, 1872-12-07

and the result can scarcely fail to be Of practical
benefit to the whole country.
SAUCE FOB THE GoosE-sAuCE FOR THE
GANDER.
The House Committee on Commerce having
agreed to report bill to pay private individuals
fifteen dollars per ton per annum for building
and sailing American steamers, and ten dollars
per ton per annum for building and sailing
American shipa, to and from foreign ports, that
being the supposed difference between loss and
profit in the business, We suggest that the effort
to make American industry profitable by act Of
Congress be extended to all the suffering classes
alike.
We submit that the farmers, being the most
numerous class, and the one upon whom the
burden Of paying the bonus will principally fall,
ere entitled to ut least q sufficient annual appro
which they are scarcely able to do now out Of
the proceeds Of their crops. The price Of corn
is only Is cents per bushe1 ut the point OF
shipment in Iowa, and only II cents ct
corresponding points in Illinois. It does not
reimburse the farmer for the cost of production.
The real grievance OF the ship-ownersi is, that the
price of ocean freights is too low to afford them
8 profit. If it were higher by the amount
named ($15 per ton), the business
would pay. Hence, Congress is called
On to make up the difference. Now, if the
price Of corn we're Is cents per bushel higher,
the farmers could raise corn at profit. Why
should not Congress- make an appropriation of
Is cents per bushel to them, and keep it up till
corn growing becomes profitable There is far
more reason for doing this than for appropriate
ing money to ship-builders, because the capital
Of the farmers has already been invested in land
implements, houses, and stock, which are good
for nothing else, whereas the capital to build
iron steamers has not yet been invested, and the
main object OF the bill is to induce persons to
invest capital in them, which is presumably In
vested now in something which pays better.
The oil-producers Of Pennsylvania are in very
much the same situation as the Western farm
ers. It is only a. short time since crude oil was
selling at 91.50 per barrel, or about 3 cents
per gallon. The distress caused by this condi-
ton Of things compelled the producers to stop
work entirely for thirty days, and to prohibit
the boring Of new wells for an indefinite period.
Men who have invested money in lands and ma
chinery are losing the entiro interest on their
capital. They have the same right to ask reim-
bursement at the hands Of Congress that
the ehip-owners and ship-builders have.
Since the price Of crude oil has been
advanced to $3.50 per barrel by the
artificial and arbitrary action OF the producers,
the refners have begun to complain. They say
that if the price Of crude continues at the pres
ent figure, they too will BOON be compelled to
etop. Would it not be fine thing for Congress
to appropriate, say, dollar per barrel to keep
them in blast !?
There are some newspapers that We know Of,
which are running behind at the rate Of frat
class ocean steamer without freight or passen-
gers. Why should not they make common cause
and get an appropriation Of, say, centpera sheet
for all the papers they can sell or give away !?
They have just as much right to it as the would
be shp-builders have to bounty of s15 per ton
for the freight~room they propose to sell or
give away,
There are large number Of real estate owners,
! in all parts Of the country, who are unable to
| make fair profit on their Investments. There
are others who would like to invest in real estate
| if they we're sure Of profit. Let them come in
| behind the ship-bulders, and ask an appropria-
ton. They have just as good right to it.
We lay down the broad proposition that what
| is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the
gander. If Congress is about to pay bounty to
persons desiring to engage in an Improbable
business, it should pay corresponding bounties
to all persons engaged in Improbable business,
whether it be raising corn, boring for oil, pub
lishing newspapers, specializing in real estate,
| or anything else. If it can be proved that the
thing don't pay, that should constitute as good
claim for one man, or one class, as for another
The demand OF the ship-oWners is, however,
Just as valid as the demand OF the iron-uaster
and the cotton-spinner for public assistance.
It is even better entitled to consideration, foz
the reason that the sum appropriated to the
| ship-owner is q certain fixed amount, which the
| public can see and count. There ia no decep-
ton about it; whereas the SUMS realized by the
iron-master, the cotton-spinner, and the "pro'
tected classes generally, BY virtue Of the taxes