Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-07-29

made safe and 1t Is with that intent tn
government has controlled itself in dis
tributing the public funds for this pur
pose. Take the harbors of Michigan
with that extended coast of Is per cent
TO the whole of the country, and it seem
large number; but when we come tt
the aggregate amount appropriated til,
sum is not so large. Let me look at it
| want to call the attention of the com
mittee to two appropriations. see they
have not directed the knife to those two
places, one for Sault. Ste. Marie, which
suppose would be consideredin the light
! of Il national work, for which the appro-
priation is 100000, the same as last year
and the other the appropriation for a
harbor of refuge on Lake Huron. Lake
Huron, unfortunately, has not many
harbOrs for commerce, but fortunately
for an appropriation bill. For that har-
Dor of refuge 100000 was appropriated
last year, and 100000 proposed this
year, without change by the Senate COM
mittee. Those two harbors, | take it,
are of such national Importance that the
committee deemed it not advisable to
touch them. So l understand from the
action of the committee and from the re-
marks ofthe chairman.
That being the case, it was, aside from
these national works, provided for the
whole state of Michigan the sum of $27S,-
600 by the act of 1875. / call the atten-
ton of Senators to the amount, and then
ask whether it is reasonable to ,cut out
these harbOrs and leave the commerce TO
suffer when in the aggregate it is so small
compared with the coast of the state and
the amount OF its commerce. am TAX
ing up a little time OH this because want
what say TO apply generally to all the
points stricken out by the committee. l
do so now, anu will not allude to The sub
ject in its general aspect again. l desire
to disabuse the impression that Michigan
has so large an appropriation compared
with other states, with due regard to its
extensive coast and commerce. With Il
view TO economic. the delegation OF
Michigan proposed to cut down the APP
preparation of last year about 10 per cent.
The House conformed to that line OF
economy, and passed the bill appropriate
ing $225,000 for the whole Of Michigan,
except for the two national works named.
1t is proposed by the committee 10 cut
down still further 20 per cent. on the
House bill, reducing the sum to S1S0,O00.
l desire to GILL the attention OF the
Senate to another fact in this connection
with reference to the importance of the
shipping involved. l have sought the
latest official report that could find,
which is that of 1873. The commerce
since then has increased. L want TO give
to the Senate little view of the amour, Of
the commerce of these inland lakes. The
number of vessels, engaged OH all our
coastwise trade in 1873 was 76,S0l, and
the amount of tonnage was nearly 29,000,-
600. On the northern lakes the number
of vessels that cleared in Que season was
1905, and the tonnage $4,000, 900.
Compared with the whole amount of
shipping of the whole coastwise trade of
I'll e United States both OH the Atlantic
and Pacific, with all the inland lakes, that
on the northeastern lakes was Il per
C, n. of the number of vessels, and 81 per
cent. of the tonnage of the whole. /
want now to narrow the comparison
down to Lakes Michigan, Superior and
Huron, touched by tire coast of the state
of Michigan. | am not stating these
facts to waste the time of the Senate. l
have not occupied this floor much, and
desire here. i'm justice to the state of
Michigan and for the purpose of placing
ing facts. to show the amount of busi-
ness upon Lakes Huron, Michigan and
Super Tor, tributary to and protected by
these ports, which it is now proposed TO
neglect and injure by the proposition of
the committee of the Senate.
Take those three lakes; and the num-
Der of vessels clearing in that year was
AMI the tonnage nearly 10000, 900,
being 40 per cent, almost one-half of the
whole coastwise trade of the United
States, and the tonnage 81 per cent. l
will speak now of Lake Michigan sim
ply, and give you the commerce of the
three custom districts of Michigan.
Chicago and Milwaukee, the commerce
of which bears directly upon the coast
of Michigan. and what is that? The
number of vessels clearing from those
three districts was 29,164. and the amount
of tonnage 100000 and over, making
from those three districts of that single
lake per centage OH the whole coast
wise trade of the United States of 81 per
cent, and the tonnage 20 per cent, so
that you have commerce on Lake Mlchl-
gan equal to % per cent. of the tonnage
of the whole coastwise trade of the
United States and LOO miles OF Michi-
the whole of the country-and it is
propos ed to cut $225,000 down to $780,
600, Notwithstanding the number OF YES
sells cleared in season was 81 per cent.
and the-amount of tonnage % per cent.
of the whole nation. @
have stated three general facts sim
ply with view of disabusing a wrong
impression prejudicial to the state of
Michigan. / know every time the har-
Dor and river bill is up in Congress it is
charged that Michigan has the lions
share. This remark was implied by my
friend from Massachusetts, Mr.. Dawes,
and probably the impression was caught
i'm the House in which he has so long
been distinguished member yet when
thus invite his attention to the compar-
ison of the commerce, he ought with 9TH
ers, to dismiss that false and unjust i'm
preston.