The Morning herald., 1878-12-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Dee 26 y

Il
Yesterday, Christmas day, was more de-
Gently celebrated here than ever before
with but little of the customary noise oi
guns, fire crackers and tin horns. The
weather was all that eculd be asked for
being cool and perfectly clear. Thelewas
b great deal of hilarity on the Streets bsi
less drunkenness than is common. Mosl
of the churches were open. A man died
yesterday in this city who has been fol
some time lying very low from bite on
the finger, inflicted by another man. The
case has excited good deal ofinterest here
and elsewhere. Amputation was unsuc,
cessfnlly tried. Remembering that In a
simular. case described many years ago the
mans death was attributed TO his reduced
condition, caused by drink, it may be we'll
to say that in this case both the bitter and
bitten were life long Temperance men. In
recent message to Congress, accompanied
by various U. s. officers in South America
Mr.. Hayes comes very near advocating a
Government subsidy for line of steam>
ers to various South American ports. Some
Of the facts shown in the message, and some
on the same subject not there given, are
curious. II seems that inferior English
manufactured articles are soldin all the
South American markets at prices which
would yield enormous profits to our man>
ufacturers, and this, while We are geog>
raphically much nearer to those markets
than the English are. Not only this, but
our own manufactu.. are / lght here
by Englishmen, carrie Dy them to Eng
land in English ships, sent thence in Eng
lish ships to South Amersca, and there
sold at profit. All the profits of carry
iug and OF exchanging for South American
praducts, 60 to owners of English vessels,
and to English traders. Ia other words
they are takon from the profits ofour mans
ufacturers and the wages Of our laboring
men. What Mr.. Hayes seems TO think
should be done is to subsidize line of
American steamers. There Is already one
such line which is said by Brazil for car
rying the mails between that country and
this, but the owners claim the line is run
at loss. The facts seems to be that the
English lines of steamers, with large sub
sides, can carry freight cheaper than an
American line, without subsidies can do.
The regular English lines it should be
mentioned, bring Southern products 10 our
markets, but take their return cargoes from
England. ORe ofth, facts not mentioned
by Mr.. Hayes is that, whenever Congress
meets and talks of aiding an American
line, the owners Of the subsidized Eng
lish lines put on au additional number Of
steamers between the Southern ports and
New York, and carry goods a. very low
rates to show to our legislators that the
wants Of trade are apparently fully sup>
piled. But these steamers are Withdrawn
as soon as Congress dispoaes Of the subsi>
ding question and return made to the
i old discrimination against Us. Perhaps
the worst objection TO our Government
aiding to secure for our people this valua-
bic trade is found in the fact that the sub,
jsidy, 70 be effective must be pledged for
at least ten years or 80, the reason for this
E that So1th American merchants will NO,
break up an established trade, such az they
now have with England, unless there ia Z
prospect that that which is to tax. iu
place viii be equally enduring. We haT,
the ability to supply our Southern neigh
bors with all They need, and at cheapel
rates than they can get it elsewhere. Tn,
way TO do il should be made clear. Othe
, South American States besides Brazil, of
, fer, at any time the United States shal
contribute reasonably to establish dirsc
mail communication with their ports, u
give an sqaal Gum. Mckay.