The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-01-04
John TAYLOR, Shipbuilder Of Chelsea, Mass.

shlp-bullding, and had constructed over one
hundred large ships. He was not constructing
any ships at present. nor did he contemplate
doing so, as he had made up his mind to aban-
don the business altogether. and never to build
another ship. This was for the simple reason
that it could not be done; that American ship
builders could not compete with the ship-buld-
ers of other nations so long rs the difference IN
the cost of materials existed.
Paul Curtis, shipbuilder of Boston,
He said that he could not add much to what
had been already said. 1t was very evident
that under the existing tariff ships could not be
built III this country. If ship-builder should
go to merchant and ask him TO buy a ship, the
merchant would say, "No, our ships are taxed
too much. ! cannot invest money in them.
He thought that there would not be any ship
building done i'll Boston, at present. were it not
for the purpose of keeping up the ship-yards.
Andrew I. Hall, Shpbuilder OF Boston.
! understand you to say that if the material
entering into the construction Of ships were re-
lieved from duty you could compete successfully
with the English ship-owner in the foreign
carving trade.
! believe entirely so. | believe that we build
better ships, more convenient and slightly ships
than the English do, and | believe that we
could have large share in the carrying trade
of the world.
Joseph w. Dyer, Shipbuider of Portland.
A thousand-ton ship at present would cost
seyenty-iiye dollars ton. He could buy such
ship to-day in Quebec for fifty dollars a ton.
That was a great difference; but he thought
that if American Shp-builders could have the
advantage OF remission of duty on the ma
terials used in the construction of ships, and il
ship-oWners could get their outfits out of bond
free of duty, as they did in England and France
American ship builders and ship-owners could
compete with the world, provided that there
was business for them.
Cyrus F. Sargent, shpbuilder OF Yarmouth,
tl,o.
off ship-building materials the ship-huildng in
terest of this country would revive:
Undoubtedly it would.
Giles Loring, Shipbuder oil Yarmouth
You then give it as your opinion. tina If the
duties were taken of all the materials that en-
ter into the construction OF ships, the ship
builders of this country would be able to build
ships as ch apply as they are built abroad And
you think that if ships could be built as cheaply
here as abroad men would invest their money
in them, and that that would tend 10 revive the
business:
That is my idea; and if something is not
done. it will be the ruin OF Maine, for when
our ship-building interest is gone, Maine is gone
John Roach, Shipbuilder Of New ork.
did not come here 10 ask q bounty. came
here to tel YOU that. while all other articles OF
American produce are protected to great eX-
tent, there is no protection for American ships.
If Congress will take on all the duties from
eign iron, then we are prepared 10 compete
with foreign shlp-bulderS. The labor question
is misstated. We are prepared TO meet that
difficulty, and to ask no further legislation on
the subject.
c. P. Carter, Shipbuilder OF Belfast.
| have been building ships for the last thirty
years, and in that tine have built Of all classes,
large and small, over one hundred IN number,
During all these wears never knew business
so dull and times SO hard for poor people AS they
are now.
Hon. William McGilyery, shipbuilier and owner, OF
Searsport.
The Ship-bGilderS and ship-owuers of Maine
are taxed no other interest is taxed. 1t is
like this. Suppose / build ship that once
would have cost me 10000, nder the high
tariff it would now cost me over S10000 The
ship is not worth any more to me. and vet |
hHve got to pay taxes on that additional cost OF
$4,000
These are leading men OF the class who
have been ruined BY the destructive policy
Of the administration They know what
has done it, and where the remedy is To-
be found So long as the party in power
refuses to apply it, that party is eriminally
guilty OF the destruction of the great IN
terest OF the sea-board Aud for paper
here among these suffering ship-owners
and builders, depending largely for its
support upon that very class, TO misrepre-
sent, insult and mock At their calamities.
is simply infamous
Why the Prog Age, itself, IN its own
business affairs, has confessed t. a state
of things exactly parallel to that OF the
ship-builders it abuses In Il grave cir
cular, issued Il couple Of years ago, the
editor says the publication Of the paper
is not remunerative-tha his material
was worn out in service that Yielded
no adequate return and summed up by
asking q government subsidy, which IS
precisely what portion ct the ship-bulld-
ers ask In the same number OF the Age
that contains the rninst article towards
the Stockton men, is an urgent appeal for
aid in support OF the paper itself 1t
SAYS
And a locality i Judged abroad by is local
papers fthese are kent IN halt-starved con
dtion, so they cannot afford the necessary ex-
pense Of editorial work, their lean contents
show that the commu ity does not appreciate
local enterprise, ana IS destitute Of local pride.
Is the editor furnishing too cheap q pa
per- Is the business forced by producing
. sheet for which there is no adequate de-
mand Is the mental tide mill, the ebb
and flow OF which furnishes the intellectual
force Of the concern. insufficient in power
and too expensive, And parodying the
language Of the Age, Because men who
have neither brain capital or business
foresight, fail in newspaper publishing
we don't see that the public is to blame :"