The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-08

have drawn it and who hope to force it
through the present Congress.
Now. how much Will it cost the Treasury
TO subsldizc ToI SCOTr, joins Roach, and
the Pacific Mail at ~ mile for the Atlantic
andlSl for the Pacific
Tho Pennsylvania Railroad Company's
steamers make ilfty-two voyages every
year to Liverpool and return. At the rate
of SO n mile, their subsidy will amount TO
just $9J7,2OO per annum, or S9,672,0OO In the
ten years covered by the contract which the
Post Olicc Department vii be Obliged to
conclude with Mr. TON ScorT.
Mr. john Roach expects to make monthly
voyages with his steamers from New York
and New Orleans to Brazil. AT 50 mile. he
will draw from the Treasury not less than
$4,000 per annum, or So 100000 in the ten
years covered 10y his contract.
The Pacific Mail Company, notorious in
the history Of lobbying and corrupt lcgisla-
tion, will derive the greatest profit from this
new haul. II has already II monthly line to
China, half interest in monthly line to
Australia and New Zealand, and tri-
New York by way of the Isthnus. If the
bill passes, the service on the last mentioned
route will I've increased to weekly and the
subsidy drawn by Pacific Mail will be as
follows:
san Francisco 10 Hong Kong and return. l2.jOo
miles. at - q mile. twelve voyages per -
san francisco To sydney ami Sew Zealand
and return, 1850 miles at - per milc six
san Fr,mri.co :" w Panama AMI return q 40
miles at - per mile. Mt, two voyages rer
SOY yors & A; ,, and rS,g1g 900
annum. .......' -. 5oi.G,p
Total under ten years contract ........ 20.7OOOo
We now rccapitulatc the subsidies which
the Treasury would have to pay under ten
years contracts with the three companies
for whose benefit the hill Is draw:
Tow scorr's Lycrpool line .............. soG72Opl
IuuN RoAcH's Brazilian line ............. s1Onunu
Tie Pacific Mails several lines ........... 2927uup
Total amount Of the proposed steal Boo. si7 oi2ooo
The calculations have been made In nauti-
cal miles. If the benehcares found Mr.
KEY plant and disposed toward liberal
Interpretation Of the law, they would UNI
doubtedIy secure compensation by statute
miles, which would swell the subsidy 10 a
All of this must bc wrung from the taxpayers
of the country to pay for the carriage of
mails which do not return SEQ, 900 annually
in postage.
We have spoken Of the repeal Of such a
law, should IL be passed, as inevitable. II
the law should stand for ten years, carrying
a practical extension of its provisions for
ten years longer, the taxpayers will be
call. ..';. upon 10 pay not less than billion
dollars in steamship subsidies before the
twenty years expire. We shall have steam
ers subsidized at SO a mile, bringing coal
from Nova Scotia 20 Boston, and other
steamers subsidized at 81 mile, bringing
coal from British Columbia TO san Francis
60. But it will not stand ten years, or one
year. and its designers do not expect it to
stand. They know that the enormity Of
its cXactions will force repeal within
year. They also know that they are the
only American steamship owners prepared
10 take immediate advantage OF It's provis-
ions. They get their ten years contracts,
are guaranteed fifty millions Of dollars out
II the pockets Of the people, and then
calmly wait for the repeal which cuts on all
rivals and competitors.
This bill ito foster American enterprise
aud open up new routes To American COM
mcrce" il one Of the most spacious and
dangerous schemes OF swindling ever de-
Vised by tho ingenuity OF practised juhbcrs.
\ tremendous pressure will be brought to
bear un Congress. between now and adjourn
mont. 10 put it through. The only hope 81
defeating 1t lies in the honesty Of our lcgis-
lat. 4 :