The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-07
THE BRAZIL MAIL LINE,
Argument of Err. trenholm, of South
Carolina, In Favor of the Line.

Argument of FIR. trenholm, of South
Carolina, In Favor of the Line.
Before the joint Committees of the Senate
and House on Postoffices and Post Routes in
january last, Gen. Bussey presented his able
argument in favor of our Brazil line.
Col w. l.. Trenholm, Of Charleston, s. c.,
followed, and his remarks are 50 strikngly in
contrast with the opposition developed from
Baltimore, while Congress was considering
the question, we give few extracts from his
speech, which we consider very strong as an
argument, and displaying q generous spirit,
so becoming in an intelligent, hgh-mtnded
merchant, who can afford to look at an inn
portant commercial question without Sec
tional bias. He also answered Speaker Ran
dalls excuse for opposing the Brazil line, and
awaiting the trade to be derived from "natu-
raj causes"
Mr.. Chairman, 9 question was asked during
the course of Gen. Bussey'S remarks as to
what our commercial advantage was for trade
with the West Indies and South America, and
1t was suggested that the advantages of geo.
graphical nearness and mutually of com mer-
Cial needs between North and South America
ought to counterbalance whatever fictitious
or artificial advantages had been given to the
carrying trade OF England. Upon that point
think one thing is very clear, and that is
that whatever those natural advantages are
they have been in existence for a long term
OF years. During good part of that time we
have seen in thus country great fluctuations
commercially. We have seen times when
there has been great initiation, when people
were looking out for new projects and enter
ing into new designs of various kinds, when
anything that promised profit Was eagerly
sought for. We have also seen times such as
those through which we are now passing.
when there is great accumulation of idle
capital at business centres, when men who
nave money do not know where to put it.
Yet, with all these variations, we have not
seen private capital and enterprise going into
this business OF ocean transportation between
the United States and South America.
Without going behind that fact to inquire
why 1t Is so, ought We not, as practical men,
To accept the fact as conclusive that there
must be some obstacles in the way; because
IL you nave two extremes and all the inter-
mediate states OF commercial conditiOns-the
extreme OF imitation and of over-contidence
ana the extreme of stagnatiOn and OF over
tlmldlty-and out of none of these conditions
OF things there arise efforts for the establish
ment Of such commercial Intercourse as that
by private means, must it not be So that there
are obstacles in the way inherent to the ques
II we are going to carry on our trade with
South America, we should take the shortest
route, for that If the cheapest way of carry
ing 1t on, both for those who are doing the
trade and for the producers and consumers of
the articles entering into the trade. 1t is bet
ter for all interests OF the country that the |
trade should go by the shorter route because |
OF its economy to have it SO. Ii we are going
TO do this, We must give some sort of govern |
ment aid TO prov ide vehicles of Transportation |
upon that shorter route, and give to shippers |
Dy the Shorter the same advantages that are