2M WALL STREET AND THE WILDS 



command of the Missouri only to bravely meet his 

 death a few days later. 



The steamship company was steadily running 

 behind, but a plan of betterment occurred to me. 

 An amazing percentage of the revenues of the 

 Government came through the duties collected 

 on the tobacco, sugar, etc., carried in our ships, 

 while our compensation for carrying the mails 

 was niggardly in the extreme. The postage on 

 letters was ten cents, seven of which was for the 

 ocean trip. If the Government would give us 

 this ocean postage, keeping the three cents land 

 postage for itself loss would be turned into profit. 

 To Washington I betook myself to try and influ- 

 ence legislation in this direction. 



I became a member of the Third House and 

 within the next few months established an ex- 

 haustive political acquaintance. I don't think a 

 Senator or Member of the House escaped me. I 

 was in with the correspondents, and had an un- 

 usual acquaintance with journalistic New York. 

 I remember Dana's sarcastic smile as he blue 

 penciled the list of Senators to whom I wished 



