Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-16
AMERICA ABROAD.

HMEhlUh hDnUhU,
Praise for the shipping Bounties Bill-Ger-
many Wants Our Pork-0ur Treasury
Leads the WorId-Bellamy's Book 10 be
staged-CulIinss From British Malls.
7 OBSERVE that the American Senate has
passed the shipping bounties bills, says
writer in the London Ne,os Of the World.
Sailing bounties on liberal scale are provided
for American-built ships, to continue for
period of 10 years. During ten years these
bounties will be paid in full, but during the re-
manning nine the sailing bounties will be grad
ually reduced. Liberal subsidies are likewise
accorded to mail-carrying steamers built and
owned in the United States for minimum
period of ten years. We may thus expect to
see, in the course Of few years, revolution
In the American mercantile marine, and its
former depressed condition will soon be q thing
to be wondered at. Hundreds Of vessels WIZ
promptly avail themselves of the liberal scale
oil bounties and subsidies provided In the piiis.
and one of the most seyious obstacles 10 .
thriving export trade will thus be removed. IL
is likewise provided in these bills that vessels
availing themselves of the Governments boun-
ties and subsidies shall be 90 constructed as to
serve as auxiliary cruisers In time OF war. Inc
Government likewise engages to pay tne luii
value of the cost of converting the mercantile
marine into . war feet, thus providing the ma
tion with an additional defense In time OF war.
This expenditure will make heavy inroad into
the annual surplus, but it will cut the ground
from under the principal argument OF certain
politicians, which is to the effect that the sur.
plus-which both freetraders and projections
lists agree should be reduced-necessitates for
its disappearance a freetrade and not al pro-
tectionist tariff.
Apart from every other consideration 1t will
be browning glory" for the present admins
tration to have revived and put on Its legs a
tagging American industry, to have provided
new and remunerative employment for thous-
ands Of citizens, and to have added enormously
to the commercial prosperity Of the country py
the creation of an extensive export trade.
There will be revival of the American ship
building industry, consequent on the applica-
tion of the principle of protection to the only
trade In the country to which is has been stead.
fastly denied for many years. European nations
have built up their mercantile marine by an ex-
tensive system of bounties and subsidies, and 1t
will soon be shown that the United States can
application Of similar methods. When the
American flag flies on every sea, as 1t shortly
will do. II will be but Justice to admit that the
Republican party has rendered good service 70
popular prejudice against subsidies.
Popular With Americans.
ANNA, Comtesse de Fremont. an American
lady of culture lately returned from South
Africa, has delivered an interesting lecture on
THE Transvaal From o Woman's Point of
View" in the concert room Of the Hotel Vic
toria- Apropos of this hotel, which seems to
be . great American house" Ito use the trans
atlantic locution), l20 tourists from the other
side arrived the other day In one party. Their
trunks completely filed the great hall, and 1t
required considerable management on the part
Of MIR. and Mrs. Logan satisfactorily to dispose
OF such body Of customers ut one coup. 1t
was certainly large order. even for NAM
moth hotel.
Uncle Sans Grand Treasury.
7 MUST say that agree with Mr.. Chittenden,
the clever writer on finance. that no nation
has a better Treasury system than the United
States, says q writer in the journal above
quoted. When its regulations are enforced II
practically guarantees the Government against
loss by error or fraud. 1t involves the division
of the department into bureaus, each directly
responsible to the Secretary, having little con-
nection with each other, and at'least three OF
which must approve claim before 1t can be
paid, each thus acting as check upon the
other. 1t recognizes the fact that the subordi.
ate Q in q bureau, SUBJECT to removal by Its
chief, will obey the orders of that chief, al
though they may involve o violation of law, SO
that checks within a bureau are unreliable.
But If the payment of claim requires an ex-
animation by three persons in as many bureaus
and the approval Of the heads OF each, con-
spiracy to defrsud becomes difficult and prac-
tically impossible. Frauds upon the Treasury
proper have been extremely rare. The
assistant treasures are abnormal growths
not subject to these checks, and frauds
upon them. involving large losses. have con-
sequently been common. The manufacture
and issue Of the postal and fractional currency
was another excrescence permitted TO attacn
issue cannot be verified. 1t was the only issue
of the war about which there existed no doubt.
1t may be correct; but 1t Is quite possible that
some millions of dollars Of that currency moro
than the amount shown by the books Oh the
Treasury were put in circulation. 1t might
have been done without detection, for the
white paper was turned into money ready Tor
issue by single department under slngle
head, without supervision or the cooperation
of any other depaI tment or person. The
Treasury was the creation Of Alexander Ham
ilton. 1t will live as long as the nation exists,
and everyone who comprehends 1t VIII accept
1t as a monument of the financial ability Of its
author. 1t may be criticised by those who do
not understand it as an institution of red tape;
but no experienced Treasury officer ever ad-
vised the removal of one of its checks, or the
relaxation of one Of Its stringent provisions.
-
Scots Wha Hne Coming.
n was . gracious and generous act Of self
denial on the part Of Mr.. Kennedy. a New
York banker, to permit the Edinburgh Town
Council to purchase the original manuscript of
Burns "Scots Wha Hae" at precisely the price
he paid for it. Considering how deeply rooted
is the attachment of the Scots to the National
Anthem it would have been grief as well as
areproach to them had Burns precious manu-
script been carried across the seas to enrich
the collection of literary curiosities aceumu-
lated by some wealthy American, however we'll
approved might have been the Scottish extrac-
tfon Of its purchaser. 1t transpired that Mr..
Kennedy had intended to convey the song 10
America, and to present 1t to museum there,
but, before carrying out his purpose, had con-
sidered 1t his duty to afford the Metropolis Of
Scotland an opportunity of buying the work.
The Chief Magistrate of Edinburgh having in
suitable terms expressed the gratitude Of his
fellow-citizens to Mr., Kennedy, the money was
voted, and the manuscript Of Scots Wha
Has" became the property of municipality
which may be trusted to keep 1t henceforth
with all the reverent care that 10 due TO so in
estimable a national treasure.
They Must Have Our Pork.