Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-01-30
A LETTER FROM GRANT.
His Views on the Mexican Treaty-k
Honest, straightforward Letter.

His Views on the Mexican Treaty-An
Honest, Straightforward Letter.
New YORK, January 23.-General
Grant sent the following letter to the
Washington Evening Star relative to the
pending Mexican treaty:
New YORK CRY, January %, 1Ss4.-To the
Editor of the Washington Eueniag Star: In
your issue Of Saturday headed ''The Mexican
Ireaty-The Senate Declines to Ratify it at
Present, I find the following paragraph.
"WHY SOME OF THE SENATORS VOTED AGAINST
1T.-A member of congress said to Star reporter
to-day that there were some votes, several Of them
at least cast against the Mexican treaty in the
ate for this reason: You see Graft and Romero
were partners in Mexico and they OF tanned some
large concessions from that government in relation
to railroad and steamboat lines. Now Grant is
United States commissioner and Rom 70 a
Mexican commissioner and both Of them were
exceedingly anxious to have the treaty ratified 1t
was suspected and really can say it was more than
suspicioned. that these two men, partners in busi-
ness: had big private interests in that treaty, in
that it would aid them in developing the monopolies
they want and as no real good could be discovered
in the treaty, nothing patent enough to outweigh
this suspicion, was why several senators whom I
know Of concluded that the safest plan would be to
vote against it,"
The statement that 'Grant and Romero are
partners in Mexico and that they obtained
some large concessions from that government
in relation to railroad and steamboat lines " is
lIs
myself never had in our lives any pecuniary
transactions or business TRANSACTIONS of any
Kind. Since the close of our rebel
lion ard the expulsion of Maximillian
from Mexico there has been a warm
sympathy between Romero aud myself.
that ought to exist between Mexico and the
United States, We have 10th devoted much
time to brins: ing about more intimate relations
between the two republics, and entirely gratu-
itously on our own part. myself have no pecu-
mary interest in any Improvements which
ican capital, but feel a great interest
in their success. In tie paragraph quoted
above you say. 1T was suspected aud really I
can say it was more than suspicioned these
two men, partners in bu iness, had big private
interests in that treaty, in that it would aid
them In developing the monopolles they want"
etc. AS stated above, Mr.. Romero and myself
are not partners IN anything. We have
neither OF us-I certainly have not
any more interest in the ratification of that
! treaty than any other private citizen of my
| country. I believe its ratification would be
great step towa,ds establishing those rela-
| tions between two contiguous republics which
ought to exist and which would be mutual
| advantage. Imight say here that in some argu-
| ments that have read in periodicals of the time
! l have seen urged against the treaty the fact
| that Cuba was so near Mexico that it would be
an easy matter to ship their sugar to th.t coun-
| try and reship it from there, thus evading the
| duties. OF course stringent laws would be
| passed to make such acts dangerous, but
aside from any law there are two answers to
that objection to the treaty, either of which in
| itself Is conclusive against that OBJ
jecuon. First, Mexico has higher
tariff upon sugar than the United States has,
and they have no provision III their laws for q
rebate of duties where imported articles are
exported. The second conclusive answer is
that it is only crude sugar which is admitted
| free under the treaty and the difference be-
| tween Cuban raw sugar and Mexican raw sugar
is so great that it would not even require an ex-
pelt to tell the difference between them by '.feep'
| alone if he was blindfolded. write this from
a sick room and by dictation and therefore will
not 60 into details as 1 would If able to sit up
| and write myself. I might add, however, that
while have spent thousands Of dollars of my
own money and great deal Of time to ad-
vance the development of Mexico
| United States capital and by American in
fluence, have not one dollar of interest in all
| that's been done and no pecuniary interest
| whatever IL, the country except that am one
| wholly o the south If the City of Mexico, and
| the success Of Which is very doubtful in these
times, when 4. - 80 difficult to raise capital for
any such enterpr. ses. there is no steamboat
| chatter or olher monopoly III which
| have the slightest pecuniary interest.
| My whole interest is in developing
| those relations which I believe ought to exist
| between contiguous countries and particularly
| those of like institutions, and in the case of
Mexico think it is more Important because Of
| her grest undeveloped resources which must
| make her soon commercial state of very great
| importance. Very truly yours.
(SignedO u. S. GRANT.