The Portland daily press., 1872-08-02

measure OF genuine reiei W -n"iii0 SiAiPo"iiu-
ers. and is gratefully accepted by them as the
utmost that could by any possibility be done
for them in the present state of public feeling
on the subject throughout the country.
These truths being indisputable, we have
many times expressed the opinion that the
Democracy would now abandon the silly no.
ton they have long cherished that political
capital is to be made out of "the decline OF
the shipping interest" But We notice that
they still go ON harping on the same old brok-
en- string, either in ignorant inconsistencies
of the futility of their plan, or in vicious
endeavor to keep the people still longer in the
dark. But who can wonder at this when we
see able Journals, like the Belfast Republican,
announcing their determination to "agitate
the cider law" evidently believing that they
will thereby secure a ready hearing among
the farmers, whose purses are filled, by the
operation of this very law, as they never
were before from this source of revenue?
The possibility of such mistake touching
the cider law indicates the existence of a
general mental confusion on political subjects
that accounts for the special exhibition of it
in the matter of the shipping interest
One especially puerile position which we
see that some Of the Liberal papers are
copying from their Democratic models, de-
serve moments attention in order that no
man with any pretensions to common sense
may ever again have the hardihood to assume
IL Wa rafar to tba cb;Id;sb ob;aotiop ,ood>
to the drawback clause that it will be Of no
use to our Maine shipbuilders because it Of
fers but trifling encouragement to the coast
ing trade! Now, gentlemen, answer yes or
no-are you or are you not aware of these
automatic truths? Do you not know that
the coasting trade is not the branch of Amer
lean commerce that suffered permanent de-
preston on account of the war? Are you
not aware that the principle of protection is
already applied to the coasting trade to the
point of absolute prohibition, so that a foreign
vessel cannot legally carry cord of wood OF
barrel of potatoes from Portland to Boston
or New York any more than it can enter
silks free of duty? Do you not know that
American shipbuilders suffer no foreign COM
petition in this direction, and that American
shipowners do all the carrying between do
nestle ports there is to do, be the same more
or less? Do you not know that it was little
Jess than miracle that the two months pro-
vision in the tariff bill was allowed to remain
by a House so largely made up of Democrats
and Western free-traders? Do you not know
that the saving of this clause in the interest
of the perfectly protected coasting interest
was one of the greatest triumphs ever gained
by Maine delegation in Congress? Final
ly, do you not know, on the testimony of
Maine shipbuilders themselves, that building
for the coasting trade is not now at all de-
pressed in this State, and that in Washington
County, which furnishes large part of the
coasting tonnage, more vessels are in process
of construction than ever before? aA En-
Its the foreign carrying trade that exhibits
that marked decline, which has so greatly ex-
cited the apprehensions of American states
men. OF course, it would be extremely
pleasant if the United States would foster
the coasting trade still further. We should
all rejoice greatly, and the general pr osperity
OF the State would be enhanced thereby.
But the shipbuilders themselves do not ex-
pect anything further in this direction, as is
proved by the testimony of Mr.. Hichborn and
others of the same craft, and the editors who
assume that there is disaffection among them
on account of the inadequacy of the relief
for the coasting trade, do nothing less than to
assume that shipbuilders are fools. For our
part, we have seen no greater outrage on
common sense than the assumption that
there is cause for complaint in this particular,
since Mr.. Pike dashed home from Washing
ton, few years ago, and wrote long letter,
bitterly opposing Mr.. Lyneh's bill, which pro-
vided, not only drawback, but large sub
sidy for American built vessels, in both Of
which benefits, coasting vessels were to par
ticipate fully,-oPPosED 1t, because, forsooth,
coastSng uessels pere not exempted also from
the tonnage td1i When this stroke of states
returns Mr.. Pike to Congress, he
will perhaps be surprised to find himself
member of a Democratic assembly, that will
kick the drawback clause whirling out of the
tariff act, and will leave the shipping interest
to thrive or perish, in common with other
branches of industry, on a general low tariff,
instead of being singled out, as,now, for ex-
emption from any tariff at all il--