New-York tribune., 1885-08-13
AN UN.AMERICAN ADMINISTRATIONS.

The present Administration HAS le""ih"
success in arraying itself against American IN
terests. 1t has not only made open warfare
upon the sKipbuilding industry, but it has also
depriyed the steamship companies OF the
special appropriation made by Congress as a
inst compensation for the mail service. Five
of the largest American lines have united In an
appeal to the public to sustain their course III
refusing to serve as a cheap ad vertising agency
for Democratic retrenchment and reform.
Their argument presented in yesterdays ISSUE
WAS unanswerable. They demonstrated that IL
was clearly the intention OF Congress that
S4OO. 600 should be disbursed to American
steamship lines; that this was an equitable ar
rangement. since the Government derived net
proGt of over 800, 900 at the lowest calcula-
ton from this foreign service; that the pay
ments by foreign Nations to their lines are
greatly in excess of those made by the Unlteo
States Government to the American companies
and that the Postmaster General has withheld
from the lines money which by an act OF Coh-
gress belongs to them and to which they are en-
titled by every consideration OF natural equity
and National policy. 1t was clear, convinc-
ing irrefutable argument. The postmaster
General will probably make pettlfogglng re-
ply based upon some of the immaterlal issues
of the controversy. On the broad questions OF
public policy he is already convicted of antag-
onizing American interests and thwarting the
will of Congress
The Administration in this as in other mat
ters is striving to make reputation for
efficiency and economy at the expense OF the
industrial interests of the country. Recent de-
bates in Congress haze disclosed the made
quacy of the compensation offered for the
maripe transportation of the mails. The facts
of the case are embodied in the reports OF JOINT
committees on American shipping and are un-
disputed. While Italy has been paying
50, ,OoO, ,OOO France $4.5OO,0O0, and England
$4,000, 900 a year for the transportation of
foreign mails, the United States have paid
1925, 900. The rates of compensation offered
to American lines have been out of all proper
ton to the immense sums paid to railroads and
stage companies for inland transportation, al
though the Government has made handsome
profit on foreign mails. All these facts were
carefully digested by Congress before the ACT
for the relief of the companies was passed.
But the Postmaster General is equally ndifier-
ent to the action of Congress and to the require
ments of Justice. He snatches at the chance OF
making political capital for the Administration
by withholding what he chooses to consider q
subsidy and turning the money into the Treas
ury as the first fruits of Democratic thrift.
The English Government has always made
liberal arrangements with steamship lines Tor
CARRYING foreign mails. The expense has III
variably exceeded the income from postage
but it has been considered an excellent invest
ment for the Nation at large since general trade
10 promoted by the establishment and prosperity
of steamship lines. No sensible Englishman
ever complains that such payments are snbs-
dies to rapacious corporations. 1t is recognized
throughout England as a judicious National
policy to treat the steamship lines generously
for the sake of increasing the facilities for
foreign commerce. The Postmaster General is
either ignorant of the facts or Indifferent to the
commercial interests of the country. He leaves
the export trade and the steamship companies
to take their chances and cuts down the ex-
penses of his department by withholding the
money voted by Congress for special object
The Postmaster General Is virtually response
bic for the decision of the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company to withdraw from the Australian
trade after October In 1875 the Colonial
Governments of New South Wales and New
Zealand agreed to pay the company annually
mail subsidy of $40O, 900 for monthly service
of four ships to and from San Francisco. The
line was established with the aid of this
subsidy and in the course of ten years the ex-
ports of the United States to those colonies in
creased more than 140 per cent. At the same
time the payments to the company from the
Government were only meagre fraction of the
subsidy received from Australia, amounting in
1884 to only $11,479 6S. The Australian
Governments being unwilling to bear the
burden of maintaining this line, while the
United States besides increasing their trade
were actually making profit on the postage
alone, offered proposals for sharing the ex-
pense OF course the Postmaster eneral has
not made favorable response to these over
lures He has no leisure for considering the
general interests of American trade. BY pro-
vding adequate compensation for the trans
portation of the mails, he could meet the
Australian Governments half way and the line
would not be withdrawn. He prefers to save
the money at the expense OF the commercial in
terests of the Nation. After November 1
there will be no American steamers in the
South Seas developing a valuable trade. But
what difference will it make with the policy of
the present un-AmerIcan Administration
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