Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-20
&" A Subsidized Incubus"

This IS what the leading paper of San
Diego calls the Pacific Steamship Company.
And the reason is that while under the
subsidy contract which it enjoys the CON-
pany is required TO stop its steamers at
San Diego going to and coming from San
Francisco, it will neither take on nor put
off freight or passengers there. In other
words il lives up to what 1t narrowly con-
ceiyes to be the letter of the law. and fla
GRAVITY and outrageously violates spirit.
Yet Congress voted these subsidies " for
the promotion of American commerce
IL is possible that Newport News and
Richmond are TO be even greater sufferers
az the hands Of subsidized steamers than
San Diego. Before the United States and
Brazil Mail Steamship Line sought q
subsidy from Postmaster-General WANA-
MAKER it willingly brought consignments
OF coffee from Rio to Newport News.
Since then it has notified the Rich
mond trade that it will bring no
more coffee to Newport News after July
1st. Thus we see how the commerce -
of New York-is promoted" at the ex-
penses of smaller ports.
What is more remarkable still is that
Mr.. HUNTINGTON is q submissive, if not a
willing, party to this agreement. After
his handsome speech at the launching of
the steamship III Sud; after his glowing
picture of the prospects of Newport
News. 1t is hard 10 believe that this is the
case: but alas, there is no room to doubt
il. He is the controlling spirit in the
South American line which sails its vessels
from New York, touching at Newport
News, and he has yielded to the solicita-
tions or threats of the coffee importers of
that city. and has virtually agreed to
crush out the growing coffee trade OF Rich
mond and Newport News.
The New Workers found that Richmond
ers were taking away some of their Gus
toners in the South and West, and know
ing of no other way to remove their rivals
they induced Mr.. HUSTNGToN's company
TO issue an order that after July l. 1892. no
coffee should be received for the port Of
Newport News. If they have the right to
| put an embargo upon our importations of
| coffee they have right to put an embargo
upon our expectations of flour. and rule
| us out utterly and entirely. The people of
Virginia. the people of the South and
West. acknowledge no such right, and
| they will contest 1t TO the bitter end. Very
soon q convention of the southern
wholesale grocers will be held in Memphis
and the subject Will be brought up there.
Our Chamber of Commerce and our
| representative in Congress will appeal
to Postmaster General WASAMAKER 10
see that justice is done. aud If all of these
efforts fail then we shall 60 to Congress
itself. But we are not prepared to believe
that they will fail. Mr.. WANAMAKER is not
so poor a politician as not to see the
odium be will bring upon Mr.. HaRBrsos's
| administration If he permits the subsi-
died lines to perpetrate such outrages as
San Diego and Newport News aud Rich
mond complain Of The injustice about
| TO be done US is aggravated by the fact
that this South American line invoked
and secured the aid of the Richmond
| Chamber Of Commerce to help to have q
subsidy awarded the line.
| mat SUBSIDY las uot yet occu o"niucu.
and Postmaster-General WASAMAKER still
has it in his power to bring the company
! to terms.
This is not local fight. Richmond is
not the only community interested. 1t is
"a fight for q great principle; for justice
under our laws; for protection from OPP
preston by o subsidized monopoly.
All of the country reached by the Chesa-
peske and Ohio, the Richmond and DAN
| vile. and the Atlantic Coast Line systems
is interested. because the coffee that comes
to Newport News and Is distributed from
that port and from Richmond can be
bought at lower price than from the New
York importers, inasmuch as it does not
have to pay the heavy tolls exacted BY the
New York importers, warehousemen.
agents. dc.
| It'll great pity that on the eve Of the
Inauguration of the subsidy system doubt
should be raised whether ii is to be ope-
rated "for the promotion or suppression
"of American commerce. but Il would