The morning call., 1891-11-29
THE MAIL SUBSIDIES.

The Treasury Department has made the
awards under the act Of March Sd providing
for the transportation OF the United States
mails on sea routes. The only bidder from
this Coast was the Pacific Mail Company,
which secured the subsidy provided by law
for the Panama and China mail routes.
That subsidy is not large enough to become
an object of envy. For carrying the mails
from San Francisco to Panama three times
a month, calling at nineteen places on the
way, it is to receive something like S1535 for
each outward voyage and nothing for the
return trip. For carrying the mails to YOko-
hs ma once every twenty-eight days il is to
get $3.50 for each outward voyage and moth
ing for The return trip. 1t is perhaps no
wonder that there was no competition for
the subsidy, and that the Messrs. Spreckels
did not put in any bid at all for the Aus
tralian line. The Oriental and Occidental
G ompany, whose vessels are English and
sail under the British flag, was not eligible
as a competitor, and the same provision of
law will probably exclude the China of the
P acifc Mail Company.
The trade between the United States and
the Asiatic countries across the ocean has
existed for over forty years, but it hardly
in creases at all. Indeed, there were more
Am eTican flags seen in the harbors of
Hong-kong, Shanghai, A,uuy and Foochnw
tn irty years ago than there are now. To
trade together nations must have something
to exchange, and we have little to exchange
with China and Japan. They send us tea
and silk, and very few vessels will carry
all we consume of both. We send them
kerosene oil, cotton cloths. various minor
m anufactures, and latterly -four. But the
steamers to Hong Kong are glad to get So
ion for carrying -four 50G0 miles, and the
Oriental and Occidental Company carries
tea from Yokohama TO Chicago-say 1850
miles-for cent pound. This cannot be
| said TO indicate u thriving business.
The American people and the peoples
Of Japan ard China are SO markedly
different that trade is likely to come
slowly. The Japanese make variety
OF fabrics of copper. silk and wood which
ought to find a market here. But, as
a matter Of fact. they do not. There is no
money in Japanese goods, as the dealers
who have tried to place them can testify.
On the other hand, our wooden fabrics and
our fabrics Of steel and leather are SO
superior to those which are used in Japan
that there ought to be an active demand for
them throughout the Mikado's empire.
But there is not. The American merchant.
at Yokohama and Kobe report very dull
| business and small profits.
1t is even worse in China. That most
unprogressive nation has been clothing its
| people with cotton cloths and equipping
them with steel tools ever since the time of
| Christ. but they are unable to make piece
| OF sheeting which an American dry-goods
dealer would place on his shelves, and they
| cannot manufacture a jack knife that boy
would accept as present. Yet when good
| cotton prints and good knives of American
manufacture are offered to them, they will
not buy. The richest people among the
! Chinese live on rice bread. We offer them
sound, pure, wholesome, nutritious wheaton
| bread. and it will Lot sell outside the
| treaty ports. 1t is going to take time, and
| long time, to educate either Chinese or
| Japanese to consume the goods which we
| make and they need.
There is a more promising ield-in the
| immediate future-fOr the extension Of our
trade with the countries south of us, and it