Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-18
PROCLAIM AN EMBARGo.
Destructive War Being Waged Without
the Use of Powder.

the Use of Powder.
San Francisco Call
The Canadian Pacific appears to have
succeeded in inducing the Bristish Post
office to grant it an increased subsidy for
its steamship line to China and Japan. The
dispatch to the Montreal Gazette which
contains the news states that The amount
of the new annual subsidy is TO be 100000
or s., SOC, 600. This seems 10 be an exeggera-
ton, though it may be an accurate state
ment. England has always been liberal in
fostering steamship lines. The Canadian
Pacific will have 10 build new steamers for
the berth; such old craft as the Parthia
and the Abyssinia will not answer. New
ships would cost about half million
apiece, and probably two could be built
every year. 1t goes without saying that
four ships like the Aurauia or the CITY of
New York plying between Yokohama and
Vancouver, with monthly subsidy of
100000, would compete rather formidably
with the ships now running between that
port and San Francisco
The commerce of the Pacific Ocean nat
urally centers at this point and efforts to
divert 1t to other points by fast steamers
and subsidies look like trying to make
water run uphill; still it is plain that Great
Britain and Canada are trying vigorously to
destroy onr Aslatlc commerce. They may
not be able to take it all awav: but the
profit of it will be gone when the Canadian
line is started. The subsidized vessels can
carry freight and passengers at a loss. If
our lines follow the example, it is a mere
question OF time when they will have to
stop running. What then shall we do?
Shall we follow the example of the English
and vote couple of hundred thousand
dollars month out of the proceeds of gen.
eral taxation to the stockholders in the
Pacific Mail and the Oriental and Occi-
dental? or, shall we say to our friends
across the borders as Mr. Adams said to
Lord John Russell when Laird's rams were
fitted out for sea This is war and your
Lordship may prepare for it 7"
War nowadays is not always carried on
with shot and shell. 1t may be waged
most destructively without burning an
ounce of gunpowder. Old Shylock said
Nay, take my life and ALL pardon not that;
You take my house when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house; you take my lite
When you do take the means whereby live.
When these neighbors of ours go to work
deliberately to break down the foreign
| commerce OF this port, not by fair, square
| competition, but by the interference of
| their Government, they are doing us a
mischief which could not be made much
worse by an actual state of war.
1t is all of piece. The accounts of the
Southern Pacific for the five months end
! ing 3lst May show earnings of SIT, GIL 600,
and expenses for operating, betterments,
taxes, interest and payments to Govern
ment on account of the subsidy bonds
amounting to $l9, $4,000; the five months
work showing deficit of 81 ,70S, 900. The
local business showed no decline worth
| mentioning; the reduction of earnings was
| IN through business, and represents the in
roads which the Canadian Pacific has made
| into the business of our lines. 1t reduced
| the quantity of merchandise sent on our
roads by carrying freight at rates which
| would have involved a loss if the Canadian
| Government had not shouldered it.
Under the Act passed by the fiftieth Con-
gress, the President is empowered to pro-
| claim an embargo on trade with Canada
whenever in his judgment the public in
| terest requires it. -Four times in our his
| tory the United States have been compelled
to lay an embargo on foreign trade In
every case the measure was adopted in order
| to protect American commerce and Ameri-
car shipping. But for the embargo of 1907
our merchant marine would have been con-
| hscated and our merchants ruined though
we were at peace with all the world. A
| similar danger is now impending. If Great
Britain and Canada pursue their present
| policy the foreign commerce of San Fran
cisco may be destroyed, and our domestic
commerce seriously injured through I'M
warranted interference of the Governments
of the two countries with the ordinary
course of trade; it would seem that the
proper form of retaliation is to stop alto
| gether all trade with the unfriendly prov
ince, and to maintain a rule of non-inter-
| course until better sentiments prevail
among our neighbors. Surely it is time
that this country ceased to grant Canadian
railroads the privilege of transporting mer-
chandise in bond from one portion of the
Union to another through that country.