The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1907-12-03

| thorough organization and machin-
cry which requires n large fKpeudi-
turc uf money Then tho utipuln-
ton should DO made that no party
receiving campaign funds from the
| treasury should accept more than
"A fixed amount frois any indlvid-
ual subscriber OF apnor. ans the
necessary publicity for receipts aud
expenditure could without difficult
" be provided.
Regarding Ocean Mail ssrviee.
Thes only serious quea-
ton ~ whether at this time We can
afford 20 Improve our ocean mali
service AZ u should be- improved
All doubt on this subject W removed
by the reports of the Dost0fnce de-
pariment For tho fiscal year end
ed june 30. 1907. that department
estimates that the postage collected
ON the'articiea exchanged with for
elgn countries other than Canada
aud Mexico amounted a. 1gb19-
9f3.fs. or t3.G3Z22s.si more than the
net cost Of the service exclusive Of
the cost 0f transporting the articles
between the United States exchange
poHjofficeH and United States post
offices at which they were mailed or
delivered In other words. tho gov
eminent 81 ihr United States. hav-
ing assumed a monopoly Of carry
inE the malta for tho people. 10 max
inE profit Of over $4,000. 900 bY
rendering a cheap and inefficient
service. That profit. I believe. should
be- devoted 60 strrnRtheuinP our
maritime power IN those dire, lions
where Il viii boat promote our pres
lige. The country ~ familiar with
the facts Of our maritime impo-
tence Ia the harbors Of the great
and friendly republics Of South
America.
American Shipping Losses.
Following the failure Of the ship
building bin we lost our only Amer
lean line Of steamers % Australasia.
and that loss on the Pacific has be-
come serious enhancement 20
tho people Of Hawaii and has who'll
~ eat OF the samoan islands from
regular communication with the PA
clfic coast Puget sound. IN the
year. has lost over half f0ur out OF
aevenl 81 It's American steamers
trading with the orient
We now pay under the act ~ sai
- statute mile outward 10 20
knot American mail stoa mahipa.
built according 10 naval plans.
available as cruisers and man
ned by Americans. Steamship
81 that speed are confined ex-
clusiveiy 60 trans Atiantie trade
with New York To steam
ships Of 10 knots or over only
~ mile can be paid. and II Sc
steamships 81 this speed and typc
which are needed TO meet the
requirements 81 mail service 20
South America. Asia Cincluding the
Philipplnesl and Australia. strong
~ recommend. therefore. simple
amendment 10 the ocean mail act
n 1891 which shall authorize the
postmaster general In his discretion
Co enter into contracts Tor the trans
portaiion 81 mails 10 the republics
Of South America. 20 Asia. the Phil
ippinca and Australia NJ a rate not
% exceed 81 a mile Tor steamships
% ie knotH speed or upwards. sub
sect 90 the restrictions and obliga-
lions ~ the act 81 1891 The profit
" 81 coo 600 which has been mem
toned will fully cover the maximum
annual expenditure involved IN
this recommendation. and II d be-
iiered viii In time establish the
Hines 30 urgently needed The prop
oaition Involves no new principle
bat permits the efficient discharge
~ public functions now Inadequate
81 performed or not performed az ali.
Unprepsrsa for War.
A. a nation We have AL
ways been short sighted IN pruvta-
INK for the efficiency ~ the army
Ia time o. peace u A. nobodys es-
pcciai interest 60 make such pro-
vision and no one looks ahead 90
war AZ any period. NO matter how
remote. az being q serious puaalbill-
~. while an Improper economy. Or
rather niEKardiineHs. can be pruc-
tlced al she expense ~ the army
With the certainty that those prac-
ticing Il will not b. called % ac-
count therefor but that the price
"a ill be paid by the unfortunate per-
auna who happen 20 be in office
when a war does actually come.
The medical corps should
be much larger than the needs OF
our regular army In war Yet az
present " is smaller than the needs
~ tho service demand. even tn
peace The spanish war occurred
less than ton years ago The chief
lnsH we suffered Ia II was hk disease
among the regiments which never
left the country