New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-08
HOW TO RESTORE OUR COMMERCE..
o the Edifor Of The Tribune.

| SIR: III | Da0 not WllUltH you d itlttl VII 1liC
subject which brings within the apparent scope OF
the following paragraph from THE TRIBUNE, should
have no to take it to heart than any other
reader OF the paper. As IL is must ask word in eluc
dation Of the position held by what believe to be
great majority OF those engaged and interested In the
shipbuildng and navigating industry of the country
and who are opposed to the mOnopole of subsidized
steamship companies extract follows from the ed
toria of THE TRIBUNE of Feb q: He therefore
who scouts subsidies is hypOcre II he preends TO
lament the decline and seek theTeyyal Of foreign
commerce."
The foreign commerce Of the country consists Of two
kinds One is that which is engaged In the carrying
trade between foreign nation and another foreign
nation and the other is that which consists OF the carry
ing trade between all foreign nations and ports
The frstnamed division is comparatively unimpOrtant
when compared with the last and is the latter, there
FORE which comprises the bulk Of our foreign trade with
which mainly concerned and which is the chief
object Of endeavors TO Can this trade be
revived without subsdies presume the basis OF your
unambiguOus observation quoted above is our various
treaty spulations with foreign nations of which the
following is sample extract frem the I'd article Of
the treaty Of peace made with England in 1915:
mo higher other dues charges shall be imposed in any Of The
same ports by vessels Of the United ports any
Bi annie Nae territories kurois the vessels OF NE United
states than payable ports British vessei'
This stipulation has been renewed and is in force,
not only with England but with other foreignpowers
Your would To De that IL e1cluues US from
such discriminatory legislation other national action,
as necessary TO put vessels in our own ports
on footing of equality with the subsidized ships of
foreign nations take issue with this view Of the case
do not believe this Government will admit that 1t
has placed insef in any such helpless and Illuminating
position. In constituting treaty with another power
we cannot go far wrong if seek, first and foremost,
to determine the precise object Of the contracting par
ties II that object be plain and palpable to the most
ordinary understanding hold clearly at liberty
the treaty accordingly; and that any nation
is fully justified in the eye Of justice and equity and be-
fore the world in refusing to he bound by al
ton palpably subversve of its unequvocal purposes
If this true doctrine then the chcancry OF dpo
Artists and lawyers must be held to be paramount to the
broad principles Of honorable and just international ILL
tercourse.
Now there can be no sort Of question that the treaty
stipulation quoted had just and only one object
This was put the ships Of either nation upon footing
of exact equality with the other in the ports OF each
It's precise and definite pHrpose and scope was just
that-nothing and nothing hess 1t was TO guard
against inequality. Neither was TO have the least adj
vantage over the other Now, it happens in the lapse
Of events that designedy otherwise certain foreign
Powers-nOtably EnglaaddO by special legislation OF
their own send class OF vessels into ports TO otch
and carry products and passengers so sustained by
special Government bOuntes aud gratuitles as 10 com
petey nuy the objects of the treaty in question ana
thus to place our own vessels not thus provided az
special appropriations made by the treasures OF the
several States whose flags they carry. they enter
ports laden with foreign products and they return laden
With our own Meanwhe our own vessels lie dy their
wharves rot in their docks because they DO not ENJOY
the subsidies which enable then foreign rivals 10 mon
OpOize their own Legitimate business When these facts
are brought home to our attention. shal We DC uod tao
broad principles Of national acOni That couneryang
legislation intended 10 restore ue equdy VI co,nr
cia advantage which We had aimed 10 secure 9y treaty
cannot be justihed} On the contrary we hold we may
right own wrongs by our own methods, II those
methods do not violate TIE spirit OF engagements,
and only aim TO secure the Of the engagemens
an arrangement 70 secure mutual equality, we have
been caught In trap, and are bound to submit ~ gross
Inequality The intercourse between nations can lie con
Quoted upon such principle aud viii admit OF no such
practices, as this. l think therefore show without
going further that not compelled 10 resort to sub
sides TO restore that equality III me foreign carrying
trade, which have lost through the adoption oil that
But admitting for n,osnent that we cannot accom-
psh this restoration by an act OF legislation, without
having action questioned by the other parties TO our
commercial treates, certainly at liberty 10 can
LEGISLATION has estabshed and require its recthcaon.
either by aboshng their subsidies Or ooDcedng our claim
to apply discriminating legislation 80 rs 70 destroy ther
effect on shipping. So far az England is con.
cerned, should probably have to Wait but hrlei
period, even If we TOOK TINS course Inc laN brlusl
Envoy Sir Frederick Bruce gave our Government TO n
dertald several years ago. thaI S 1Su U NJ
further and expressed hope that the American Gov
eminent would not lend the countenaDce OF her
Endorsement TO so vicious pracuee' Inc tone
OF influential public discussions OF late years
and the system there is unquestionably doomed
1t would be public calamity II the United states should
mnati0n Of the British Government 70 abandon IT, pro
coed to engrsft INTO legislation Iii horsghed
enervatng, cOrruptiDg policy and admitted to be such
by the power that orignaedt Perhaps have unduly
elaborated the point on which your pointed censure
hinges but IL seemed necessary IN order 10 commute lis
sweeping charge and 10 elucidate an important part OF
1t is rot the English subsidies then that stand in the
way OF the revival OF our foreign commerce These nm
derances TO the successful competition OF our own Win
10 meet subsidy by subsidy rOttenness aud corruption
by rotenness and corruption. The method suggest il
VI al
OdOr To show that have revival Of our foreign
commerce. and the simple means by which that great Oh
ec can be achieved aud 10 show also that subsidies
| not only not needed for that purpose, but would
the single brief communication have previously ad
dressed you on this subject have no need 80 se0n To
is Of the chief merits Of newspaper discussion that
affords daily opportunity to press the repetition of
truths it is important the reader should know and fully
understand, yet that particular function belongs
fulyequipped editor rather than the core
spondent VINO at the best Is hut tolerated nteroper
when he NEEDLES with subjects of everyday discussion
yet cannot refrain from repeating that the thing
neefu, and the only thing needfu To put the navigation
interests OF this country upon hrm and stable basis,
and which VIII enable Il 70 recover e maritime position,
Is for Congress 10 pass aW repeating the duties, on all
the material that goes into the manufacture Of ships
| Objectionable way sometimes proposed namely, by
means of dTawbacks-let IT la 80 done. But
able. This is the ooe reasonable cones sion
to now depressed and PROSTATE industry involving
eager 10 grant without the asking The documents
appended to Mr Lynchs very thorough report this
sh1buders and merchants IN the foregnrade through
out the country that the repeal OF the duties the
material for shpbuding is adequate remedy for the
present prostraton OF maritime interests. Thin judg
ineut therefore stands on impregnabe ground. offer
IL az AN answer THE TRIBUNEs objection that the
nlauI advocated would be Intellectual As 10 It's second
Injection that 1t would the door for smuggling,
and The following suggestion that demagogues would
make handle Of the concession 10 operate against the
entire tariff can make answer but this: That on
oucston of this magnitude do not think they have
weight No legislation can escape the hlse
aud clamor OF demagOgues and we must not admit That
nr ain builders class cannot De coiFoth ny the
ssne lsw which regulates the trading Importer whose
opportunities for fraud and evasion must he feGhohed hs