The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-17
KILLED!

to live, Capt. Morrison being royalty |
entertained by the king of the island. |
KILLED!
The Measure to Develope our Commerce.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April 10.-The
senate comm ittee on foreign relations
to-day reported adversely, and recon-
mended an indefinite postponement of
the two bills introduced by senator
Cockrell to provide for the ap-
pointment of a committee to
visit the principal countries of
Central and South America
for the purpose of collecting 1nforma-
ton looking to the extension of Amer
lean trade and commerce in that
by Senator Sherman to authorize the
governments of the republics OF Mex
leo, Central America, South America,
and of the empire of Brazil,
to send delegates to a conven-
ton at Washington to consider
questions relating to reciprocal and
commercial relations, sc. In place of
these bills they reported an amend
m ent to the consular and diplomatic
bill, which provides that 100000 be
appropriated to enable the president to
appoint a commission to examine
and report upon the relations
of the United States with the
several countries of Central and South
America, and upon the best modes of
serving the intimate national and
commercial relations between them
and the United States; also to enable
| him to defray the expenses of such
commission, should it be deemed ad-
visable for it or any members of it to
visit any of said countries; and
furthermore to enable him to compen-
safe delegates of the United States to
a congress of these states to be held
at Washington, should it be deemed
| advisable to convene such ongress
after the report of such commission
shall have been made, and to meet
such portion of the expenses of such
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 appropria
lions committee on foreign relations,
the committee presents as part of its
report a letter from the secretary of
state, dated March goth, 1884, en-
dorsing the proposed amendment. The
letter is addressed to senator Miller,
(Calo) chairman of the committee,
and is in part as follows:
81 am thoroughly convinced of the
ACCESSIBILITY of knitting closely our re-
lations with the states of this continent
and no effort on my part shall be
wanting to accomplish the result so
consonant with the constant policy of
this country, and in spirit with
the Monroe doctrine, which, in
excluding foreign political inter-
ference, recognizes the common in
t,rest of the states of North and South
America. Its history and all diplo
macy that close political relations and
friendships, spring from the unity of
commercial interests. The merchant
or trader is the forerunner and
aid to diplomatic intimacy
and international amity. With the
spirit of the proposed amendments l
am in harmony, but certain practical
objections to the mode suggested oc-
currs to me. / tear congress so soon
to meet, without previous conference
with the several governments. and
without a prepared and well di-
gested programme for discussion,
might be unable to accomplish
valuable results. 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 congress carefully defined and
outlined in the invitation. The
disadvantage of summoning a
congress without some definite assur-
ance of general accord, and without
announcement of its programme, was
shown in 1860, when the Columbian
government convoked congress of
the Spanish American states at Pan
anna, to concert measures for pre-
serving peace between them
by means of international
arbitration on the part of the states
well represented, and the conference
failed to develop unity of views, and
broke up without accomplishing any
thing, except, perhaps, prejudice
against a renewal of the
project. Moreover, it is probable
other states, smaller and certainly the
less powerful among them, would de-
sire treaty or alliance requiring of the
United States protection and defense
in case of attack nor only by the
European powers but by their
more powerful neighbors on this con-
tinent. Material aid, also, in the
construction of the railroads
and other similar public works
wonld be expected, neither of
| which proposition could be enter
| tanned by US. In conference the
smallest state would have a voice
equal to that of the United
States, and while we would not nee
essarily be bound by the conclusions
reached, it would weaken rather
than strengthen our influence
with these countries, if we
reject the measures adopted by the
conference. Considerations much like
this character influenced the failure of
the notable project for the American
congress at Panama during the Adams
administration in 1828-29. The true
plan seems to me is to make series
of reciprocity treaties with the
states of Central and South America,
taking care that these manufacturers,
and, as far as practicable, those pro-
ducts which would come into compe-
tition with our manufactures and pro-
ducts, should not be admitted to the
free list. By these treaties we might
secure for ourselves some valuable re-
suits and substantial advantages-for
example, the free navigation of
their coasts, rivers and lakes.
If we could confne the reduction of
duties in such articles as sugar and
coffee to those Spanish-American
countries which are willing to nego-
tiate with us treaties of reciprocity, we
cheaper these products for our own
people, and at the same time gain con-
troll of those markets for the products
of our fields and factories. Another
point seems well worthy of considera-
ton. The United States are great
producers of silver, and every
market which can be opened
for this valuable product is to our
direct advantage. Great Britain, on
he other hand, Istrives to disparage and
exclude it as a means of exchange.
The states of Central and South |
America are also silver-producers
with interests like ours, and it would,
therefore, be of advantage to |
us, and probably be practic BILE |
to agree upon a common |
silver oOin oOnoI in uoJ11o COW RI our |