Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-05-17
FIRST EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
ouR sAruRDA LETTER

aoERs ETC ETo.
| Special Correspondence ofaie Commercial
| PHILADELPHIA, May 49,
The action of merchants this week to pledge
support to the new Philadelphia Ocean Steam
ship Line has had two effects, one Of them not
intended by the movers in the matter. Il is
thought on some hands that there was active
need for some such demonstrations that there
was no prospect of the Pennsylvania and her sis
| ter ships sailing with full cargoes, and that an
earnest movement must be made to direct public
attention to the necessity of supporting the
American Line. This was unfortunate, and ii is
| to be regretted that such an impression should
gain ground because 1t is not tue fact. Despite
| the assurance the merchants, meeting gave that
our business community is a unit on the ques-
tion Of supporting these ships, it would have
been better perhaps IL the meeting had not been
held. Trade for the line must grow,-lke every
other kind of trade. Naturally, our local import
ers cannot sustain the line alone, nor can the
Pennsylvania Railroad. with all it's foreign
Shipments do it. New York depends on
the whole country for the support of
the vessels entering her docks and one must
expect to educate the importers grain shippers,
etc, of neigbboring cities into preferring an
American Line of Vessels to foreign enterprises.
This will take time, and it will take time aleo to
establish emigrant connections from which the
other lines desire such large revenues. AS an
instance OF the manner in which Philadelphia
may be expected to collect freight from distant
sections for shipment to Europe it may be hoped
that the "Pennsylvania" will take out on the 22d
n larger quantity of cotton received from a
Southern port, calculation having shown that
the cotton could be sent here from Charleston
and hence despatched to Liverpool quicker than
it could be shipped direct. On such enterprise
~. L.. a
the thing, and the extra exertions made at the
start will doubtless cause the first few trips to
be made with full cargoes but 1t should not be
surprising afterward to find trade temporarily
drop of and the vessels sailing only partially la
don. But beyond this, IL we have the courage
to keep up, comes success. Men look upon
the merchants demonstration differently. All
admire the motive, but while some think it a ju-
dicous move, others fear it will be regarded by
the uuthnking crowd as an acknowledgment OF
weakness at the start. 1t is certain that the
public spirited citizens who have established
the American Line, neither admit nor have felt
from the commencement any doubt of the
suit.
The appearance of the postal cards this week,
occasioned ripple Of excitement which was
felt verywhere-extending through the break
ers of business up into the tide water of society.
Everybody was Interested and not a few were
disappointed The cards were practically adopt
ed at once. and the mails are now flooded with
them. This il the first flush OF curiosity, but
the steady demand will doubtless be large. The
trouble anticipated in some quarters of the card
being taken advantage of in scandalous man
ner, seems to have very little in it to make it a
real trouble. For that matter there has never
been anything to prevent blackguafd writing
anything he chose upon the outside of letter,
and suppose open letters could at any time
have been sent through the mails, il the full
amount of postage had been paid on them.
There Is considerable small joking going on now
OF course, but that will not last The concern
OF the post office employees, that the card would
give them much additional work, has been more
than justified. There has been very little fair
ness on that point of the arrangement. great
accommodation is rendered the public, but 1t is
at the expense of tho clerks and carriers and
nothing is heard iD this section of any addition
TO the force on account of the extra labor. This
labor is especially severe in cities and 1t would
seem as IL the attention OF the department must
soon be directed to the matter. The disappoint
ment spoke of is, with the appearance and
material of the cards Printing, engraving. and
card board are alike poor, and provoke general
dissatisfaction. better article may be pro-
vided in the futnre, and it will be remembered
that the first issues of fractional currency were
very poor affairs compared to the handsome and
durable STAMPS" now in circulation. But the
present edition Of postal cards is shabby enough.
Friends Yearly Meeting has been in session
all the week, adjourning to-day. This the
Hicksite meeting but singularly in some respects
most people refer to this branch OF the Society
when they speak OF Friends. The Orthodox are
the Friends proper iDasmuch as tho Hicksitcs
are division from the parent stem. but the
public never seems to regard this. The Orthodox
Friends excite little general interest. The rea-
son doubtless lies in the fact that they feel very
little interest themselves i'll what concerns other
people. Their meetings refer simply to Society
government and discipline The Hicksites on
the contrary are actively interested in the vital
problems of the times-such as the ln'ian
question, enlarged sphere for women, Tenn
perance, Education, Sabbath Schools. AMI many
III, l.FT.
to the popular sympathy They are TO sum
all Liberal while the Parent Church is
Conservative ana Liberalism il the
need of the hour The Yearly Meeting which
has Just closed was one of the most comforting
and satisfactory ever held by the Society. The
debates upon the Indian matters were especially
interesting and the help given the woman cause
cannot fail Of being widely felt and appreciated
LucTeta Mott spoke forclbly on the subject
Age leaves an increasing mark upon this admit
rable woman but the spirit burns as pure and
bright in her al ever. What priceless treasure
she has been to the Society and to all Society
The testimony of friends upon Temperance,
Capital Punishment and other matters ID pre-
cione in these sreckless times, and it is very
reStful to think OF their earnest goodness as OPP
posed to a wicked and perYerse generation And
what novel idea 1t is to report the proceedings
of the Yearly Meeting in the daily Journals
The papers might print many things OF less val
ue it il true, and yet there is strangeness
about the thought. Reports have appeared reg
ularly this week, given with as much detail ana
circumstance as accounts of political meetings.
The idea is opposed to Friends dislike.ot display
and notoriety, and further, none but those con-
cerned are supposed to be present at the meet
ings This however, does not prevent members
turning reporters for the time, and suppose it
was in this way the thing has beon done. The
notion was good one for the more the people
know about Friends the better it will be for
them.
There have been other meetings which have
altogether made this a kind of Anniversary week.
The constitutional Convention is always in ses-
sion, Then the National Centennial Comms-
sion has had series of meetings, adjournlng
sine die on Wednesday. Toward the last 1t dis
posed of considerable important business, lnclu-
ding the appointment of standing committees
to attend to various details of the work between
the and the next meeting of the Commission.
General Hawley was elected President and
the Commission was fully organized on perma-
neut basis. Mr.. j. l. Campbell Of Indana.was
elected Secretary, an impo tant post which has
hitherto been but temporarily filled by Mr.. IL.
W. Smith, The organization is throughout
strong and hope springs eternal in the Philadel-
mia breast New York gives up the fight for
its side show, which is another great point in
onr favor Besides the Commission the Amer
ican Bible Society held its anniversary and the
Episcopal convention has been in session. both
bodies attracting attention from the classes in
terested.
There are some important items OF Railway
nawa The consent of councils Is asked for
short line Of road to connect Holmesburg with