The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-09-25
HEwIrT's CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT
TEE OF INQUIRY.

| merce, before the congressional committee
of inquiry some days since, and which is
/ published in full in the New York Board of
Trade Gazette, is such a mastery presenta-
/ ton of the important commercial, agncul-
/ tural apd industrial interests of the whole
country, and particularly of the south and
west, that il nothing else wor-
thy of consideration had been brought
| to the attention of the committee
General Busseys address would vindicate the
wisdom of congress in its appointment.
Passing over General Bussey's views concern
ing the causes that have led to the general
depression of business, we note more partlc-
ularly his remarks with regard to the RENE
dies to be applied. He says:
! The remedy for the depression complained
of is to be found in jud ,cious expenditure by
the government in sums sufficient to improve
/ the transportation facilities of the country.
We have an internal commerce amounting to
! $500 100000. carried on railroads, and about
slO,O 900 900 on lakes rivers, canals and coast
wise. There is no way ofaccurately estimating
the value of the Mississippi river and its trib-
utaries. When we consider the bu k of the
articles transported by water, we find it ex-
ceeds that carried by rail. The lumber, logs,
! coal. stone and other heavy articles are trans
| ported On our western rivers in vast quanti-
ties.
Coal has been transported from Pittsburg 30
| New Orleans at a cost for freight of One-half
| cent per ton per mile. About eight times less
! than the lowest rats charged by railroads for
/ transporting grain from Chicago to New York.
In view of the great demand for these heavy
products, il it were not for the rivers there is
no knowing what the railroads would charge
for freight. Hence, the water transportation
question in this country is of great import
ance, and legislation should be in its interest.
This will best help the laboring man, because
it will open the markets of the world and thus
increase the demand for labor. Additional
railroads, wherever they are needed to create
navigation that win reduce the cost of freight,
] is demanded to enable this country to control
the trade of the world.
The commercial policy OF England has
been the reverse of that of the United States,
aud a result. in South American markets.
where the United States should be in ad-
vance, England has almost supreme control.
/ Upon this subject General Bussey says:
want to call your attention to the trade of
South America, Mexico and the neighboring
islands. Here is population of 100000
whose trade should belong to us, but which is
enjoyed almost exclusively by Great Britain,
through the cid of her numerous havily sub
sldizsd steamship lines.
! England has pursued the policy of granting
subsidies for nearly 40 years. When the
! Cunard line was established 81 years ago
England paid it for mail service 100000 per
annum. This was continued for % years, to
! 1866 when the amount was reduced, but for
the past ten years England has paid annually
to her various Subsidized lines about 5000 900,
and is now maintaing three lines to South
America, which enables her to control the
rich trade of that country. The trade of Brazil
! in 1876 was, imports s94,0OO,OO0, of which we
furnished about S7,400O0O, while her exports
were $4,000 900, of which we purchased siS,-
100000. OF 3OO1,OO0 bags of coffee exported that
year. the United States took 100000 bags,
which was transported to our shores In ships
belonging to foreign nations, and for which
we paidin gold. In five years we have paid
to Brazil S225,0O0, coo in gold-more than she has
purchased of us. IL has been said that much
that England sells to that country comes from
the United States, and that if we sell direct to
Brazil, we will sell TO England that much less
Very well; that is precisely what demand.
barrel of our on the dock in Liverpool is
no nearer Brazil than when it is on the dock
in New York and every cent paid in freight,
insurance, drayage and exchange from New
York to Liverpool is taken from the pocket of
the producer.
The commerce of the United States was very
largely carried in American ships until the be-
ginning of the war, when the steam tonnage
belonging to this country was largely required
by the government TO aid in preserving the
life of the nation. In 1924, 9I.I5 per cent. was
under the American flag; in 1886, "a per cent.
and in 1885, IS per cent, while in 1871 but 26&
per cent. of a commerce amounting to nearly
81, 2OO,OOOOO0 is carried in American vessels
We can recover the carrying trade of our COM
mesc e and secure the trade of the countries
south of us If we act wisely. The trade of the
Argentine Republic Peru ana all the South
American states is equally valuable. and is en-
loved by Great Britain to the same extent as
Brazil.
! The Argentine Republic used last year sI4,
OWOOO worth of cotton goods, of which the
} United states supplied $4,000; all the rest by
England. Go great is the desire of the people
, of at country to have direct steam commu
nication with the United States that five com
merciai firms, doing business there, propose tC
give $500 each annually to aid in establishing
a line between the United States and the rivel
Plate.
S General Bussey points to England's policy
} in the establishment of steamship lines will
D almost every country upon the globe, having
, steamship connection with more than tive
hundred foreign ports. To accomplish this
the English government hasexpended many
| millions of dollars, ana results demonstrate
{ the wisdom OF the investments. with some
E of the South American countries and Mex
4 'ico," General Bussey remarks that I'VE have
2 'steamshiplines established and sustained b.
0 subsidies granted by the respective coun
: tries, but not one dollar from our own coun
e try, except the ordinary letter postage. Th'
$ result of the experiment with these line
2 shows that wherever we have steamship
: lines the trade of this country Is in proper
e 'tion to the steamship tonnage we furnish
!. This fact can be illustrated by comparison
Il "a In