The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-07-03
TOTAL KxPoRss.'
Total. .,s,o.,, ,iil.oas t2,i'2J73,1o'

Sir, no language Of mine can add force to
facts like these. They show conclusiveiy tnat
our foreign commerce has been nearly, annini-
lated BY the war In consequence OF the inability
Of the Government to afford II protection. They
furnish also key TO the motive that sctusted
foreign nations, particularly Great Britsin'
whose commercial rival We had become, In CIV
Ing aid and comfort to the rebellion. Shall We
allow those nations that aided In destroying
shall We encourage and stimulate is repro
duction by enscting wise and liberal measures
In regard to III
II Is said that every interest In the country
should bear It's proportion OF the burden.
But submit whether this particular interest
which has been crushed almost out OF existence
by the war, while those other great interests,
agriculture and manufactures. have been stimu-
lated and improved thereby. should not be
made an exception to this general rule.
ed. n The raw material which enters into It's
composition pays On impost duty, the article
when manufactured Is protected by . duty up
on Its foreign competitor, which 10 intended to
cover not only these disadvantages, but also
the increased cost Of American over foreign
labor.
And now I wish to call the attention Of my
friend from Pennsylvania tMr. MrREs] to the
difference between the protection this great In.
terest receives, and the protection which AZ
forded to the manufacturing interests which
that gentleman represents. They are protect
ed by the tariff which Is put upon those articles
that are included IN our tax laws.
The gentleman from Michigan lMr. BLARl
asked wherein our laws have been changed In
regard to this hip-building interest that II now
reSuires protection. ask that gentleman and
the gentleman from Pennsylvania wherein our
laws have been changed In regard to the inter
ests they represent And yet those gcntlemsn'
| from the commencement OF the war to the pres
ent time. have come here and demanded more
have advanced tho import duties pdrt pdssu
with and In proportion as We have advanced
our internal taxes. The laws In regard to the
ship bailding interest have not been altered TO
meet the altered condition OF affairs, while the
laws In regard to manufactures have been 90
altered. -,
builder. lie must build his ship With high.
priced labor, and high.priced and high-taxed
from keelson to truck, has paid On excise or
impost duty. And when.the ship Is launched
and ready Tor business, provisioned with taxed
stores and manned with taxed crew, the for
eign ship, built with cheap labor, without .
single article which has entered into her con-
struction having paid o tax to the Govern
ment, with every article Of ship stores exempt
from duty. this ship, thus built, manned and
provisioned, hsuls alongside OF the American
Competition With her for Gil foreign commerce.
Ia Il strange, with this cond ition Of things,
that the American Gag Il fast disappearing
from the ocean % far - foreign commerce IL
conceruedf Is not the fact that II has held Ia
own 90 we'll against such adverse clrcumstan'
ees conclusive proof that, with reasonable pro-
lection from the Government, we should soor
regain oil We have lostf
| would like to ask my friends from Penn.
sylvanis, who are constantly asking for more
protection-which have always been willing
thew should haye-hoW long they think they
could stand the competition II II were possible
for the Englishman tobring over here his roll
| ing mill and machine-shops with workmen to
run them bringing &C the Same time provis-
ions and clothing for the workmen sll free OF
duties or taxes ; and then be allowed to sit
down beside and enter Into free competition with
theml This, sir, Is Just what the English ship
builder Is allowed TO do In competition with the
American ship builder and ship.owner and
the present bill affords only . partial relief
because In the nature OF the case only partial
relief can be, afforded. There ought to be .
provision In The bill under consideration by
which an American ship, clearing for foreign
mort, should be allowed to take its stores as
the English ship docs. In bond, free OF duty.
The Disadvantages which we labor under, OF
higher paid officers and crews to man our ships
IL one under which we have always labored,
but by which We have been compensated by the
superior intelligence and enterprise OF our OH
GERS and sailors. To show how rapidly with
reasonable encouragement and protcc ton, our
commerce can be restored, we have only 10 re-
fer 70 the tables which have presented. show:
ing the increase Of American as compared
with foreign tonnage, and to the following
table showing the amount ot tonnage built
each year from 1850 1866, inclusive
Statement sAapiHg the nnmb,r and ciass OF rss's6
b.iu andths foanags Avsof in the 0rsrai Sfafss
and Tsrriforfss Of ks United states, from
1850 10 lsG6, iReissiuss