New-York tribune., 1910-03-23
BETTER OCEAN NAN SERVICE.
yrcm rhe naII, vrisun,. Tassdas. Marsh ls. Isl0.


lt is 60 be hoped that the present session
OF Congress viii not end without proper re
organization of the governments ocean mail
service Congress has long neglected the oppor-
tunity TO improve and enlarge that service and
10 make Il a more important factor In promot-
Ing American commerce A measure intended
Co secure q better distribution Of the subvel-
fiOns given under the postal law of 1870 has
passed one house or the other ON several oc'si-
sions. Having passed both houses few years
ago. an admirable postal subvention act was
killed in the Senate I'm the last hours OF the
short session by a filibuster which prevented
the Senates accepting conference committee
rport This year neither house has so far
acted but there is a strong probability that If
the senate should pass the Gallinger subyen-
tiOn bill its example would be followed by the
House Of Representatives.
Mr. Gallnger's measure is, except in one
rtspect q duplicate of the one, also bearing his
name which passed the Senate two years ago.
IL involves no change in national policy, but
simply seeks 10 amend the ocean postal law
of 1870 10 meet new conditions. Under that
law vessels OF the first class. carrying the mails
90 European countries, have been successfully
maintained. but vessels Of the second and third
glasses, intended to ply between the United
States and South America and across the
Pacific Ia Eastern Asia and Australasia. have
bCen virtually discontinued because OF the in
adequate mail compensation The ocean postal
service IS 4 whole is more than self-sustaining.
N has produced i'm the last four years an annual
profit exceeding S3OOOOOO IL is now proposed
merely 10 devote this annual profit 10 resusci-
tating the South American and Asiatic service.
giving 10 steamers OF the second class on those
routes a subyention equal to that given TO the
first class steamers on the European routes,
and to third class steamers on the non Euro
p,an routes the mile rate which the law now
allows 10 second class steamers. The present
surplus Of S:iOOOOOO would he sufficient TO meet
the enlarged expenditure on the new South
American and Eastern service
No argument Of economy and no disngenuOus
cry of subsidy can be raised against so reason
able q business proposal The construction OF
she Panama Canal and the completion Of the
srans -Andean railroad will greatly alter the
conditions Of postal communication to the south
of us. When the canal and the tTans-Andean
railroad are in operation mail can be sent
from either san Francisco or New York via
New Orleans, Panama and Valparaiso % Bue-
nos AyreS in much shorter time than by any
other route. A postal service from New Orleans
&, Panama has therefore become Of vital i'm
portance. and under the Gallinger bill. as mOdi-
fled, IL is provided that the new rates Of com
IenSltion shall be given TO vessels sailing 90
1he isihmus as well as 10 South America, the
Philippines, Japan, China and Australasia.
Many other nations are already arranging 10
establish government aided steamship lines to
she isthmus, aiming 20 put their commercial
interests in better touch with the western
coast Of North and South America. The United
States cannot afford TO lag behind in cultivat-
;Eg the trade which is soon 10 be opened VI
through the canal route any more than il can
nfOrd 10 abandon mail service across the Pa
hHr-a ifc wifi 10 asst
conducted through alien ship companies.
As a measure Of naval policy the Gallinssr
hll also deserves favorable consideration. IL
would enlarge the naval reserve by the num-
her Of men and officers for whom it would
create employment, and il would also put ut
ibe service Of the nation In case OF war an
additional feet Of steamers available as trans
bOrts or auXiaTieS. A variety Of national in
terests would be promoted by the passage OF
ahis measure. which has been retarded 50 far
Gny by a perverse ar Obtuse misapprehensiOn
Of IFS purposes and character.