New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-03

'REIrEsArING TIE VIEWS OF lis CHEZ.
aMEIacAN STEAMSHIP CoHpANIFs SACRIFICED OF
TIE ALTAR OF ECONoAiY.
InY reL.alAfn ro - rNmuAE. !

TIE ALTAR OF ECONOMY.
IDY TELEGRAPH 10 THE T8IBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The report Of Nicho-
las NJ. Bell Superintendent oil tie To!ei-r Mail Service
is of the most M pOrtant and pertinent papers tHa
has been issued by the present AdHustration II con-
tains the strongest argument that has been presented
against The policy Of tie Administration In
its dealings with tile steamship companies
Mr. Belt shows mat the total
cost of the foreign mail service during the last fiscal year
was 1891 $685. OF which si723 paid to the Panama
RAILWAY Company for the transportation OF mAls
across the isthmus which being deducted from the total
leaves the OF S$27lsO. From this sum other small
items should be dcuucted, that the amount actually
paid 10 ocean steamers was S32613o, OF winch
S27G7sO paid for the transportation OF
European mails. and $i0,9j5 to sustain communicative
facilities with all the rest the world The policy OF
the Government is to patrClize foreign steamships
There is Que American transatlantic Inc from Phila
dclphia to Liverpool which received aid from the United
States Government during the last year 10 the amount
OF $l.ilG 81 ana WAS compelled to pay the Wagons
which carried to mails between the steamers ana tHe
post Offices of the ports of departure andarrv "u ott
eum At the same time tins Government paid T21o3Oi
10 encourage tne merchant marine OF England
France and Gemanyi but as Mr. Villas holds tha' the
Post OAce Department has 10 right to consider the
interests American ships his preference Tor foreign
vessels Is perfectly natural.
Both Mr.. Villas and Mr. Bel. holding that economy Is
the important point to be considered favor send
ng mails by such vessels rs VIII cauy them the
cheapest. They recommend The re-cnactment OF the
law which repealed year ago iorpdDng American
ships to leave our haIbOrs without carrying the mails
for such compensation ihe rosmasterGencIal sees
lit to give them. II this law were applied to rail-
way companies stage coaches ana steamboats, upon the
internal waterways, the whole commercial and indus
trial interests OF the country would be paIaiyzed The
internal carriers are permitted 10 submit bids to the
Dcpartm,n for tho transportation Of mails and the
lowest bid is accepted. The contractors
are allowed to determine the price at which
they can afford to carry the mails at fair profit upon
the capital invested and fair remuneration for the
labor employed The Post Once department pays this
sum regardless of the amount OF revenue derived from
postage upon carried Thus there is not sin
ge route the United states which pays expenses The
railway mail service conducted at loss OF $OOOOJO
year to the Government ana there Is not route OF
the star Service which includes all domestic mails not
by railroads, that pays 10 per cent OF IT'S cost
The Postmaster wants the steamship companies
be compelled by law 10 the mails for such com
pensalon as tho Government fit to give them, and
recommends five cents for fifteen grains of weight re-
gardcss of distances II tins price offered to the
railway companies, steamboats, and stage coaches
the mail service of tue United states
would be suspended everywhere except upon such
routes between New.York Boston, Washington and
Chicago There wouldn't be postal car on any OF the
smaller railroads where the mails are gIt, and every
stage coach in the West would stop running.
Years ago, before the International Postal Union was
established. what Is known sea postage suni
cent compensation for carrying tAe mails Then 1t cost
from to 30 cents to carry letter 10 foreign coun-
tries under the Union postage Is Only cents TO
nearly al nations o: the world II was not expected
that this reduction OF postage would lie made at the OK
pense OF the steamship companies, and 10 Government
on earth bat that of the United states required them 10
sutrr for it. When internal postage reduced from
. TO cents the reduction not made at to expense
o. the railway companies or the contractors oI the star
Roufa service wouA not have endured
IT, bat the steamships powcrcss. They could not
obtain clearance without taking thr mails al the re-
Trv - 900 900 uio he services which, ti recently
II compelled the steamship companies to perform
The arrangement with the Panama Railroad Company
illustrated he Injustice with winch the steamship COM
year was paid S75Ol for porting tc man between
sse sa iit astsnco OF about Goo mics The
Panama haToad Company tr4nsp ported t4e Same mans
made the same number oi round tlps tot tr.snot-
$500 OF within 5000 OF two-thirds a. much IS tAo
steamship company received Tor service Of 2l6OyO
sto ~ S IA ~ oTIs diytc5 II Void have II
made thItyfOur round trips OF i-OJ miles last year. or
total OF IS 500 mics and received $3.50. ior c4ry-
!ng tie United states mails that distance, anont $40
Tor each round tp, little less than one ce.t ier mlie
fernal rivers ana lakes were pail 55l66y
1O ros '"iif5iaS I! u " ro,,'r f Ls iJ t
same rate that tae Ohio and mississippi River boat,
were paid Its profits can easily ue estimated The rail-
way companies PAID at the rate Of Sl2 mile ana u
the services were compensated at small part of
that average there would be 10 lack OF ships upon the
Tie report of Nj. Bell shows that Last year thcrcwere
fty-sCYclI foreign -es and stvtI y-cI4t American
vessels engaged IN the transportation Of the United
States mails to countries outside OF Europe. The
amount OF money expended By this Government the
encouragement OF commerce with Culua and japan
was $500; with Cuba, 1852; with The I-thmu5 OF
Panama ana the west coast OF Central and south Amer
lea. S1j0li with Brazil, Si,4OJj with N.uczuea,
$l,392i between NcW-Dredns aud Mic
Hrlgua, S2l with Honduras, S-l
with Guatemala. S}S and the steamships which SAL
between New-Orlcans AID British Honduras received
The enormous sum OF SLY the contribution OF tho
Government Of the United States % the support tIis
new eudeavOr 10 open trade In that direction.
The report OF M Boil shows tia steamers lott
the Tinted states River Plate country one under
fOrei dag and the other under the ana Stripes
The American vessel was paid $40 Tor transporting the
United states mails distance OF l2,jTS miles. ana
may not be considered strange that the attempt open
communication with the Argentine Republic and
Uruguay not repeated.