The national leader., 1889-07-18

importation of any article, the growth,
produce or manufacture of the United
States or its fisheries, or of Hayti and
her fisheries, from or to the ports of the
United States or Hayti. which shall not
equally extend to any other foreign coun-
try"
This treaty is a supreme law on the
subject of commerce and other subjects
included, between the two Republics
which negotiated it; and it comedies,
gives, grants and secures all that one
sovereign State ought to extend to an
other.
Under its provisions the same oppor-
tunity is extended to us as is or can be
extended to any other power.
Hayti has observed the spirit of this
compact whenever we have met her half
way.
And whenever we have had just cause
for complaint it has received proper con-
sideration; of course it has not always
been done inStanter, because in diplomacy
as in physics great bodies move slowly.
There is one notable instance Of which
may suffice upon this point.
The Haytien Congress passed an Act
on the 23rd of August, 1877, authorizing
certain charges by the consul of that Re-
public abroad on expectations from for
eign countries to Hayti.
Mr.. Evarts, the accomplished Sccrc-
tary of State, the effectiveness of whose
methods exceeded, indeed, by those of
no other Secretary of State) was only
equaled by the great courtesy which
ALWAYS characterized his intercourse with
foreign States and their representatives.
whether dealing with Hayti, in the in
stance under consideration, or with Eng
land in the Fortune Bay affair-remon-
strated against the enforcement Of this
law; and although it was a revenue
measure which fell heaviest upon the
French people, who always have been
the largest exporters to Hayti, yet Hayti
repealed the obnoxious statute.
No, the reason why our merchants do
not enjoy the greater part of the trade
with Hayti is with ourselves, not in the
Haytiens.
In the first place, because of our in
ability to compete with foreign ship
builders, the commerce going out of,
and that coming into, the ports of New
York, Boston and Philadelphia, is carried
in foreign bottoms; indeed the mails of
the United States are so carried; if this
be true here, it is to be wondered at that
the Haytien trade is conducted in foreign
b0tt0ms2
Indeed, were it not for the special pro-
lection given to vessels in the coastwise
trade of the United States, shi building
in the United States would now be lost
art.
In the next place, Hayti is no more a
government of blacks than the United
is a government of whites.
The Haytiens are essentially Gauls, de-
irving their traditions, their language,
their ideals, their motives and methods
from the French people. Their children
are educated in Paris for commercial and
for military life. Many Haytiens reside
in France and thus by sympathy and in
tercourse the two countries approximate
to community of interests.
The large French commercial houses
send trained agents to Hayti to conduct
their business there; these factors inter
marry with the Haytiens and become in
many cases citizens of that country. The
kindest feelings and most friendly rela-
tions are cultivated between the two
nations.
Frenchmen accord Haytiens in France
and elsewhere the same personal and So
cial equality and courtesy which is ex-
tended to citizens of other nations.
France maintains well equipped diplo-
matte agents near Port au Prince at all
times, with establishments and facilities
inferior to none in Central or South
America. On the other hand, the "Ameri-
can, /" of whom it has been said that he
s.may change his sky but cannot change
his prejudices," who visits Hayti gener-
allv regards the citizens of that Republic