con-
gress, without some definite assurance of
general accord and without announcement
Of its programme, was shown in 1880, when
the Columbian government convokcd con-
gress of the Spanish American states at Pan
anna, to concert measures for preserving
peace between them by means of interna-
tional arbitration. Few states were repre-
scented, and the conference failed to develope
unity of views, and broke up without ac-
comprising anything, except, perhaps, pre-
iudice against a renewal of the project.
Moreover, it is probable that other states, GER
tainly the smaller and less powerful among
them, would desire treaty of alliance, re-
curing Of the United States protection and
defence in case of attack, not only by Euro
pean powers, but by their more powerful
neighbors on this continent is material, and
also in the construction of their railroads and
other similar public work would be expected,
neither of which propositions could be enter
tanned by the United States. In the confer
ence the smallest state would have voice
equal to that of the United States, and while
we need not necessarily be bound by the
conclusion reached, it would weaken rather
than strengthen our influences with these
countries, If we felt forced to reject the
measures adopted by the conference. Con-
siderations much of this character Influenced
the failure Of the notable project for an
American congress at Panama, during the
Adams administration in 1829-29.
The true plan seems to me to make series
of reciprocity treaties with the states of Cen
trail and South America, taking care that
those manufacturers, and, as far as practical,
those products which would come into COM
petition with our own manufacturers and pro-
ducts, should not be admitted to the free list.
By these treaties we might secure for valuable
consideration, so as not to violate the most
favored nation clause, other treaties and
further substantial advantages. Such, for
example, as free navigation of their coasts,
rivers and lakes. In discriminate reduction
of duties on materials peculiarly the produc-
ton of Central and Sonth America, take from
us the ability to offer reciprocity, and
we would thus lose the opportunity
to secure valuable trade. The removal
of the duties from coffee, without greatly
cheapening its price, deprived us of the pow
er to negotiate with the coffee growing
countries of Spanish America; highly advan-
tageous reciprocity treaties, and the indis-
criminate reductions of the duties on sugar
would complete our inability to establish fav-
orabe commercial relations with those
countries, which form our natural market,
and from which we are now almost entirely
excluded. Ii we confine the re-
duction of the duties on such arti-
Giles as sugar and coffee, to those
of the Spanish American countries which
are willing to negotiate with US treaties OF
reciprocity,w we cheaper these products for our
people, and at the same time gain the control
of those markets for the products of our
fields and factories.
Another point seems worthy of considera-
ton. The United States are the great pro-
ducers of silver and every market which can
be opened for this valuable product is to our
direct advantage. Great Britain, on the
other hand, strives to disparage and exclude
it as means of exchange, for its use in this
way depreciates her wealth and works to her
disadvantage. The states of Central and South
America, are also silver producers, with in
forests like OurS If wou1d tbarafora no q n