Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-31
PAY FOR MAIL SERVICE.
THE ALLEGED. SUBSIDY CLAUSE
UNDER DEBATE.


MiIlin Indulge in Personalities
WASHINGTON, March 3O.-The House,
to-day went into committee OF the whole
on the post Office appropriation XII. >.
M. Taylor, of Tennessee, defended the
Postmaster General from the criticisms
made upon him by Mr.. Burrows, of Mich
iran, for not increasing the salaries OF
fourth and fifth-class postal clerks, and
quoted from the Record to show that this
subject of increase had been lettby Con-
gress to the discretion of the Postmaster
General.
Mr.. Bingham, of pennsylvania, gave his
hearty approval to the generaEfeatures Of
the pending bill, but he criticised the ap-
preparation for the foreign mail service,
maintaining that an additional sum of
$4,000 should be given in order that the
Postmaster General might have the full
limit ofthe law Tor payment TO American
steamers.
NOT QUESTION OF sUBsIDIZING.
Mr.. Dingley, of Maine, said that the
question involved was not one of sub
sidizing American steamship lines, but
of giving them fair compensation for maiP
service. The bill appropriated $S75, 600
for the transportation of our foreign
mails, but 5000, 900 of this was to go to
foreign steamships and only 100000 to
American steamships. 1t was said that
foreign steamships were paid by us five
times as much as American steamships,
because they performed so much more
service. That might be so il by service
was simply meant pieces transported
without regard to distance.
THE BASIS OF PAYMENT.
The trouble was that our basis OF pay
tnent, which considered simply the weight
of the mail, was unjust and favored
foreign lines which occupied trans
atlantic routes Wheresthe mail was heavy,
while American lines occupied routes on
this continent and on the Pacific where
the mail was light. We paid the British,
Cunard, and~White Star lines 3Se. per
mile for mail service on their outward
trips last year. But American steam
ships were paid only 4c. per mile one
way, and even the sea and inland postage,
maximum which our laws allowed would
only give Sc. per mile. We paid the line
to China and Japan only 315c. per mile
last year, and the Venezuelan line only
1Mc.- per mile one way, and the amount
proposed by this bill would allow only
32<c. per mile to this line next year. At.
the same time we propose to pay the
Cunardline 3Sc. per mile.
THE LAST LAW.
The last Congress appropriated a suf-
heient amount TO enable the POSTMASTER
General to pay existing American steam
ship lines as much per mile as he paid
the Cunard line, and TO secure the estaO-
lishment of new line to Buenos Ayres.
But that official declined to execute the
law, and it was denounced as subsidy"
II this policy was to be continued we
would in due time see the last American
steamship in the foreign trade.
N IVf IF Aafa HOd Aha
action of the Postmaster General in re-
fusing to use the 100000 appropriated by'l
the dill OF last year to compensate Ameri-
can vessels for foreign mail service. This
subject, he said, had been considered at
the Cabinet meeting, and whatever Of,l
error or crime attached not only to the
Postmaster General, but to the President
and his Cabinet.
NO ERROR COMMITTED.
But, he argued, the Postmaster General
had committed no error, but had only
exercised just and wise discretion. He
lnstanced the sums paid to American
steamship companies to show that the
amounts allowed for carrying the mails
were vastly in excess Of the compensa-
tlon which would be required by such
companies -tor carrying an equal weight
OF freight or express matter. He chaI-
lenged the correctness OF the statement
that the foreign mail service was paid
less than railroad, cOastwise or star route
service, and he quoted from the Post
master Generals report to sustain that
challenge.
COMPULSORY CARRYING.
Referring to the proposed re-enactment
OF the compulsory carrying law, he stated
that that law had been first introduced
into the Senate by Charles Sumner, based
upon petitions of citizens of Boston, set
tlng forth that American steamers were
refusing to carry the mails with a view
70 eXtorting larger rates OF pay. This law
mad been repealed in conference report
which had never had any consideration
In the House. The conference report
upon the shipping bill, which under the
rules should have expressed fully the
changes'proposed in the bill, had been
slent IN regard to the repeal, and the
House had had no knowledgeas to what
was being done. Then followed the $780,
W. provision IN the last appropriation
slll, which the House, after vigorously
ughtlng It, bad finally been coerced to
agree 10 by threats OF an extra session.
BOGUS BIDS.
The Postmaster General knowing that
nOthing could come Of this provision but
DOgus bids and waste Of time, had used
wise discretion. He Mr.. Blount) had
svoou mere for years with the anti-subsidy
ulen nghting the Senate and Executive,
out now he thanked God there was an ad- !
ministration which did not understand
ms mode OF building up American ship
plng: Mr.. Villas mad been denounced on
.als ilOor for failure 80 use this fund. Cen
lemen might indulge in this denunciation
Vn this floor, in hired press, on every
sIuhp, and on every point that human
sar could catch human account, and
Mnen their voices had grown boarse they
would hear loud and swelling voices
throughout this land praising that Post
master General who had the ability and
sourage TO do his duty in spite OF all
nose execrations, and TO remain true to
'ue great principles OF his party.
HOUK PRATEs OF DEsPoTIsM.
Mr. Houk, of Tennessee. criticised the
administration and declared that the
resident bad assumed. an attitude before
ne country which would not be tolerated
any but two other countries in the
nullo' Russia or Persia might tolerate
uls course, but neither the Sultan OF Tur-
eey nor the Queen Of England wOuld'have
occupied their positions twenty hours
nntter having taken the attitude which the
resident had assumed. He then went On
oenounce the action ofth First Assist
at nt POSTMASTER General in removing post 4
,iuces In Tennessee from villages in i
hhlcn thew had hnou eituofod for wears