St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-02

sentimental and infeasible.
| Ever since the service had ac-
| QuireI sufficient prominence to COM
mand much public interest there have
been those who had entertained the
| idea that it ought to form part of the
naval establishment, because it had
! something to do with the sea, overlook
ing the fact that no other point of Atm
| lty existed, and that the business of
surfman is as different from that of
] sailor as is the trade of matchmaker
| from that of a blacksmith, ana forget
ting the further fact that under the
| present distribution of administrative
functions among the several great
departments of the government
II was properly connected with
the treasury on account of
Its relation to commerce, as are
| the light house, the steamboat inSpec-
ton, the marine hospital system and all
other branches of the public service es-
tablished III aid of the merchant ma
rine. Now more than ever confirmed
Ill their views, these good people, to-
| gether with some naval officers who re-
| garded the service as desirable adj
| Junct to the navy, determined, if posi-
bic. to effect its transfer to that depart
| ment. They had bill introduced into
both houses of congress looking to that
end and sought to precipitate action
upon the wave of the existing excite
| ment. Had they been able to do this,
such was the feeling in and out of
congress, that they would undoubtedly
have obtained their object.
"a long and desperate contest ell
sued, which became one of the leading
features of the Forty-fifth congress.
Mr.. Cox put himself at the forefront of
| the fight for the vindication of the
honor of the service. He planned and
executed his campaign with consum-
| mate generalShip. The closing days of
! the session, however, brought signal
| victory for the service, and witnessed
one of the most notable triumphS for
Mr.. Cox that has ever marked the an
mails of congress.
Time forbids that, In contrast, l
should attempt to describe the details OF
the present system, or even family to
outline it, but [ may mention some of
It's prominent features. Its stations,
commodiouS, thoroughly equipped with
the most approved appliances. and
manned with trained and daring crews,
chosen exclusively for their qualifica
tons from the hardy Surfmen-the true
chivalry of the cOaSt-mark nearly every
dangerous point upon our Seaboard and
upon the shores of our great inland
lakes. Upon long stretches of sandy
beach they form Gordon of posts, which
protect it until reclaimed by the owner.
The efficacy of the system is best
illustrated by the statement of the fact
that the average loss of life per annum
throughout the entire domain of the
service now only about equals the an
nual loss upon the New Jersey and
Long island coasts alone during the
twenty years Immediately preceding its
Inauguration, and this Notwithstanding
the increased frequency of disasters
consequent upon the vast growth of our
commerce. 1t should be remembered,
too, that the system annually saves
from destruction an amount of property
many times exceeding in its value the
cost of its maintenance. During the
two decades of its existence up to
the close of the last fiscal year there oc-
Cured within the field of its operations
5.943 disasters to vessels. Of the 1854
persons on board, 1924 were saved and
but 600 lost; 9,242 ship-wrecked people
were nursed and Succored at the sta
tons, 24.229 days relief being afforded
them. The estimated value of the yes
sells and their cargOeS was 500, 357, 984.
Of this amount S71.646,9S was saved
and S24, I'll 900 lost. In addition to the
beneficence implied by these figures
numerous disasters have been averted
by the warning signals of the patrol
men to vessels standing into danger.
The number of such warnings is more
than 200 annually.
1.-The part taken by Mr.. Cox in laying
the foundation for the attainment of the
extraordinary results have shown nat
urally greatly enhanced in his co-wOrk-
erS the regard which the exalted attri-
butes of his character and the noble
achievements of his life excited so gen.
orally in the hearts of his countrymen;
but the affection which their comrade-
ship in the struggle of common cause,
to which each was ardently attached.
had engendered was deepened into a
love as sincere and fervent as that of
brother for brother, by the earnest
and unselfsh devotion to their
individual interests which he invari-
ably evinced both in public and
private. He led every effort to con-
gress to promote their welfare and COM
fort and resisted every measure of a
contrary tendency. He applauded their
triumphs and defended them against
calumny. He eXulted in their successes
and lamented their failures. He re-
joiced in their happiness and pitied
their sorrows. He encouraged their
trials and SympathiZed with them III
titions and listened to their complaints.
To the highest official and humblest
surfman alike his good offices were ever
available for the accomplishment of
any worthy desire. Is it any wonder
that when the announcement of his
death flashed over the land and was re-
peated by telephone from station to
station, gloom fell upon the coast from
Maine to Texas on the Atlantic, and
from Washington to the southern bound
airy of California on the Pacific, and all
around the shores of the great inland
lakes, such as had never overShadowed
it before? The tears of widowed women
and fatherless children mingled with
those of the staIwart soldiers of the
surf i'll sincerest grief at the loss of
their ever devoted friend and constant
benefactor.
land now, Mrs. Cox, we beg that
you, whose unfaltering love was the So
lace and comfort of his life, who shared
to the full his lofty aspirations for the
betterment of human conditions, and to
whom his vigorous struggles for their
realization must be ever joyful ref1ec-
token and reminder of the reverent
and imperishable affection in which
every member of the service hold his
memory, than as mark of their CRATE
full appreciation of his invaluable exer-
tons in the sacred cause they cherish.
His fitting and enduring monument is
the splendid fabric in whose building
he wrought and whose pinnacles
proudly tower above every other struc-
ture of its class now standing upon the
EARTH"
Remarks of Senator Frye.
81 have been requested, as chairman
of the senate committee on commerce.
under whose jurisdiction all bills which
have built up this life saving service
have fallen, to say few words today,
and l comply with the request with
pleasure, because this admirable paper
just read by the accomplished general
superintendent of the life saving serv-
ice, Mr.. Kimball, has removed all nece5-
sity of any extended remarks from me.
and because, too, can from personal
l. 4