US Presidency
1882

This objection, which is now presented in connection with others that will be presently explained, will, if this act is enforced as it is now phrased, render useless for passenger traffic and expose to heavy loss all of the great ocean steam lines; and it will also hinder emigration, as there will not be ships enough that could accept these conditions to carry all who may now wish to come. The use of the new and the hitherto unknown term uppermost deck creates this difficulty, and I can not consent to have an abuse of terms like this to operate thus injuriously to these large fleets of ships. The passengers will not be benefited by such a statute, but emigration will be hindered, if not for a while almost prevented for many. Again, the act in the first section, from line 31 to line 35, inclusive, provides: And such passengers shall not be carried or brought in any noncompetitive, nor in any compartment, etc., the clear height of which is less than 7 feet.