Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1870-04-01

thrust
The wine cup to the dustp--
What have they brought to me these many
years als-a.s
Silence, and bitter tears.
To the Associated Press. 1SfSt
The Presidents Message on the
Decline Of American Commerce.
The following is the message of
the President sent to Congress in
relation to the decline of American
Commerce:
"1o the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatives
s'In the Executive Message of
December 6, 1869, to Congress-, the
importance of taking steps to revive
our decreasing merchant marine
was urged, and special message
promised at future day during the
present session, recommending
more specifically plans to accom-
plish this result. Now that the
Committee of'the House of Repre-
sentatives, intrusted with the labor
of ascertaining the cause of the de-
cline of American Commerce has
completed its work and Submitted
report to the legislative branches Of
the Government, deem this fit
ting time to execute that promise.
The very able, calm and exhaustive
report of the committee points out
the great wrongs which have pro-
duced the decline in our commerce.
1t is national humiliation that we
are now compelled to pay from 20
to so million dollars annually, ex-
elusive of passage money, which
we should share with other nations,
to foreigners for doing what should
be done by American owned and
American manned vessels. This is
a direct drain upon the resources Of
the country of just so much money
equal to casting it into the sea,
so far as this nation is concerned.
A nation Of the vast and ever in
creasing interior resources of the
United States, extending as it does
from one to the other great oceans
Of the world, with an industrious,
intelligent and energetic population,
must one day possess its full share
Of the commerce Of these oceans no
matter What it cost. Delay will
only increase this cost and enhance
the difficulty of attaining the result
i, therefore, put in an earnest plea
for early action in this matter, in a
way to secure the increase of Amer
lean commerce in the advanced pc
riod of the year and the fact tlrat no
contract for ship building will prob
ably be entered until this question
is settled by Congress and the fur
ther fact that if there should be
muck delay all larger vessels con-
tracted for this year will fail OF
completion before winter sets in,
and Will, therefore, be carried over
for another year, induces me to re-
quest your early consideration OF
this subject. I regard it of such
grave Importance, affecting every
interest of the country to so great
an extent, that any method which
will gain the end will secure rich
national blessing-building ships
aud navigating, and utalizing the
vast capital at home. This bust
ness employs thousands of work
men in their construction and man
ming. 1t creates a home market fol
the farm and shop; it diminishes
the balance of trade against the
United States precisely to the ex-
tent of freights and passage money
paid to American vessels, and gives
the United States superiority upor
the seas of inestlmable value, in
case of foreign war. Our navy
at the commencement of the late
war, consisted Of less than 1,OO(
vessels, of about 150,0O0,000 tons
and force of about $4,000 men
We drew from the merchant marine
which had cost the Govern. N en-
nothing, but which had been {
source of national wealth, 600 yes
sells, exceeding 100000 tons, ane
about 10000 men to aid in the sup
preston of the rebellion. Thi
statement demonstrates the valu,
of the merchant marine as a mean
Of national defense in time of war
The committee on the case of th'
reduction of American tonnage
after tracing the cause of its decline
submit two bills, which, if adopted
they believe will restore to the ma
ton its marine power. Their re
port shows with great minuteness
the actual and comparative Ameri
can tonnage at the time of it
greatest prosperity, the aetua
and comparative decline since
together with the causes, ant
iexhibits other statistics of materia
interest with reference to the sub
|ject AS the report is before Con
gress, I will not recapitaluate an,
of its statistics, but I refer cnly tt
the methods recommended by tn
committee to give back to us ou
lost commerce. AS a general rul
it can be adopted, I believe, that I
direct money subsidy is less liable
to abuse than indirect aid given tx
T the same enterprise. In this. how