The Washington herald., 1908-02-25

commercial fleet on the routes 20 South
America.
II am confident. however. that there
wiz be a strong. patriotic majority in
both Houses OF Congress to sustain the
new legislation which is proposed. and
which the business interests OF the en-
tire country so eagerly and unitedly sup
port. This bill. so brief and yet so potent,
will save and strengthen our Pacific lines
OF communication, and create new liaes
10 the southern hemisphere. / pre,:ict
that II il becomes a law IL viii PROMPTLY
establish a line from the Atlantic coast
10 Brazil. another line TO Argentina.
line from the south Atlantic. or siulf
coast 10 South America. and similar
communication in the Pacific Ocean.
Economy One Result.
Most of the sums OF money now ex-
pended for carrying the mails in foreign
steamships 10 South America and In non
contract American and foreign steam
ships across the Pacific Ocean would be
saved by the passage OF this bill and the
establishment of superior American mail
lines 10 those countries. We should get
great deal better service for the money.
For example. sixteen-knot American
steamships to South America from our
Atlantic or Gulf coast should deliver our
mails in fifteen days at Rio Janeiro and
eighteen days at Buenos Ayres, while the
slow foreign 'tramps now employed take
twenty-five or thirty days or even more
| for the same voyages. Some OF the ships
Of foreign registry now carrying our mail
on the Pacific are Of fourteen knots or
even twelve knots.
Moreover all experience shows that
an improved mail service soon brings in
creased returns in an expanded commerce
and growing postal receipts. Thus. our
long-established twenty-knot American
contract line 10 Europe. in the fiscal year
| 1906 received. under it's contract, COM
pensation OF $762. SIS 40. at the rate of 81
m outward mile But these ships carried
so much mail that II they had been paid
at the regular weight rate they would
] have received $9l0,5424S In other words.
| this twenty-knot line of weekly mail
steamers actually returned profit 20 the
government of s147.904.OS, this being the
excess OF the sea and inland postage over
the cost Of the contract service.
Cheaper Carriage OF Mails.
In the fiscal year ended June So 1902.
the postage received BY the government
on the mails carried under contract by
the Oceanic Line 10 Australasia amounted
to $7i.sll2. In the fiscal year ended June
30. 1906 the postage on the mails carried
by these same steamers amounted 10 S9S,-
065.S4. Better facilities for communication
naturally and inevitably increase the vol
ume of communication, and the actual
net cost Of the new mail lines that would
/ l. n.
constantly decreasing with the increase
in trade with South America, Australasia,
and the Orient
Beside the increased receipts from
postage. due 20 an increased commerce.
the United States. under this bill, would
receive the further advantage OF having
constantly at hand a feet OF auxiliary
cruisers, American built and American
manned, ready 10 re-enforce our fighting
navy, and to transport our troops in time
OF war. The ocean-mail law OF 1891 re-
quires that all the ships OF the first three
classes carrying the mails under these
contracts shall be designed and construct
ed with especial reference to this aux
Hilary service. The foreign ships now car
rying our mails would be available in
war for use not for u.s. but against us"
| womb increase Navy.
Senator Depew spoke in part as follows:
I'VE are now the second naval power in
the world. The government asks for four
new battle ships and TO complete the
programme we should have them. and we
should complete the programme. A large
war feet promotes peace and prevents
war. but & has other uses in time of war.
as harbors and coasts are fairly well pro-
teeted by long-range guns. torpedoes. and
submarines.
The primary object Of great feet is
TO protect the commerce of the country
but we have no commerce under our own
flag 10 protect We are without vessels
or merchant marine which can become
auxiliaries 20 the fleet by which the bat
tie ships themselves can be protected.
Merchantmen in War.
Admiral Dewey has estimated tho
number OF vessels which ordinarily In
times OF peace would be in the merchant
marine that are necessary in time OF wal
to accompany a fleet of battle ships
cruisers, scouts, torpedo-boat destroyers
and torpedo boats. There should be in
every maritime nation merchant marine
Z u
the navy has been supplied with its re-
quirements. If 1 reckon correctly. there
are to-day in the whole merchant marine
OF the United States, including the coast
wise service. hardly enough boats 10 meet
a war emergency and our coastwise sery-
ice would have 10 be fatally crippled.
"One of the most significant journey:
ever made was that Of our Secretary Of
State. Mr.. Root. 10 the South American
republics. He removed pFejudices OF the
statesmen and people OF the countrie:
south Of US who had Heretofore thought
our Interference in their behalf was u
conquer or dominate them. At ali IN,
ports and capitals this most level-headed
capable. and tactful of Americans
cemented North and South American
friendship.
But what do we or they gain? WA
is very remote The Monroe doctrine Is
TOO firmly established for European AK
gression. The whole sum and substanc,
OF closer relations between North anC
South America is reciprocal trade.
American Flag Scarce.
1T was Notifying to the Secretary o.
State to have TO report. as he did in hi.
great speech at Kansas City on his re
turn. that as the war ship on which h,
was sailed through the crowded shipping
OF every port the flags OF Great Britain
Germany. France, Sweden. Norway. anC
Japan were dipped in salute. and onl!
once in all these fleets was seen AT TIT
masthead the American flag. Wry? BE
cause while we spend hundred millioni
a year on the navy. hundred millions
year on the army, forty millions a yea
in dredging harbors, and one hundred ant
forty millions year for pensions ant
other millions In forestry and reclama
ton, yet we are driven or the ocean b!