The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-12-06
The OCEAN MAIL SERVICES
Benefits That Will Result from Increased
I4penaitures in this pirpCtion.

IL
In addition 10 the important bills hat became
laws before the adjournment OF the last session,
some other bills OF the highest importance
were well advanced toward a final vote and nov
stand upL IL the calendars of the two houses i'll
favored positions. he pre.ent session has II
fixed limit, ard II thee 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 ap-
portionment bill and Of the annual uppropIiH-
tlon bills, will require not only that no working
day of the session shall be lost, but th; meas
HreS nf minor and local interest shall mol be al
lowed 10 interrupt or rcturd the rogress OF
those that are OF universal interest. In View ot
these conditions. refrain from brlng' NJ before
YOU at this time some suggestions that W0uld
otherwise be made and most earnestly invoke
your attention to the duty OF lcrtecling the i'm
portart legislation noN we'll advanced. To
some OF these measures WHICH seem 70 me most
important now richly call your attention.
desire TO repeat with added urgency the rec
concentrations contained iii my last aunual
message III relation TO the DEVELOPMENT Of
American steamship lines The reciprocity
clause of the tariff bill Will be largely limited
and lis BENEFITS retarded and Il minished. if
provision is not tcontemporaneously made to en-
courage the establishment of frst-cla>s steam
communication between our ports ana the ports
of such nations as may meet our oycrtures Tor
enlarged commercial exchanges The steam
ship carrying the mails statedly and frequent
ly, and offering to passengers com torlable,
safe ana speedy transit, is the first condition OF
foreign trade II carries the order or the buyer,
but hot all that is ordered or bought. 1t gives
10 he sailing vessel such cargocs us are not ur-
gent or perishable, and, indirectly al least, pro
NOTES that important adjunct of commerce,
There is now both i'll this country ard in the a.
tions of Central and South America stare OF
expectation and confidence as 10 increased
trade that Will give a doublcyalue 10 prompt ac-
tion upon this question.
The present situation OF our mail CCmmunicu-
ton with Australia illustrates the importance
of early action by Congress. The Oceanic
steamship Company maintains a line OF steam
ers between SAN Francisco, sydney and Auck-
land. consisting OF three vessels, two Of which
are Dt nlteG states registry and one Of foreign
registry. For the service donc 10y this line in
currNing the mails "" pay annually the sUm OF
,lo.0eo, being. as estimated, the tuli sea ana
fixed Bv law The colonies of New South Wales
and Ntn Zealand have been Ial lug annually
Ia these lines I'll 0nG for carrying the nnilS from
sydney and Auckland to San Francisco H.
contract under which this payment has been
made Is now about 10 expire, ANA those COLONIES
have refused to renew tn. contract unless the
United Sraty> shall pay more equitable pro
portion OF the whole sum necessary To main am
the service.
| am advised hy the postum ster- general that
the Inited states receives tCr carrying the
Australian mails brought 10 san Francisco i'll
these steamers. hy rail To Vancouver. am csti-
mated annual income ot>7J,nV while as have
stated. we are paving out for tn" support Of the
steamship line that brings this mail To Us only
$4,000, leaving AN annual surplus resulting
from this service of S2,orG. The Trad" OF the
United states with Australia, " hich is in a con
sidera ble part carried ON by these steamers, ana
the whole OF which is practically dependent
upon the mail communication which they main
tain. is largely iii our favor our total exports Of
merchandise 10 -tlIstral.siGn ports during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1890, were
I'll l,a".4sl, while the total imports "f
merchandise from these ports were only
81. .27-67G. If We are not willing Ia ser
this important steamship lire Withdrawn, or
continued 18th Vancouver substituted for sam
Francisco the American terminal. Congress
should put IL III the power Of the postmaster
general to make q liberal increase in th"aRount
how paid fer the transportation If this lmpor'
ant mail.
Ibe south Atlantic and nutf ports occupy Il
very favored position toward the new aud i'm
portanr commerce which the reciprocity clause
Of the tariff act and the postal shipping bill are
designed to promote. steamship lines from
these ports 10 some northern port ot South
America viii almost certainly effect conueC
tioD between the railroad systems Of the CONT
ncurs long before any continuous line OF rall-
roads can he put into operation. The very large
appropriation made al the last session tor tho
harbor of Galveston was justified. a it seemed
to Inc, by these considerations. he great
Northwest will feel the advantage Oi trunk lines
to the south as well rs TO the Fast, and ot the
new markets oueucd for their surplus food
products, aud for man! of their manufactured
products.