The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-23
THE BRAZILIAN NAIL SERVICE.

sured.
The amendment in the interest of the en-
terprise made by the Senate to the postal
appropriation BILL Is entirely satisfactory to
New Orleans. and affords her all the protec-
tion that could be demanded. The amend
ment introduced by Senator Eustis and
adopted by the Senate, entirely precludes
the possibility OF any discrimination against
the line between this city and Rio.
This amendment makes II con-
dition Of the contract that the two lines, one
from N CIV York via Norfolk, and the other
from New Orleans via Galveston. be con-
tracted for simultaneously, and that neither
contract shall 20 into effect unless both ser
vices shall be contracted for and established
according to the provisions Of the act.
neither contract to be considered In force If
the service on either line should be aban-
doned or discontinued, and the same
facilities and accommodations to be sup
plied on the two lines. These provis-
ions appear TO entirely cover the case, and
II will not be possible for the contractors to
make any determinations hereunder against
our line. Mr. Eustis deserves TO be COM
mended for the wise precaution shown IN
securing the passage Of this very important
amendment. 1t effectually disposes Of the
rumor that reached us last week, and which
we have no doubt had some basis In facts, to
the effect that the New Orleans line would
probably not be establish at all, or, II 50, only
at the convenience Of the contractors.
This whole proposition was fought with the
utmost bitterness In the Senate and provoked
asperities Of a character and from quarter,
notably from Senator Morgan of Alabama,
that were not looked for. What inspired the
virtuous wrath Of Mr. Morgan, who even W Mt
so far as to indulge in personalities and vitp-
peration OF 50 violent nature as to provoke
rebuke from several Senators, we are at
loss TO determine. II he thought by such
means to protect the interests OF Mobile he
was very wide Of his mark. Certainly the
relative claims OF New Orleans and Mobile as
| the Southern port Of departure for this SER
vice cannot be compared, and the adoption of
the amendment requiring the line to make al
| ternate trips between Rio and New Orleans,
Mobile, Pensacola and Galveston would have
| only had the effect OF defeating the measure
altogether. Mr.. Morgan's opposition to this
measure meant then, that because Mobile can
| not derive the benefits OF this measure no
other city shall; and he allowed himself to
be betrayed by this petty local jealousy into
| most unmeasured hostility to the interests
Of his own section, as well rs OF the great
West to which he must look for alliance for
| the protection of his own constituency.
| Such dog in-the-manger spirit is not calcu-
lated to forward the interests of Mobile, or
to increase the influence Of the Senator from
Alabama.
| We should not have adverted to Senator
Morgan's course had we not known that this
measure Is destined to incur the same I'M
reasoning and narrow minded opposition In
the House. where it Is now pending. The New
York papers, whose hostility to the measure
IL quite as incomprehensible to us as Senator
Morgan's, are confidently predicting Its fail
ure In the House. 1t is by no means improba-
BILE that the House will "agree to disagree" to
the Senate amendment, and thus provoke a
conference, In which event the success of the
measure will largely depend on the House
committee OF conference, to be appointed by
| Randall, to whose INSCRIPTIONS abuse OF his
| powers as Speaker, at the last session, the de-
| feat Of this same proposition was attribute
BILE. His course In refusing Mr.. Waddell,
chairman of the House Committee on Post
offices and Post Roads, q place on the COM
mittee of conference and In making q Repub-
lican member Of the minority OF the standing
committee chairman Of the conference COM
mittee has not been forgotten, and may be
taken as an indication Of what he will do In
case of similar emergency. In spite of his
asseverations that he Is now in favor of the
measure.
/ The grounds Of opposition urged by the
Herald and other New York papers are, that
the measure is opposed to the principle Of
free ships, and that 1t Is slbsidy. In q
column leader the Herald dubs this appropri.
alton the Roach subsidy" and proceeds te
stiffen up the backbone OF Randall to the ap-
pointment OF conference committee that
will surely kill 1t.
This Is the same old senseless howl d
subsidy" which has always been raised
whenever any proposition is made to pay fol
ocean mail service precisely as Interstate
ard overland service is paid for, the gross in
justice OF which, however, has long since
been discovered. Why Is this appropriation
any more a subsidy than the millions that arr
paid for the support Of our regular mai
service?
The reports for 1877 show that, during thu
preceding year, the postal service OF only
} seven States and two Territories were self
: supporting, and that the total deficit in this
department amounted, for the year, t
S6,774.765. There is nothing PARTICULAR.
scandalous In the word subsidy" which Il
defined as laid in money; supply given" Blu
the word has been attributed quite differen
7 meaning in congressional parlance, according
; to which subsidy is fraud and plundering,
especially when rendered to ocean mail ser
rice. But let us inquire if this much dis
J credited word applies to the case under con
. sideration. What return do these State
make for such large sums taken annuall
from the public treasury compared wit
ocean service through customs? The forme
) taxes the people, the latter reduces the tar
The deficit Of these thirty-one States and min
Territories in 1s76-77 was S6,774,765, as W
| L.xxo - rrr and for tha nranpdiDu fnn VOC r