The Evening critic., 1882-03-07

dtavor TO obtain the command of the steam
carrying trade of the ocean, the enormous
sum cf S101 ,9is, ,365 in ocean mail compen-
sation alone. The result is a matter of
history. During the same period, the
United States, as shown by the records of
our Post Office Department., has expendeR
in round figures, S,500,000 for the trans
portation of ocean mails aud Of this sum,
not lees than S5,s0O000 has been paid 10
Bri,ish steamship lines, leaving only about
$2,700,000 to represent the effort our Gov
eminent has made to encourage its own
citizens in competition with our great
rival. If we add to these facts the persist
ent and hitherto successful opposition of a
faction in our midst to every attempt that
has been made at altering the fatal policy
of our Government, the disappearance of
the American flag from the ocean is amply
accounted for.
But it is gratifying to note that despite the
noisy folly ofthe stupid faction in our midst,
and notwithstanding the frantic slang
whanging of the hired attorneys of British
steamship interests In the American, and
particularly the New York, press, the facts
we note have steadily impressed themselves
upon the honest intelligence of the country
until a force of public sentiment has been
created that fairly impels Congress to
action. 1t may not be amiss to state here
that the policy involved in the bill and re-
port under discussion was recommended to
Congress as a purely postal measure for the
first time since the war by Gen. Brady in
his report to the Postmaster General for
the fiscal year of ls76-77, and was indorsed
by the head of the Department Gen.
Tyner. This recommendation has since
been reiterated in no less than six annual
messages of the President, Gen. Grant and
Mr.. Hayes having each made the recon-
mendation in two Messages and Gen. Gar
field and Mr. Arthur each in his first Mes
sage.
Notwithstanding these powerful infu-
ences, however, the money Of British
steamship owners, lavished in subsidzing
American editors, correspondents and lobby
lists as literally as their own government
has backed them, has hitherto availed to
prevent any action by Congress calculated
| to threaten the supremacy of Great
| Britain. And even now, unterrfed by
the set of public opinion and the obvious
tendency of Congress to do something for
| American shipping, the British monopolists
have organized the most formidable lobby
they ever had in Washington to resist the
passage of the bill recommended in Mr.
Moneys report.
Hitherto they have seen fit to intrust
their work to American agents alone, re-
naming themselves in the background to
direct operations and foot the bills. But
thisstime, sensible of the unusual danger,
the British ship-Owners could not trust
their interests as heretofore to the hands
of John Goldman, but early in the session
sent over to this country the principal
owner of one of their most important
lines. This gentleman, Mr.. Hen
derson, of the Anchor line, came
direct to Washington, domiciled
himself at the Ebbitt House, and devoted
several weeks quietly to the task of organ
izing and supplying forces, not only in the
lobby proper, but in the newspaper press
and on the floors of Congress itself, to de-
feat any measure looking to the revival of
American competition. But notwithstand-
ing Mr.. Henderson's Scotch tact and eau
tion, enough of the details of his operations
has leaked out to provide the champions Of
American interests with abundant ammuni.
tion whenever the advocates of British
interests show their hands on the floors o.
Congress. The bill recommended in Mr.
Moneys report is likely to come up for dis
cussion before very long in both Houses o
Congress, and an interesting debate may b,
anticipated. The indications now are tina
it will become law by decisive majorities
though it need not be expected that tn,
members and Senators and newspaper cor
respondents whose purses have been so loni
fattened by British subsidies will yielt
without q struggle.