Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-10-10

Ii is evident that the Postmaster Gen
eral, having once made up his mind in re-
gard to the appropriation tor ocean mail
service, does not intend to be moved from
his position by any efforts, direct or indi-
rect, of the steamship lines interested.
They will have to give up the contest with
him, and await further action by Congress-
There is little doubt of the intention
OF the act of the last session to
have 800. 900 divided among American
steamship companies as mileage COM
pensation for carrying mails to and from
foreign countries, and we have not been
satisfied that the Postmaster General had
sufficient ground to justify his refusal to
carry out that intention, but he is expected
to make tull explanation when Congress
meets, and it may be that he will give con-
vincng reasons for his course. 1t is GER
tain that n considerable part OF the for
eign mail service is now on an unsatisiac
tory basis and that the compensation Of
fered is insufficient to sustain it properly,
but it is the business of Congress to make
its policy clear and practicable and leave
no doubt as to the course to be pursued
in carrying its purposes into effect
English trade is at present suffering
from II widespread and wholesale depres-
sion and this state of affairs is explained
hy & hn rohIna H.
publications. as a natural result of the
good harvest of 1884 This explanation
is one which the -reduc-
tonists. alias tree-traders. on this side the
Atlantic will do well to consider. 1t
means. if it means anything. that free
trade, or "a tariff for revenue only" puts
a country in position where its prosper.
ity is its adversely. Owing to the excel
lent harvest of 1880. the importation of
breadstuffs into Great Britain was some
$7S, 1000 600 less in value than the aver.
age tor the four previous years. Hence,
according to Golden Club logic. if the
harves,s had failed, business generally
throughout the kingdom would now be
enjoying regular boom. The reasoning
is simple and is really quite conclusive.
The falling off of the importation OF bread
stutfs amounted to some 1900 ships cargo
Of. say 1900 tons each. Had this
number of cargoes OF cereals been bought
corresponding amount of exports would
have been sent out to pay tor them. The
ships were to large extent, unemployed
by reason of this loss of trade. manufac
lures OF various kinds have laugushed by
reason of the decreased demand for ex.
port of manufactured articles. and great
depression has naturally followed. Our
farmers are taught by our American free
traders that protection bears harshly on
agricultural interests, that it is kind o t
especial taxation" levied on the farmers.
and species OF ''class legislation" levied
against their interests. Under the Eng
fish iree-trade system. business and trade
thrive best on bad harvests, if the Cob
den club writers are to be believed, or in
other words the farmers misfortunes are
the carriers and middlemen's profit Yet
according to Colonel William r. Morri-
son. the great agricultural West is clam
oring tor tree trade or for 1.-THE first firm
step" in its direction, horizontal tariff
reduction Boston TrdceNer