The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-08
THE PRESS.
rp1n,y MORNING, MARCH s,1s7s..
why Shipbuilding is not Relieved.

Hon. eugene Hale is on the stump for Grant
in New Hampshire, MIR. Hale had better come
home and tell us how to make our ship yards
busy again and our State to prosper once more.
Il Argus. l8 its ... is,s..--..t
During the present session of Congress-in
fact only two Or three weeks ago-Mr. Hale
introduced bill providing for drawback on
the material entering into the construction OF
vessels, equal to the duties paid ON such ma
terial, and also for taking ship stores out OF
bond without the payment OF duties. These
are exactly the remedies for the decline OF
commerce recommended in resolution which
has lust passed the Maine Legislature undni-
,sously. They are identical with those APP
proved unanimously by the Maine Shipbuild-
ers and Shipowners Association. They are
precisely the same as those adopted by the
Portland Board of Trade yesterday, and the
same also as those approved by the same
board in 1870 when, together with ampler
measures of relief, they were embraced In Mr.
Lynch's comprehensive bill. Mr.. Hale's bill,
then, has received the most emphatic, the
port that the shipbuilders of Maine and the
people at large can in any manner give it. He
not only told us, as the argus requires, Show
TO make our ship-yards busy once more" but
he urged the adoption of what is conceded to
be the proper remedy on the only body in the
world that can grant relief But the bill
failed to secure the support OF two-thirds OF
the House, which was necessary to put it inn
mediately on Its passage. Why? Because
Mr. Cox of New York, leading DEMOCRAT
of that body, supported by his DEMOCRATIC
associates, wanted to amend 1t by fastening
upon it, in the interest Of the merchant
princes of New York, the oerv provision for
free trade in ships sohieh the Portland Board
Of Trade met expressly to condemn on the
perY day that the argus made Its demand.
d Mr.. Cox and his DEMOCRATIC friends, wanted
to render null and void the measure for 'mak-
ing our ship-yards busy again." supported by
Mr.. Lynch, Mr.. Hale and a majority of the
Republican members, by means of an amend
ment for making the shp-yards of the Thames,
Tyne and Mersey buster than at present, and
at our expense. In short, Mr.. Cox and his
friends desire to change the character of the
bill so as to make it stimulate English ship
building by destroying american shipbuid-
ing. This is how the Democrats of Congress
act when they are told what will ''make our
ship-yards busy again." 3H
= 1t is curious to observe that when the Port
land Board of Trade met yesterday to express
the detestation the greater part of its mem
bers feel for the proposed admission of foreign
vessels to the privileges of American registry,
A. X. Shurtleff, ESQ.,, one Of the leading
Democrats of this State, instantly declared
himself in Jaoor Of that most fatal Of all de-
eicesJor annihilating shipbutlding on the
Maine coast. And that is what the Demo-
Gratis of Maine do when they are told show
to make their ship-yards busy again."j nsa..
1t is too bad that partizan rivalry should be
able to prevent all relief for shipbuilding.
Men of all parties ought heartily to support
such reasonable plans as are suggested tor the
revival of branch of industry that is of such
=, vital importance to the whole country. But
if men would stand aloof as partizans when
the Republic itself was struggling for exist
ence, it is not surprising that they are unpat-
riotic when it is only particular industry
that is decaying and in process of absolute
extinction. Let it not be forgotten, then,
that shipbuilding is not revived because the
Democracy in and out Of Congress insist upon
keeping it where it is, lest Republicans should
make party capital by restoring it. y Egg 2.