Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-02-07


r WAYS and Means. | have freIueutl
I urged it since. and have from time
time received assurances from the chat
;nan af the Committee Of Ways and Meal
that he agreed tony proposition. 1t doc
seen 10 me, therefore. a little unfair u
I hin to say to ine now that il | had into
luced it earlier, and urged it more persis
tcnlly might have accomplished my pun
pose. The only other objection made
the amendment is that the Treasury mus
be protected. I he chairman OF the Com
mittec of WAYS and Means could not hay
read the proposition when he made tina
objection. 1t provides that the Sccrctar,
of the Treasury may establish such rule
and regulations as he may deem Judlciou'
and as stringent "a Ic pleascs; and certain
" Will, proper officers he may explore TIL.
history of every article that enters int
the construction Of these vessels and ut
may ascertain precisely the amount of dli
ty each has paid AMI consequently the
amount which should be refunded.
! "When | was interrupted by the ham
lnes Of the Chairman was stating tht
great cost of our American vessels. and
the reasons for it. 1t is apparent to The
! House that our ships cannot compete VIII
foreign ships when the difference OF cost Is
50 great, unless corresponding advantage
is III some way given to them III the way ol
employment. But the House is aware tina!
an American ship has no such advantages
She conipt ties with her great rival on Tree
trade basis. The st. John ship comes into
the port of New York and gets the same
fret, hit ana is subject to the same insur-
ance as the American ship. The only
privilege the American ship has is that OF
the coasiwise trade, AMI that is hardly APP
probable. From this statement of the
co nmittrc the House will readily gee that
The question is whether oar ships shall be
| driven from the ocean or not. They Ger
iaiuly cennot compete at such odds. In
the great race for commercial supremacy
our old enemy has lattcrly made alarming
stlilrs IL advance. Before the war We
had five and half million tons afloat. -
But our ships were harmed by British pi-
rates. and our slip ownrrs wee obliged
20 sell them FOR protection. until now we
have not four million Of American ton
mage. What we have lost England has
gained. Before the war We had gained 80
largely in the long and arduous struggle
that we led. Now we are hehindhand
more than two million tons. AT the pres
eDt time more than ninc-tenths OF the i'm
partst,nhs of foreign merchandise into
New York are made in Gorei IN bottoms
This is a proposition t" 'n,b.e the ship
builders OF this country to do something to
restore our supremacy. II this PROPOSE
} la IN in nt hn
tonnage Of this country. instead Of being
bch Midland, will be again in the ascend
cncy.
1T does seem to me that there is nc
branch Of industry that is more worthy Of
encouragement At the hands Of the Gov
crnment than this. The proposition II
| simply that the Government shall tasc its
heavy hand off thi. branch of industry
We ask for no bonus. We ask nothing
except partial relief from taxation that i,
absolutely destroying Us fur the ben fit O.
wealthy manufacturers. already sufficient
ly projected
" Here the hammer fell.
/ "Mr. ALLISON. l understand tina
tllcre is no objection to my amendment.
"the question " as taken on Mr.. Al
sons amendment, and it WIS agreed tn.
/ "Mr. PIKE. | have word only I,
say i'll reply to tho gentleman from Yer
inun,. and trust the committee will bea
with me. as have not trcsnassed much OF
their attention during the discussion Q
/ this tariff. iw..'l to say. i'll reference t
the practical difficulty in enforcing lay
like this. They provide that all the MA
ter,als have enumerated here shall go in
to their ships free Of duty, and they sa,
That practically it works we'll OF course
if they coniinne the policy thus eneourag
I'M. sl,ip-huilding they Will outrun us
That is cncviiahlf, We cannot continu
to run ships casting twenty five 10 Gift.
per cent. more than provincial ships of IL
same character.
Mr.. HOGAN, Of Missouri. I wnnl
like to ask the gentleman from Mainc
question. Are not the provisions of hi
amendment to innrc exclusively to III
benefit OF Foreigners! You will not al
low foreign vessels to cune in and receive
American registers. Nov, why compe
our people who rse ships to pay all thes
expenses and all these duties While yo
build ships to go abroad and compete Wit
our shipping!
"Mr PIKE. ain gla'l the gentlcma
has asked that question. for wish to cor
rect prevailing error in the House. am
that is that American ships have aavan
tages over other ships. | say To the gen
,lc,nan that there is no one single advaii
tare that an American ship of taousan'
tons in the port of New York has over
British slip except this single one Of t.
cost wise trade, which to ships is of aim os
no Importance.
The gcni!nan from Missouri seems +
think that the ships are to be sold iorcig
in order to obtain the dra back. But it /
not so. They are to be he'd and owned b.
Americans. The ship differs from othe
articles in this, that il is constantly export
ed. Every voyage she goes foreign, am
= ship is rs much entitled on any fa
ground to \ drawback rs any article W
now send foreign. and under the genera
! law obtain Il draw back for. My object il
simply to build up our mercantile marine
OF course that object would be defeated il
as he gentleman from Missouri supposes
slips should be sold abroad.
Mr.. HOOPER, of MassachuSclts.
move pro torma. to strike out the last wuI
Of the amendment. merely III. t have III
opportunity to ask the gentlcmal from
Maine Mr.. PIKEl if the effect of hi
amendment would not be adverse to til
protection Of American industry. AMI if .
drawback is to be allowed on all the for
eign materials used in ship-buildin., an
on these various articles OF manufacture
whether it wau!d not con.ine the mani,
facturc of these articles entirely to til
foreign material. thus shutting out on
Own domestic articles. take, for instanc
steel. No American steel will be used.an
no American iron will be used in ship
huilding !: foreign steel and iron would b