The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-04
WAR ON MAIL SUBSIDIES.
THE HOUSE AND POSTMASTER
GENERAL OF ONE MIND.


Writes a Letter to Chairman Blount
Setting Forth His Views.
WASHINGTON, July Sin the house to-
day Mr.. Blount of Georgia, chairman of
the committee on postofiices and post roads,
submitted the postoffice appropriation bill
with the senate nIendments thereto, recon-
mending concurrence in some and non-con-
currence in Others Of thoe amendments.
Among the amendments in which non-con-
currence was recommended is that appro-
priating $500, 900 to enable the postmaster
general to provide moro efficient service be-
tween the United States and South and
Central America and the West Indies, as
also that fixing the rate of postage on seeds
and bulbs at 2 cents per pound. The recon-
lnendations were agreed to, and commit
tee OF conference ordered.
DICKINSON PROTESTS.
Postmaster General Dickinson has written
a letter to Chairman Blount of the
house postotfice committee, in which he
vigorously attacks what is commonly
known as the subsidy amendment" put on
the postofice appropriation bill by the SEN
ate. This amendment appropriates $780,
600 to provide more efficient mail service
between the United States and South
America, and authorizes the Postmaster
General to contract with American built
vessels to carry the mails at a compensation
not exceeding for each outward voyage 81
per nautical mile.
NOT NEEDED.
The Postmaster General begins as follows:
ut will hardly be claimed for this legisla-
tlon that it is either demanded or required,
or that it can be utilized for the benefit of
ha Il NE.
and powers of the department have proved
entirely adequate to afford to citizens of the
United States foreign mail service equal
to, and, In most cases, superior TO that of
any nation in the world. Ninetenths of
our foreign etter-mail crosses the Atlantic,
and the settled policy of the department
has been to employ the swiftest YES
sells from week to week for
carrying the mails. The department
at the request of prominent merchants, i'm
pOrters and bankers of the United States
having commercial relations with foreign
countries, has endeavored to induce foreign
postal administrations to adopt a similar
policy to promote expedition and security
IN correspondence.
PAID FOUR PRICES.
"Under the present system on routes
other than to E ropean ports, the mails
have been carried in American steamships
Atlantic service. Although no for
eign vessel has ever refused or
hestated to accept sea postage of one-fourth
the rate paid to American bottoms" After
abiding to the various advantages given
by Central and South American countries
to vessels carrying mails, he continues: "If
there shall be superadded to the functions
of the postal administration that of admin
istering a subsidy or bounty for the promo
ton Of American shipping interests, l can
readily see why in practice these two offices
must so conflict that SO far from being of
advantage to and a promoter of
efficient mail service, subsidy, with
such a purpose, in the hands of post
master general, must antagonize and over
bear the primary object of his office, which
is to give to the correspondence of our citi-
zens the best expedition and certain trans
mission.
EFFECT OF THE SYSTEM
"If the bounty or bonus system is to be re-
vived, it should be done without involving
this department in the complications GER
tain to arise from administering il end
without hampering its fundamental rule of
action, which is that mails must go at all
events. The proposed legislation will be in
effect a mandate to the Postmaster General
to contract with American built as well
as American registered steamships for
transportation of the mails to ports of
Central and South America and ths West
Indies for period of not less than five
years. and with compensation for each out
ward trip of 81 per mile. There is no con-
dition for advertisement and indeed unlike
even the British subsidy acts competition is
not contemplated or permitted, as contracts
are to be limited to American ships, and as
to these will b. practically limited to those
now in existence between whom there is
comparatively no competition because Of
the number which can be employed in the
service.
A SOFT THING.
"In the present condition the proposed law
might as well have named a few persons to
whom this money is to be paid. Even the
laws under which American ships might be
compelled to carry the mails have been re-
peaed, and it goes without saying that the
proposed legislation intends the department
to pay the maximum rate provided TO
these persons without troubling them with
any negotiations as to terms, and indeed
you will observe without even the lodg-
ment Of discretion in the department. to
designate from what ports of the
United States the mails shall sail 1t NAV
be said in passing that presumably the ter
minal points from which sailings viii be
made If self interest, as is usually the case,
governs, will be those from which the great
est number Of nautical miles may be- com.
puted rather than from those at which the
convenience and needs Of the service would
be suited. 1t may be noted also that the
schedules of sailings are to be furnished by
the contractors and not by the Postmaster
General.
VERY oNE-sIDED.
altogether from an analysis of the pro-
posed legislation it would seem to exclude
the exercise of any power of any represen-
tatye of this government TO provide for
this mail service in the interest of the people
except after the contract, which must be on
the carriers own terms, AID after the car
riers have fixed the schedules according TO
their ideas Of what the mail service should
be, to compel them to conform TO their own
expressed views and decision as to public
convenience and the public interests.
A REGULAR MONOPOLY.
"With very great respect TO the trainers Of
the bill, do seriously object to that pro
vision of the proposed legislation which
places the mail service at the mercy of any
firm individual or corporation. While, in |
deed. subsidized lines might be compelled TO
carry the mails if rendered, yet the depart
ment should be independent and should at
all times be enabled to send tie mails by
the most expeditions routes and make use
Of the best facilities afforded for that pur-
pose from among all the carriers Offering.
SHOULD BE LEFT FREE.
''The department should be free 10 take
advantage of all sailings of increased facili- |