Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-06
EVENING STAR.
THE VETO OF THE COLLINS STEAMER
BILL e 80

BILL. 80
On Saturday evening the President re.
turned to Congress the bill making ap
preparation for the Collins line of steam.
ers.with message containing his reason.
for doing so. ...... .
According to the terms of the cont, act
(says the President, the parties were tc
receive from the United States, for TWEEN.
ty round tri ps each wear. the sum o.
nineteen thousand two hundred and fifty
dollars the trip, Or three hundred and
eighty I've thousand dollars per annum :
and they were TO construct and provi;e
i've ships, of stipulated size and DUAL.
lty, Tor the performance of this or other
service Of the Government.
Of the ships contracted for, ONLY four
have been furnished, the Atlantic, Pacific
Arctic, and Baltic and the present bill
proposes TO dispense entirely with the
original condition Of fifth shiI by only
requiring the construction of one. which
would but supply the place of the Arctic.
recently lost By peril Of the sea.
by act of Congress of July 81, 1852.
the amount of compensation to the con-
tractor was increased from nineteen thou.
sand two hundred and fifty dollars, 10
thir ty-three thousand dollars a trip. and
the number of trips from twenty to
twenty-six each year-making the whole
compensation eight hundred and fifty
eight thousand dollars per annuIn. Dur
ing the period Of time from the com.
mencement of the service of these con.
tractors, on the 9th of April, 1850, to
the end of the last fiscal year, June 80.
1904, the sum paid to them by the United
States, amounted two millions six kun.
dred and twenty thousand nine hundred
and six dollars, without reckoning pub
lie money advanced on loan to aid them
in. the construction Of the ships: while
the whole amount of postages derived
to the Department has been ONLY seven
hundred and thirty-four thousand and
fifty six dollars showing an excess of
expenditures above receipts of one mil
lion eight hundred and eighty. six thou
sand four hundred and forty dollars to
the charge Of the government.
The act of July q, 1852, provides that
1t shall be in the power OF Congress- at
any time after the 3lst day of ID tcember
1904, to terminate the arrangement for
the additional allowance herein provided
for upon giving six months notice.
This last provision, certainly a nri-
mary consideration for the more generous
action of the government, the present
bill proposes to repeal, SO as to leave
Congress no power to terminate the ar.
|rangement.
10 this repeal, adds the President, the
objections are, in my mind, insuperable.
because, IN terms, it deprives the United
States Of all future discretion as TO the
increased service and compensation
whatever changes may occur in the art
OF navigation, Its expenses, or the policy
and political condition of the country.
W mle the contractors are 10 be paid
compensation nearly double the rate of
the original contract, they are exempted
from several Of its conditions, which has
the effect of adding still more to that
rate; while the further advantage is con-
ceded to them, of placing their new priyi.
leges beyond the control even of Con-
gress.
The privileges bestowed upon the con-
tractors ale without correspondent ad.
vantages to the government, which re.
celves no sufficient pecuniary, or ether
return for the immense outlay involved t;
which could obtain the same service of
other parties at less cost {; and which, if
the bill becomes law, will pay them
large amount of public money, without
adequate considerations-;hat is, will in
effect confer gratuity, whilst nominal
ly making provision for tie transporta-
ton OF the mails of the United States.
10 provide for making donation of
such magnitude, and to give to the ar.
rangement the character Of permanence
which this bill proposes, would he to de-
prive commercial enterprise OF the bene-
hts Of free competition, and to establish
a monopoly, in violation of the soundest
principles of public policy, and of doubt.
ful compatibility with the constitution.