National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-29

The chair laid before the Senate yesterday
the conference report on the postofllce ap.
preparation bills, tating that the committee
was unable TO agree (the question being on
the subsidy provision).
Mr.. Pugh addressed the Senate
In favor OF the subsidy appro-
prlatIon In the bill. He qioted
from the Record OF last Congress, when he
offered an amendment appropriaItug mil
lion dollars for the foreign mail service,
reading some remarks OF bis own and OF
Senators Garland (now Attorney GeneralD,
Morgan, and Maxey. The difference, he
said, between that proposition and the
pending one was that tho former appro.
priated a million dollars, and allowed
Americans TO purchase the steamers where
ever they could be procured. The pending
amendment appropriated only $500, 600,
and required the steamships 10 be not only
owned in America, but built In American
shipyards. lie would prefer that there
were no such Limitation, but that was no
reason why he should not give tho amend
ment his support. The principle on which
he stood was that the foreign mail service
deserved just compensation, as much as the
coastwise mail service, the river mail service,
or the railroad mail service. In illustra.
tion OF this point he showed that for the
mail carried to San Francisco by the rail-
roads they received about So cents per mile.
Those parts OF that same mail which were
sent from San Francisco TO Alaska on coast
wise steamers cost over ca cents q mile,
while on those parts which were sent to
Japan, China, the Sandwich Islands, aud
Australia only B cents mile was
paid. So with the Havana mails.
The European markets were all closed
against America, being preoccupied by
England, France, and Germany. And the
only field that was In full view OF this
country was that of Central and South
America. lie was willing in every way
possible to give encouragement TO the en-
terprise that would be directed to the de.
velopment of American trade in these
countries. Even though It might be called
"subsidy" he was willing TO extend to that
great purpose any amount OF constitutional
aid that could be given in that direction.
He represented a state which had vital
interest In the development Of the trade
with Central and South America
Mr.. Beck, one OF the conferees, opposed
the motion. The House, he said, had sent
to the Senate clean postoflice approprla-
tion bill, and that bin would have been
law more than month ago but for this
steamship subsidy, which was not In the In
terest Of the postal service, but WIS for the
purpose of aiding American commerce.
No senator would believe that there was
any chance of the House agreeing TO this
amendment. Therefore, the Senate was
driven to the alternative OF either rejecting
the appropriation for the Postofilce Depart
ment for the next fiscal year, or Of en-
deavoring to coerce the House TO accept au
amendment against which It had expressed
itself In the most positive and unequivocal
manner.
Mr.. Plumb (who has charge Of the blll)
inquired whether Mr.. Beck was not making
his statement too broad. Did not the
Senate amend House bills every session,
and insist upon its amendments again and
again, with a view Of calling the attention
Of the House to them and giving It an OPP
portunity to rectlfy It's mistakesS
Mr.. Beck. The House has disagreed TO
this amendment In the most emphatic
manner. Its conferees have assured us in
the most positive and unequivocal terms
that the House will not agree to It. IL the
Senate had passed the steamship subsidy
as an Independent measure and II had been
rejected by the House as this amendment
has been rejected, no senator would contend
that there would be any reasonable hope OF
inducing the House to reverse Its action.
He hardly thought that any one will as
sumo, in the face Of the protest Of the
President and Postmaster General against
the need OF this legislation, that the House
would be coerced into adopting 1t.
Mr.. Hale agreed with the senator from
Kentucky that where there was a deadlock
between the two houses one would have to
give way. The house which proposed to
put definite, significant amendment on an
appropriation bin or any other bill had the
burden on IL Of showing the intrinsic
strength of the proposition In order to con-
vince the other house. Itmight be that, on
I'LL
here to its position, and that the Senate
would In the end have to give 1t up for the
time being. But It would only be for the
time being. This policy Of the United States
government interposing (as every other
civilized government did, TO encourage and
stimulate and increase foreign trade and
commerce would prevail. The House Of
Representatives nighttime itself across the
path Of this movement, and might be able
to divert 1t, but It would not end with this
session or with this congress. The Amer
lean people had become an overproducing
people, and II II had fair field and fair
opportunity II could obtain the trade of
Central and South America, and could fur
nish products as cheaply as Great Britain,
France, or Germany. One thing was neces-
sary to 1t; and that was regular, continuous,
cheap transportation. While the American
government subsidized without stint at
home, 1t had paid no attention to this
great field, until at last Weakened up as by
fire bell In the night, as Congress began
TO realize that the condition Of the country
was such that market must be found for
its increasing overproduction.
Mr.. Hawley. One end Of Congress,
Mr.. Hale. One end Of Congress. This Is
not q question that is going to be put down
either by an administration which Is hos
tile to II, or by either branch Of Congress
which is hostile 10 1t. IL II be defeated
here, II win rise again. Great Britain has
an eye keenly alive TO this subject. The
Senate listened the other day to the senator
from Oregon describing the efforts that are
American steamships from the Asiatic
trade In connection with the Canadian
Pacific railroad, by subsidizing without
stint steamships at each end OF that line.
No statesmen In the British house of COM
mons ever ventures TO propose, on the plea
OF economy, reversal OF this generous
course pursued by the British govern
ment, And the time will come when
the American people will demand that an
administration win be wise enough, broad
enough, and far-sighted enough to compre-
bend this great subject. 1t WIN demand an
administration that will not spend Its time
on little details and small considerations,
but will have that grade OF statesmanship,
that knowledge Of the resources OF the
Amerlchn peoplei JnhI knowledge OF tne
demands OF American labor, and that
knowledge Of the vast field that lies open
and ready for us to occupy, which should
characterize an intelligent administration
of the affairs Of the American people. !
wish that the President could be drawn away
from some of the things to which he is (no
doubt honestly giving his time. Let
him give less time TO the examination
and consideration OF the subject of q
pension to some poor old soldier,
and study up this question, and learn
something Of this great field that is open ia
General awaken to the importance of this
subject; and let him see and know and
realize that the American people will have
= Postmaster General who will not put O
clamp upon American enterprise, and who
Will not stand in the way OF every move
ment that tends TO extend American trade