St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-15
STEAMSHIP SUBSIDY.
Views Upon the Action Taken by
Gen. Villas.
Special to the Glob

Special to the Globe.
New YORK, June 14.-Postmaster Gen
eral Villas action in regard to the mail sub
sidy meets with much disapproval from
American shippers, especially those whose
boats run to southern countries, where the
cost of transportation is much more than
across the Atlantic or Pacific oceans. Mr..
SYDNEY w. Rowell of the Brazil line said
yesterday: ''Mr. Villas action has the
flavor of foreign patronage. I do not know
what action will be taken by our company.
The official records last year show that we
received an average Of $157.46 per trip. On
those trips we have to make seven stops to
unload the mail. making an average of
S22.49 per stop, with the great cost for un-
loading, which implies chartering boats
and
PAYING CARRIAGE.
ssIt costs more to carry the mail than we
make. All this is done for the privilege of
leaving United States port and of carrying
the stars and stripes. If we carry the mails
we are compelled to take every stranded
carman home who has the consuEs certif-
cate of his being unable to pay his passage
at the government price OF $40. A separate
room has to be used for slowing the mail
y.
of fire or shipwreck. Although the post
master general says that no risk is run by
the ship owners, and no guarantee is given
to insure safe delivery of the mail, let a
bag be lost and see what amount Of damages
the postal authorities demand. Congress
recommend that the lowest bidder shall re-
ceive the mail carrying contract, but the
POSTMASTER GENERAL
has done away with that recommendation
and compels the steamship companies to
take charge Of the mail at the same freight
age as any other cumbersome freight. Mr..
r. j. Curtis, agent of the White Star line,
agreed with the postmaster generals view
of the matter. He said: ''AIr. Villas is
doing the best he can to lessen the expenses
of his department. His view Of the matter
is the correct one. American steamship
owners are trying to get a higher price for
carving the mail than vessels of other ma
tions require. The English, French and
German ships can take the mail as well as
the Americans and at small cost. Mr..
Villas knows this and his action is based
upon that ground" Mr.. J. B. Houston,
pr esident of the Pacific Mail Steamship
company, said: ''We have not received
any information as to the published account
of the postmaster generals action and I'M
I'll Inen, IN JuSClce 10 Jno TdclHc Mill OGednl-
ship company and to the postmaster gen.
eral it would be unjust for me to make any
criticism"
THE OTHER SIDE.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, June 14.-The opponents
of subsidy will be pleased with the decision
of the postmaster general to avail himself
of the option in the law not to spend the
S4OO, 900 appropriated by the last congress
for the transportation of ocean mails. The
congressman who wished to vote subsidy
without daring to directly do so, and who
put a mandatory direction in the law, have
discovered their mistake. They will doubt
less insist, however, that the administra-
ton has violated the law and defeated the
intention of congress in trying to extend
this money In that charge the congress
men are possibly correct. There is not the
slightest doubt that it was the intention of
the majority of the two houses that this
money should be expended. The language
leaving it discretionary with the postmaster
general was morally formal