Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-02
THE NATIONS SCAPITAL.
The President Nay Dodge the
Pacific Railroad Business.
Hsetin6 Of the American Shipping and
Industrial League.
The Comptroller Report OF Uncle Sans
Cash.

The publication by the President of the re-
ports of the Pacific railway commission il
taken by Congressman as evidence that he
will send them to Congress without recon-
mendation, but this does not follow. Gar
BILE reports were being printed all over thu
country, and comments were appearing ii
the newspapers. 1t was well to place the
reports themselves before the country. They
were more apt to be read, too this week,
than next. The President has opinions or
the Pacific railway question. He may not
however, to express them in sending in the
reports of the commissioners.
! Among the senators and representatives in
town there is the same diversity of opinion
about the reports as there was in the last
Congress about the question. The majority
so far as can be ascertained tonight, favors
the majority report.
| Representative Cultivate of Ohio, who
will, in all probability, be chairman of the
committee on Pacific railways, will press his
extension bill in this Congress as in the last.
1t will probably have the support of a ma
| jority of his committee, and is likely to be
reported early, and also likely to be passed
by the House. OF course in the Senate,
where Senator Standford's personal influence
is felt on both sides, there is no hope for any
! severer measure, to say the least, but the
chances are that the Cultivate bill, if it
should reach the Senate, would be amended
so as to suit Stanfords views.
The convention of the American Shipping
and Industrial League, which will be held in
this city for three days, beginning Jan. 16,
promises to be the largest yet held. 1t will
have a most important bearing upon the fut-
ure of the American merchant marine. The
league embraces representatives of both po-
litical parties, all interested in American
shipping. All boards of trade are entitled
to send delegates, as are all shipping inter-
ests, both inland and sea. Among the dele
gates to the coming convention will be Sena-
tors Dolph of Oregon, Hawley of Connecti-
cut, Frye of Maine, Sawyer of Wisconsin,
and Stamford of California; Congressman
FELTON, of California, Dingley of Maine,
Hooker of Mississippi; Gen. J. S. Negley
representatives from all the leading ship
building and ship owning concerns in the
country.
In speaking of the purposes of the league
General Negley SAYS: 1--WE are Thoroughly
non-p partisan organization, and are the very
antipodes of the people who advocate free
ships. One peculiar feature of the league is
that many, perhaps majority, of its most
active promoters are believers in the free
trade principle as applet to everything but
ships, The important provision of the boun-
ty bill is government allowance to Amerl-
can vessels of thirty cents a ton for every
one thousand miles sailed or steamed. The
building of ship means employment for
men in two hundred and forty different
trades. We believe the bounty system
would not only extend American trade and
retain in the United States the Sl50,000,00O
which we annually pay for freight, but also
build up magnificent industry, whose bene-
ficient results would reach the remotest for
est and coal mine"
The United States consul at Odessa, Rus
sia has made special report TO the depart
ment of State in regard to the condition of
the wool trade between Southern Russia and
the United States. The conclusions of the
report are briefly stated as follows: The
wool trade between South Russia and the
United States has been carried on for twenty
years, greatly to the detriment of the reve-
nue. of the United States. All the wool
shipped from South Russia to the United
States is the property of three or four Amer
lean importers. These importers, in COM
bnation with the shippers, have conspired to
prevent the recognition of a market price for
the so called Danskoi washed wools at Rost-
of-on-don. All of these woods are and ever
have been secured wools. These woods have
in MANY instances succeeded in entering the
United States at low duty limits e l-2 cents
others again at high duty, g cents) when all
of them should have paid duty as secured
wools The fraudulent designation of these
wools has benefited the American importers,
and has been corresponding loss to honest
wool merchants and the United States gov
ernment. This loss will exceed Sl0,00O,OOO
and will probably reach $1,000, 900 or S20,-
OOO, 900. A market value for the SO called
Danskoi washed woods exists at Rostoff-On-
DON The charges IN the invoices of wool
shipped from Odessa and Rostoff are false,
and are introduced for the purpose OF de-
frauding the revenue. The commissions
charged are never paid as commissions.
The legitimate and proper charges have been
excessive. The gross weight in an inYo!ce
has caused great loss of revenue, and has
been successfully practised for many years.
The interests of the United States require
the permanent closing of the Rostof consular
agency. A saaried consul should be sent to
Rostoff- -on-don.
The following is statement OF the comp
troller of the currency, showing the amount
of national bank notes outstanding, the amount
of lawful money on deposit with the treasur-
er of the Unite States to redeem national
bank notes, and the kinds and amounts OF
United States bonds in deposit to secure cir
culation, and public deposits.