Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-12-03
THE OCEAN MAIL SERVICES.
Benefits That Will Result from Increased
Expenditures in this Direction.

In addition to the important bills that became
laws before the adjournment of the last session.
some other bills of the highest importance
were well advanced toward final vote, and now
stand upon the calendars of the two houses in
favored positions. The present session has
fixed limit, and if these measures are not now
brought to final vote all the work that has
been done upon them by this congress is lost
The proper consideration of these of an APP
portlonment bill and of the annual appropria-
ton bills, will require not only that no working
day of the session shall be lost, but that meas
ures of minor and local interest shall not be J.
lowed TO interrupt retard the IrogresS of
those tnat are of universal interest. In view of
these conditions. refrain from bringing before
you at this time some suggestions that would
otherwise be made, and most earnestly invoke
your attention to the duty of perfecting the i'm
portant legislation now we'll advanced. To
some OF these measures which seem to me most
important now richly call your attention.
l desire to repeat with added urgency the rec
concentrations contained in my last annual
message III relation to the DEVELOPMENT of
American steam ship lines. The reciprocity
clause of the tariff bill will be largely limited
and its benefits retarded and diminis he'd. if
provision is not contemporaneously made TO en-
courage the establishment of firSt-claSS steam
communication between our ports and the ports
of such nations as may meet our overtures for
enlarged commercial exchanges The steam
ship, carrying the mails stately and frequent
~, and offering to passengers q comforta ble
safe and speedy transit, is the first condition of
foreign trade. 1t carries the order or the buyer,
but not all that is ordered or bought. 1t gives
10 the sailing vessel such cargoes as are not ur-
gent or perlshable and. indirectly at least. pro-
notes that important adjunct of commerce.
There is now both in this country ard in the la
tons of Central and South America stale of
expectation and confidence to increased
trade that viii give double value to prompt ac-
ton upon this question.
The present situation of our mail communica-
ton with Australia illustrate the importance
OF early action by Congress. The Oceanic
Steamship Company maintains line of steam
ers between San Francisco, sydney and Arck-
land, consisting of three vessels, two of which
a r. fpS TpcIS eff of ION
registry. For the service uOne by this line in
carrying the mails we pay annually the sum of
$4,000, being, as estimated the full sea and
united States inland postage which is the limit
nxed by law The colonies of New South Wales
and New Zealand have been paying annually
TO these lines f37 600 for CARRYING the mails from
Sydney and Auckland to San Francisco The
contract under which this payment mas been
made Is now about TO expire, and those colonies
have refused to renew the contract unless the
United States shall pay more equitable pro-
portion OF the whole sum necessary TO maintain
the service.
/ am advised by the acknowledgement that
the United States receives for carrying the
Australian mails. brought to San Fran cisco in
these steamers, by rail to Vancouver. an eSti-
mated annual income ofS75. 900, while, as have
stated, We are paying out for the support of the
steamship line that brings this mail to us only
$4,000; leaving an annual surplus resulting
from this service of $40, go. The trade of the
United States with Australia, which is in a con-
siderable part carried on by these steamers, and
the whole of which is practically dependent
upon the mail communication which they main
TAIN is largely in our favor Our total exports of
merchandise to Australasian ports during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1890, were
$1l,266.4S1. while the total imports Of
merchandise from these ports were only
S4,277, 676. If we not willing to see
this important steamship lii G withdrawn, or
continued with Vancouver substituted for San
Francisco as the American terminal. Congress
should put it in the power of the postmaster
general TO make a liberal increase in the amount
LOW paid for the transportation of this import
ant mail.
The South Atlantic and Gulf ports occupy
very favored position towards the new and i'm
pOrtant commerce which the reciprocity clause
of the tariff act and the postal shipping bill are
designed TO promote Steamship lines FROM
these ports to some northern port of South
America viii almost certainly effect connec-
ton between the railroad systems OF the CONT
nents long before any continuous line of rail
roads can be put into operation. Thevery large
appropriation made at the last session for the
harbor of Galveston was justified, it seemed
TO me. by these considerations. The great
Northwest will feel the advantage of trunk lines
to the South we'll TO the East, and of the
new markets opened for their surplus food
products, and for many of their manufactured
products.