Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-11-14
THE NAVIGATION LAWS.

ASoN IVA
plants that have been made of want of
prosperity and money during the po-
litical canvass just ended, 1T is evident
to all that will examine, that the coun-
try is producing and manufacturing
more abundantly and cheapIy than
ever before in its history. There is
demand too for what is made. Some
countries need our grain, others our
cotton and tobacco, and still others
our fabricks. Foreign wars, crop
failures, and inability of others to
produce as desirable commodities
have opened up to us foreign markets.
Our export trade although reports of
it have been unquestionably exager-
ated for political effect was never
larger.
The question is how to make the
most of them.
There will be no difficulty in find
ing sale for our products if they can
be cheaply transported to market.
We are very distant from our GUS
toners and to reach them a wide con-
tinent and vast ocean must be ira
versed. There are railroads of our
own as far as the sea, but on the
ocean we are dependent mainly upon
foreign vessels. A great deal has been
accomplished in reducing railroad
transportation, out so long as our
produce is carried abroad in foreign
bottoms, the freight charged for such
service is necessarily beyond our con-
troll.
The inquiry naturally arises, why
is this country dependent o. other ma
tions for ocean transportation. This
is due partly to modern progress and
mainly to governmental interference
and Encouragement. Before rail-
roads were introduced, both our IN
land and foreign commerce was con-
Quoted in sailing vessels constructed
of timber felled along the bays and
sstuaries of our coasts. Then the
South resoiesd In its many fine rivers
nayigated by boats and barges, with.
out which it had been impossible te
sepo its cotton crop TO- market. Al
TRANSPORT was naoesaaxity by sea go
ing weasel along our shores and IA
our r.vess from Maine TO Texas. Thil
vast coasting trade created and ela
pioyed the largest and most exper
marine the world has ever seen. Rail
roads first lessened its importance
This resulted directly from withdraw
ing freight from the sea going routes
and indirectly from creating such
desire for swift transport as forced
sailing vessels to give place to those
propelled by steam. But the OBJ
structions placed by laws estensibly
for the protection and encouragement
Of American ship builders passed b,
the Republicans have done more in
jury to commerce than all othe
causes combined. These laws. hav
swept our carrying trade from tn
ear Formerly our fagg foate'
on every sea, and our commerce fire
quented every accessible port, bu
now we have not vessls to carry GU
grain and cotton abroad. By theS
laws those that build American ship
have a right to compel exporters this
desire to own vessels to use the
manufacture. No American can bu
q ship from q foreigner to be used b
him, either on u rivers, the lakes {
the ocean,. These laws deny to hi
the right to hoist the national flag Q
such vessels for his protection, an
rs iron, of which vessels are no
mostly constructed costs less in otht
countries than in this, our ship built
ers cannot compete with foreigners
constructing such vessels. Unit
these laws are repealed and the ca
rying trade is again controlled /
Americans, farmers, planters ar
producers of all sorts cannot calc'
late with certainty upan cheap tran
p~ortation to foreign markets. I
It is U boast that the comrnunis
~ where,