New-York tribune., 1885-08-15
MR. SrARIA's SHARP PROTEST.
HIS SIDE OF THE BARGE OFFICE FIGHT
A Strong LErrER TO SECRETARY MANNISG-FuL-
FILLING nis CONTRACT.

FILLING HiS tNNlhAtI.
John II. Starin has written n letter 10 Sccre-
tnry Manning protesting against tho action OF the
snccss o the Treasury Department In regarl to the
landing of cabin steamship passengers and their baggage
a. the Barre OAlcc SIR. sarn rccies the causes which
led 10 tho establishment OF Tho Barge OiIce
tho action OF Congrcs, In crea'ing It. and the
award OF tho contract him. the lowest bidder for
tho transfer OF passengers their bigglgp He says:
At large expense altered thrre NJ my steamboats, .
~ t.ut fur tho service. nad. tho Z4h OF last August
ruicrri on the discharge oi tho contract Every rv-
qll,emrnt o that contract has berh Ihthnly chrricl
bT No crfnp,sut Respecting M scrvice under
the contract has ever bccn made hy An officer OF tue
Government, aud am auihotliatiNr} lhloIneh ny your
Drpartm-nt that complaint - nov made, that there
g. cain prctrnce tlai nave not fuly ana iah-
ny discharged cyrry obligation assumed by me under
the contract.
let he particularly noei The monopoly Of eNprrsrn 90
oi ba-saso '.oh ,, ,e ~ ~" r r ,1~i Ma Ten o, "f
company IN this country '"IJ iis =, % W
breaking mp the systo "a and forcing thf dpvern-
meat he Cted states To retreat from tile position
which ~ hal taken ana 20 return 10 vac t1lei osIo
of following ste tI,hp companies rom phce 70
place. aud waiting uPgn thrr euience ana peHsure
IN. new syste wa- dstasteful IA ~ the Gov
ornmeut Inspectors. who regretted the threatened
revenue which igs adoption involved. Prom these two
and tlIeir sYnpahilors cano every po'aols
effort TO make the system work badly Delays ana
annoyanccs Intentionally crrated ana exp hlned az
being the flult II the now meth0t whle All QUO iEt
t1fion, ds1ys aud annoyanccs whlch arc necessarily
incident TO the submission Of passengers Dhsc 70 eA
animation anywhrrr. were 50 vocferonsly ana SO re-
pcatedly charged against tho BARGE othoo that tho
charge believed by many new PASSENGERS VINO hah
never experienced the greater evils attending an exn
nation upon the companys piers. II natural that
the trial the system should develop deects call
Ing for correction aud Improvement IL was Inevitable
th, t. known hostiity OF SOMA the important
participants In the system should magnify ana multiply
But, after trn months tral uncr ns al
verse circumstances To which have referred. and In
volylng also tho disturbing element OF chnngo IA tue
National Administration. In ct no fair trial, instead
OF al attempting correct the defects, improve hnd per
feet the good system adopted oy CohSsesS' nsDn OF
can law 10 he enforced, and must no fesprcTd,
the Treasury Department submits to thc Cunard steam
ship Company the instance OF that company retreats
from position u had assumed abanlons the policy
adopted rspudates the solemny declared Will OF Com
gres aud nuies tho Act OF June l5 ls7sunder which
hundreds OF tho lands OF dollars OF tho peoples money
had been expended. -,
can draw no inference from the conduct OF the
Department ward The contract which tho Gov
erninent made with mo provides that IL shl continue
for three years unless sooner terminaleu upon SHY
10 notice given me that tue contract would be
terminated sxty days from that date, but no cause Was
assigned this action, and inquiry IA to whether
ugcxpressed exists am Informed that there ID
n1ne resting ON any act Of omission my part, and
nons anywiIere exeept in a wilful change OF policy
can this notice only arbitrary declaration py
the Treasury Departments OF AN Intention TO violate the
obgion OF the Government toward me, In entire dis
Mr. sIarln aida that before the notice OF the
Termination of contract given the Treasury De-
portment had begun ignore It's most important pro
visiens lie was compelled furnish steamboats, crew
and coal undergo all the expense necessary TO per-
form the service. and the larger steamship companies
allowed 10 land their passengers ana baggage NJ
their respective piers leaving only the fragmentary
mart of the entire business toward repayng Mr. starin
for his outlay He says that e Ia advised by his lawyer
that he can from the Government compensation
for all baggage which he Is bound 10 carry ana Is
ready 10 carry the Contract lawsuit Is
substtue IN any matter OF business for honest and
nrompt payment Mr. starin says that tho con
tract has not been profitable one. lie
oould have chartered his three steamboats,
for more money than they under the most fa
yorable construction OF the Ho closes as fol-
lowsi
OF course expected the Government TO fulhll IT'S OBJ
Rations fairly and honestly. Understood that 10 was
hopnd- had supposed that tho Government OF the
Uniled States continuous aud that no ehange
of Involved ths repu iiaton or tine
ligations OF previous Administration, ana under
that tls duty OF the Treasury De-
partuient nullify the laws OF Con-
Importance but the action OF the Department In ts rela-
ton 10 he action OF the past Administration. aud To the
law Congress under which that action was taken IL,
of the gravost moment. Indeed, cannot
believe the full import and character OF the
course taken by your Department In this matter have
received. as hope they will receive your deliberate
personal consideration. In this view respectfully in-
sstt,
Elfsi. That the continues. .and
bound by Its provisions To meet and transport tho bag
gage OF the c0mpanys steamships, To which u relates
entted To receive transport and to be pad ior tne
baggage brought by such steamships TO this port and
Doprnent has right to authorize them 10 refuse
delivery Of such baggage aud hold that any orders or
pernits 70 that eject should be revoked
sseond, That the sixty days nolice ofJuy 10. has no