Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-13
Foreign Mails and American Ship
ming.

One of the most important speeches
made in Congress during the present ses-
sion is that of Mr.. Dingley in relation to
appropriations for the ocean mail service.
and incidentally the decline of American
shipping, and the growth of our foreign
trade since 1865. We publish in our col
ums this morning that portion of the
speech relating to shipping and commerce.
which is full of interesting and indisput
able facts gathered from the most anthem
tic sources.
In regard to the ocean mail service Mr..
Dingley shows in strong light the mar
row and foolish policy of our government
in its mean appropriations for carrying
our foreign mails. compared with those of
European countries for similar service al
so the effect Of its course in discouraging
the creation of American lines of steamers
to foreign ports and bestowing its patron
age upon the steamship lines of other
countries. England. the present year,
pays So. $50 900 for its ocean mail service.
of which over So 900, 900 is paid to British
vessels while the United States govern
ment proposes to pay but 1878 900 for
similar service the coming year, and only
100000 of this sum to American steam
ships, while 100000 goes to- British and
other foreign steamships. 1t is claimed
by the friends of the government policy
that foreign vessels carry the mails cheap
err, and therefore the government should,
for that reason, patronize them instead
of American vessels. But Mr.. Dingley
shows that this claim is unfounded,
though he says he has mo doubt that
Great Britain would gratuitouslv carry all
our mails by way Of Liverpool to Austria
liza and Eastern countries if we would on.
ly withdraw our steamship lines directly
connecting our ports with the ports fthese
countries. and that she would consider it
a good bargain for herself in the advan-
tage it would be to British trade and Brit
ish naval supremacy"
The course of Postmaster General Villas
in refusing to do anything to carry out
the provisions of the bill passed at the
last session of Congress, appropriating
100000 for mail service by American
steamships, is well known and deserves
severe rebuke MIR. Dingley says: IL
have little doubt that if the act of 1885
had been carried out in this spirit-in the
spirit which animated the great body of
its supporters in passing it-that we
should have greatly encouraged and
strengthened existing American steamship
lines'and paved the way for gradual in
crease of lines which would give American
producers and American merchants direct
postal and commercial communication
with the countries of this continent to
which they must look for markets In
stead of carrying out this law in the spirit
in which Congress enacted it. the Pest
master-General declined to take a single
step to execute it for reasons which seem
to me TO be utterly untenable."
The remainder of the speech is devoted
to the question of the decline of American
shipping, and to facts connected with the
exports and imports of the country. also
to the effect that protection has had upon
these matters. MIR. Dingley makes an
able presentation of his case. His speech
is interesting to manufacturers as we'll as
those engaged in the carrying trade, also
to all who desire to see the industries and
enterprises of this country iostered and
encouraged.