Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-02-16
Repeal of Duties on Ships.

Mr.. Pike, NJ. c.. .ef Maine, has ma fc a
movement in the right direction. He has
done himself the h.nor of proposing re-
moyal Of the present oppressive tgrlff dssies
on the materials used in ship buifding.
He declares. in the preamble TO the reso-
luton he has introduced in Congress, that,
as by the laws of the United States an
American ship has now no advantage in
any particular over foreign ships in either
American or foreign p,fts, it Is obliged to
compete with foreign shipping on terms oil
perfccte equality.
There is lingering odor Of monopoly in
this. 1t seems to imply that by enaetins
restrictive laws on foreign shipping, favor
ing our own" as the phrase would be, we
can create a real discrimination to the ben
eft Of American shipping. The effect
thus suggested lie one ofthe irnpossiblities
Of nature. The defeat in the views of those
who favor it is fatal. 1t is neither more
nor less than the forgetfulness that every
voyage to foreign countries has two ends to
it. We hop, our readers will excuse the
simplicity Of a truism, which those who ad
vocate this species of protection entirely
overlook. Every ship leaving New York,
Boston, or any other American port on a
foreign voyage, must. we repeat. go to
Liverpool. Havre, or some other port in a
foreign country, ana it is quite az clear
that the government OF that country can
resalate, by placing our shipping under
the same disabilities in its ports as we im-
pose upon its shipping in our ports. if it
chooses to follow the same course as is sug-
gestcd to us.
We already, by prohibiting foreign YES
sels from engaging in the c"assir.y trade
place them under the greatest amount Of
disabilities we can infilct. All our plans
for making anything cheaper by monopoly
vanisl, into thin ari when any opportunity
is afforded of comparison wits fls products
whether they are ships. clothing. or any
thing else-of countries whichareapproach-
ing a reasonable and freervstcm oftradc.
Mr. Pike. therefore, stated rather less
than the true case. in its full and honest
length and breadth. Instead of limiting
that ma rigaton laws of the United States,
might remedy the evil of which he COM
plains, he ought to have said American
shipping to foreign ports will always be
obliged to- compete with foreign shipping
on terms of perfect equality
His resolution is timely aud appropriate.
It's:
That the Committee of Ways and Means
be instructed to inquire into the eXpcdien-
CT of 1rov1irg- drawbacks Of duties paid
On materials entering into the formation OF
such vessels, to the end that American
ship builders may compete with foreigners
in this branch of industry more nearly up
on equal footing.
Oar commercial navy has either been de-
stroved by tie c1afederste cruisers origina-
thug in Great Britain, or has been sold to
other nations, and now sails under foreign
flags for the purpose Of avoiding these de-
structive enemies. But capital Is abnnd-
ant; ships are needed; and perhaps, with
the same feeling which animates the Young
man of fourteen who sails ont in'i,ls swift;
Yacht GA the stormy sea rather than sann-
term tho shade or sit in cushioned chair
in eilded room, our merchants have a
manly liking for Investments i'll shipping,
Q I'll although. competing. as at best they
must, with foreign countries. its profits are
not n great as those yielded by more qui-
= Investment on shore and at home. Ma
Wbnal pride. too. can scarcely have any
more honorable material Object of ambi
ton than the white winged or steam driv-
en- messengers Of reciprocal benefits, car
rying abroad everywhere-a knowledge of
or people and their sSstitutions, But
ships and ship building for foreign voyages
are almost taxed out of existence. The
sfip'itself in ali its parts. from keel to top
SAIL in its timbers. Salts bests, screws.
n1ls, boilers, iron, machinery, and in all
possible particulars, is taxed ; and, as if
that were not sufficient, the whole upon
completion pays yet another tax.
Is is impossible to restore our shipping un-
ees these numerous disadvantages are re-
moved. We may, in individual cases. by
a system of favoritism, do something with
one hand to counteract the universal wrong
and injury we infict with the other But
it is only in the change of the general law.
by removing obstacles and restoring the
energy and enterprise of the people to life
. and liberty, that the nation and ship-build
ing can he permanently relieved. For
these reasons Mr.. Pike deserves the graft
tndc of the public for the resolution he has
introduced into Congress.-N. Y. H'orid,