Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-03-29
Pacific Steamship subsidy.

We copy from the Globe the 6ve-minutes
Speech of the Hon. W. M. Merrick, delivered
in Committee Of the Whole of the House of
Representatives, on the Goth instant, on the
question of the increase of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Subsidy. We feel sure that our
able Representative has faithfully presented
the views of his constituents on this subject.
Mr.. Merrick sad Mr.. Chairman, the mot
| to of my State, Increase and multiply" calls
upon me 10 its just Interpretation to promote
industry, to foster agriculture, to favor COM
merce. Recognizing fully that principle,
am in favor of everything which tends to de-
velup commerce or any other interest of the
country. But these interests must be promoted
in the right way. They must be promoted
according to the Constitution aud laws, and
within The restraints which equal justice should
Constitution the proper mode Of fostering COM
| merce is to open harbors, to remove the OBJ
structions in rivers, to create breakwaters
where they are necessary, to erect piers where
commerce requires them. Butsuch measures,
| Mr.. Chairman, are to my mind entirely diff
ferent from proposition to grant subsidies.
This proposition is one providing for special
interests, giving special patronage, while the
liue of legitimate protection to which have
alluded scatters benefits alike upon all, as the
rain of heaven falls alike upon the just and
| the unj Just.
| Sir, am in favor of no dollhouse mode of
promoting the commerce of this country. If
it cannot stand by its own energies, let it per-
| ish that should be the sentiment of every
American. Let the commerce of the cnuutry
develop itself. Sir, the commerce of the coun-
try has not persisted; it never will PERISH
The pretext made on the other side is that our
Atlantic commerce has persisted, that the cross
of St. George has driven the stars and stripes
| from the Atlantic ocean, and that we must
now do what we can to build up our commerce
on the Pacific. That very argument is the
reason with me why should oppose this SUBJ
sidy. / am not in favor of fleeing before the
flag of St. George. / would turn back and
meet St. George upon the Atlantic ocean and
fight him there in noble aud just competition
Mr.. Dickey. What would be fight him
with ?.
Mr.. Merrick. l would fight him in noble
and just competition, as we fought him before
We fought him upon the Atlantic in 1912, and
the Guerrero went down before the Cunstitu-
ton manned by generous hearts; and have
no doubt SO again will the commerce of ST.
George 60 down before the stars and stripes
when we meet it in equal competition upon
| the Atlantic.
Let US meet the commerce of Great Britain
| fairly, according to the true laws of trade.
| Let US have no mercenary commerce. Sooner
than have mercenary commercial nation, let
us not have commercial nation at all If we
have fallen into such poor repute as that we
require subsidy of$5O0,000 year to main
tain our commerce before the world, then let
US reject that subsidy. The moment that deg
radiation is seen, there is sense, manhood, en-
ergy enough in the American heart to apply
the proper remedy. | am 10 favor of an APP
preparation for the commerce of this country,
but am not in favor of promoting the COM
MERGE of this country by any hireliug mea-
sures, any special favors like this.