The Portland daily press., 1889-11-27
The Revenue Marine.

The position Of the revenue marine at the
present time is an anamolous one. In time
OF war the vessels of this service become
practically part of the navy and perform
duties similar to naval vessels. In time of
peace they assist in the enforcement Of the
customs laws, and In the winter cruise along
tne coast to succor vessels in distress. The
duties OF this arm of the service are far more
onerous and dangerous in time of peace than
those OF the navy, and equally so in time of
war. Yet under the present arrangement
the officers and men of the revenue service
are debarred from all the rights and privil-
eyes that appertain to the officers and men Of
the navy-not because they are not on their
merits entitled to them-but simply because
they are attached to the treasury department
and are therefore regarded as civil employees
Of the government, whereas the nature Of
their service clearly entities them to be
classed with naval officers and men. If the
naval officer or member of the crew is wound
ed ne is entitled to pension. The officers
and crew of the revenue service get no such
consideration. In the navy there is a retired
list which makes 1t possible for the young
officer to obtain merited promotion within
reasonable time. In the revenue service
thereis no such list, and the young officer in
that service may grow gray without taking
single step supward Mileage is granted to
the naval officer, and refused the revenue
officer. When the revenue officer by reason
of age or infrmity, the result it may be of
disease contracted in severe exposure of the
service, is compelled to retire, his pay stops
and he is no longer recognized by the gov
eminent, while the naval officer is retired on
half pay, and if he is sick and infirm pro-
vided for in government institution. The
revenue service complain of this discrimina-
tion and with good reason. And not only
has the revenue service recognized
Its injustice, but it has been gen.
orally recognized, and attempts have been
made to correct it. Indeed there is pend
ing now before Congress bill prepared by
Senator Chandler to transfer this branch of
the service to the navy department, and no
doubt it will be pressed at the coming ses-
sion.
The principal objections to the transfer
are two: 1t is said that it will tend to en-
balrass the treasury department, inasmuch
as it will be more difficulr for that department
to control revenue vessels when placed un-
der the direct charge of another department
But that objection seems to be obviated by
Senator Chandeliers bill, which provides
that
upon the rtquisition of the Secretary of the
Urea ury assign sun able vessels, with their prop
er compliments of officers and crew, TO perform
rrvenue-marine duty In such ports along The sea-
Coast, IN the LAKES, and elsewhere, IS the Secre
TAI, OF the Treasury may deem necessary; the
duties OF such vessels their officers and crews in
relation to the protection Of the prescribed by t.
Secretar. OF the Treasury ana their movements
and operations to be directed and Controlled by
All officers so assigned shall be considered AS off,
GERS OF the customs. and shall be clothed with The
authority, and exercise the powers, now pertain
Ing TO ofncers oil the revenue marine.
There Is something closely analogous
to the condition that will exist un-
der this arrangement between the
revenue marine and the Treasury de-
partment in the existing relations between
the navy and the State department A large
per cent. of the occasions for the employ
ment of the navy in anything but fair wealth
er cruising arise in connection with the
State department. which decides where ma
val vessels are needed In foreign ports to
protect the lives and property of American
citizens and makes requisition on the Navy
department The arrangement has worked
without friction, and there is no reason why
similar arrangement between the Navy
department and the Treasury department
should not work as we'll
The second objection urged is that such
transfer would tend to create precedent for
the pensioning of the civil list. But there
are no other civil employees of the govern
ment, except perhaps the members of the
life saving crews whose case is like that of
the revenue marine service. A precedent
only applies when the circumstances are
similar. AS for the life saving service, that
ought to be on the pension list, inasmuch as
its officers and men are constantly imperil-
ling their lives for the benefit of their coun-
trvmen.