The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-11-11
VALUE OF SUBSIDIZED STEAMSHIP
LINES.
"TRADE FOLLOWS THE FLAG"

operation by subsidies, in fostering
foreign trade, was written by Mr..
f. B. Thurber Of the well known
firm of Thurber, Whyland & Co., of
New York:
All of the subjects suggested by
our Government for the considera
ton of the Conference between re-
representatives. of the Republics Of
Mexico, South and Central America
and the Empire of Brazil, which is
to meet in Washington in October,
are important for the development OF
commerce between the nations on
the American Continent, but the
most important Of all is regular,
frequent and rapid steam communi-
cation.
How can we get this?
If a business man sees competitor
putting on travellers and wagons to
solicit orders and deliver goods, he
realizes that he must do the same
thing or lose the trade.
The United States has looked idly
on and seen nations of even second
and third rate Importance doing this
very thing as regards the worlds
trade; and as regards that of the
southern half of our continent,whl
would naturally come to US with
equal facilities, it has not lifted a
hand to retain it, much less attract
it.
The press is largely responsible
for this; for fancying that the cry OF
anti-subsidy was popular, many of
the leading journals of this country
have persistently opposed giving
even the most reasonable compensa-
ton for carrying the mails on the
ocean.
Owing to the scandals attached to
the old Pacific Mail subsidy, Con
gress enacted a law limiting compen-
sation for carrying the mails on the
ocean to the amount of postage col
lected on such mail matter, and the
postal authorities are thus prohibited
from paying adequate compensation
for this service on new and expensive
routes. On old and well-established
routes, where large commerce has
grown up, the postage collected is
an adequate compensation. For in
stance, on the Atlantic, between
Europe and the United States, it is,
perhaps, dollar per mile sailed;
while on the long and expensive
routes to South America and on the
Pacific, with coal and other expenses
much higher and with compare
lively undeveloped business, the
amount of postage collected is en-
tirely inadequate, amounting to per-
haps eight or ten cents per mile
sailed, instead of one dollar, as on
the routes between here and Europe.
Other nations, approaching this,
make up the difference to their
steamers, on the same principle that
the United States Government does
on land service. On the land our
Government pays what the service
is worth, without regard to the
amount of postage collected. On
some of our far West routes the
amount collected would not pay for
the axle-grease on the cars or stage
coaches carrying the mail.
Apply the same principle on the
sea that we observe on the land
viz, fair mail pay, whether under
the name of subsidy or any other
name-and we will have a satisfac-
tory development of commerce with
the nations occupying the southern
half of our continent.
This is the first and most impor-
tant thing to do.
Uniformity of coinage, weights
and measures, customs, regulations
and harmony of laws: are more or
less important, and all of these will
follow in time if we have closer com
munication.
Grade follows the flag" Steam
ship lines build up their respective
countries just as railroad lines build
up their respective termini. AS
trade develops the amount of post
age collected will increase, until all
subsidies or extra mail pay by our
Government can be withdrawn; but
until that time arrives, we can never
have successful American steamship
lines, unless our Government puts
them on an equal basis with their
competitors.
A modification of our tariff laws,
which seem to some people to be the
most important thing, will also come
if we establish quicker communica-
ton. Our steamship lines do not
oppose this, and indeed. their in
terest would naturally make them
favor it.
Why should those who differ in
their belief as to which are the most
important measures, not pull to-
gether, as each must surely help the
other? Commerce is the great civil
izing agency of the day. It often
proceeds the missionary and opens
up benighted sections for the evan
gelizing influences that otherwise
would remain inaccessible. Let in
the light of the Christian world upon
the dark places of the earth, and the
darkness flies away. Strange as it
may seem, commerce and Christian
ity go hand in hand, and whatever
exceptions there may be to this they
do but prove the rule Indepen-