The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-12-03

now largely done through foreign lire
and which. particularly so far as South
and Central America are concerned. Is
done in manner which constitutes
serious barrier to the extension Of our
commerce.
The time has come. In my Judgment.
to set 20 work seriously to make our
ocean mail service correspond NOR
closely with our recent commercial and
political development. A bcglnnin:
was made by the ocean mail net of
| March 3. 1891. but even at that TIM"
! the act WIS known TO be inadequate IN
| various particulars Since that time
events have moved rapidly in our hi.
tory We have acquired Hawaii. the
| Philippines and lesser Islands IN th-
| Pacific We are steadily pro~e~utin-
the great work of uniting AT the 18TH
mus the waters of the Atlantic and
the Pacific To a greater extent than
seemed probable even n dozen years
ago We may look 10 IN American e..
turc on the sea worthy of the tradi'
tions Of our past As the first stc, in
that direction aud the step most fensi-
bic mt the present time I recommend
the extension VI the ocean mail act ot
1891. That act has stood for some years
free from successful criticism of itv
principle and purpose. II was based
Z on theories Of the obligations of
great maritime nation. undisputed IN
our own land and followed by other
nations since the beginning OF steam
navigation Briefly those theories AZ"
that ii is the duty of first class pow
er So far as practicable 20 carry its
ocean mails under ifs own flag: that
the fast ocean steamships and their
crews, required for such mnil service.
are Invaluable auxilinrics TO the son
power Of nation. Furthermore. the
construction Of such steamships in
sures the maintenance in an efficient
condition of the shipyards in which Our
battlcships must bc built.
The expenditure OF public money Cor
the performance Of such necessary
functions of government Is certainly
warranted, nor is II necessary to dwell
upon the incidental benefits to orr for
eign commerce. 10 the shipping indus
try and shipowning and navigation
which will accompany the discharge OF
these urgent public duties. though they.
too, should have weight.
The only serious question is whether
at this time we can afford TO improv"
our ocean mail service as II should bc
improved. All doubt on this subject
is removed Ivy the reports of the post
Office department For the fiscal year
ended June 30. 1907, that department
estimates that the postage collected on
the articles exchanged with foreign
countries other than Canada and MCN-
leo amounted to $d.5T9 Oi3is. or S3.G3T.-
226.S1 more than the net cost of the
service exclusive of the cost OF trans
porting the articles between the United
States exchange postoiiices and the
United States postoilices at which they
were mailed or delivered. In other
worNls. the government of the United
States. having assumed n monopoly of
carrying the mails for the people, is
making a profit Of over S3.G00O0O by
rendering n cheap and inefficient sery
Ice. That profit believe should be dc
voted TO strengthening our maritime
power In those directions where IL viii
try Is familiar with the facts of our
maritime impotence in the harbors ~
3 the great and friendly republics Of
South America. Following the failure
Of the shipbullding bill we lost or
only American line of steamers TO Aus
tralasia and that loss on the Pacific
has become serious embarrassment
{ to the people of Hawaii and has Who'll
ly cut or the Samoan islands from
regular communication with the pa
cihc coast. Puget sound in the year
has lost over half -four out of seven
D. OF It's American steamers trading with
the orieut
F. We now pay, under the act OF 1891
81 statute mile outward To 20 knot
American mail steamships built accord
Ing to naval plans, available as crus
' ers and manned by Americans. Steam.
D ships of that speed are confined eN
/: clusively TO transatlantic trade with
. New York. To steamships of Ii knots
or over only 81 n mile can be paid, and
II Is steamships OF this speed and type
which are needed to meet the require
mcnts OF mail service to South Amer
ltu, Ariu lHN4uulNS tnc Inlllnplltol
If and Australia. | strongly recommend.
- therefore, Il simple amendment to the
- ocean mail act of 1891 which shall
authorize the postmaster general IN h,s
discretion 10 enter into contracts for
q the transportation OF mails to the re
publlcs Of South America, TO Asia. the
i Philippines and Australia at n rate not
o. 20 exceed 50 Il mile for steamships o.
% 10 knots speed or upward, subject IN
90 the restrictions and obligations Of the
4 act Of 1891, The profit of 100000
q which has been mentioned will fuly
@ cover the maximum annual expendi
!, ture involved In this recommendation
' and, II is believed. will In time ESTABLISH
II the lines 50 urgently needed The
n proposition involves no new principle.