Daily Republican., 1878-12-19
rhe REPUBLICAN has the largest
circulation Of any paper In Dela'
vnre, Advertisers take vote oH
tAIs. HwE.
American shipbuiIding.

Ol TeTndHuo WoOu, w b'' " 'S' '"'"' vs.
the tariff in the interest of free trade,
have turned their attention to the free
ship" question, as if purposely, under
some guise or another, to injure the in
dustries of the nation, and we have no
doubt that if the truth were known
there wonld be found powerful lobby
at Washington, paid with British gold,
to operate upon Congress. This may
in some measure account for the fierce
onset made upon American shipbuild-
ing a few days ago. This lobby states
that there is at present not less than
800, 900, 900 worth Of foreign built
shipping now lying idle, or partly idle.
which our shipping merchants could
buy at less than. the cost of building,
Taking it for granted therefore, that
this vast amount of shipping is lying
around loose somewh here, the reason for
the agitation in Congress of the ship
question by the free traders becomes
apparent. and shows that an effort is to
be made to repeal our restrictive legs-
lation. so that tn, So ships can he sold
to American buyers, and thereby Grip
pie American shipbpiIding. Th' re seems
to be no doubt that British gold has
had much to do with the shipbuilding
interests of onr nation for many years
past.
This anti American lobby say that
iron steamers can be built for twenty to
twenty Eve per cent. cheaper on the
Clyde than on the Delaware, and that
it is the most unmercautile sort Of folly
to attempt to erect shipping trade in
competition with foreigners, upon any
such conditions. 1t is strange that
these lobbyists, in the face of facts to the
contrary, insist that ships can be built
cheaper on the Clyde than on the Del
aware. Messrs. Harlan & Hollings-
worth of this city, who have built more
iron ships than any other firm in the
country Pusey, Jones & Co., also OF
this city; Roach, of Chester, and Cramp
of Philadelphia. tell us that ships can
he built as cheap on the Delaware as
any other place on the globe, and sure
ly the worl of such reputable gentle
men il worth more consideration than
paid claqueing lobby at Washington,
from which the free traders in Congress
get the inspiration which spurs them
on to attack the shiphuilding industries
of the nation. But even admitting that
what these free traders say is true,
even then it We're cheaper to pay the
specified difference, in order that our
own industries may be built up, and
this 800, 600, 900 which is being sought
to be diverted into British channels Of
trade, be kept at home that the thous-
ands of families who live by that in
dustry may not he thrown out of EN-
ployment, nor be brought in competi-
ton with the pauper labor of Europe
Look at the question as we will, remov-
ing the restrictions which now protect
American shipbuilding, can have but
one result, and that would be the shut
ting up of the shipyard departments
of such manufactures as Harlan, Hol-
lngsworth & Co., Pusey, Jones & Co.,
of this city; John Roach & Sons, Of
Chester, and the Messrs, Cramp, of
Philadelphia.
This is a question which involves the
establishing of great industry on
American soil, in the hands of Ameri-
can masters, and by American labor,
and it will be noticed by observant
readers of the proceedings of Congress,
that the men who are hostile to Ameri
can shipbuilding are the same blatant
"free traders " who have been opposed
to every other branch of American in
dustry. It has not been long sine"
manufactures of all descriptions could
BE- bought abroad at less cost than
they could be produced here, but after
the experiment Of protection through
which we have passed, anl in spite OF
the opposition Of free traders, American
manufactures have been established and
brought to such perfection that We can
now manufacture at less cost, than can
b. done in the great manufacturing
marts of Liverpool and Manchester.
The same will be the result Of protec-
lection to American shipping, and the
necessity of this is too apparent to
need demonstration and if those who
are in favCr Of driving American built
ships out OF the waters will but close
ly scan this question, they will find
that the same old free trade spirit is al
the bottom of this movement to cripple
American industries
lT Is HOPED that Council will take
hold Of the dog question in earnest al
its meeting til, evening. Rabid dogs
and hydrophobia cases are increasing