The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-07

houpht IN England Tor one quarter .oi the
INT" M Bussey denied that such a ship as the
nc rafarrad tn hv the gentleman could be
bought for the sum stated. He said That That
shin was one having all the modern Improve
rprts compound engines, etc, and that Inc
American ship-builders were offering w bni,d
ships for 10 per cent cheaper than they epuld
be built I'm England.
MIR Kerry said that he had n communica-
ton TO the effect that he could purchase such
n shin for one-uuarter Of the money, but his
object in opposing the resolution was simply
not TO be bound lie wanted the privilege Of
buying ships wherever he pleased. lie con
cludel hY saying that Of $4,000 passengers
and l5n 900 tons " freight that left AsplnWail,
New Orleans. the city legitimately entitled,
got nothing claim that we cant compete
we cant establish y trade of that KIND unless
we have an opportunity Of purchasing our
vessels wherever we can buy them cheapest
IApplausn
Gen. Bussev. Of la think tho matter Is
sufficiently elaborated by the report " the
committee The gentleman has said nothing
requiring an answer.
den Martin ~ Miss | am not going to
make n speech don't think it is neoess iry.
I merely want 10 say that the discussion
might have been dispensed with, and the feso-
Iutions adopted as reported by the com mittee
The report only requires that the vessels to
he used on this proposed line and subsidized
nv the United States shall be vessels built In
the United States. The navigation laws now
existing require. when registry is given To
ships sailing from our ports, that they shall
be built In America. II you strike out the
word "built" what have you done, without
first seeking to change the navigation laws,
which require that ships shall be built here2
Nothing. VI, however. az ought to be done
the navigation laws are changed so that the
whole United States shall not be compelled, as
they are now, 70 pay tribute to the few ship
builders Of this country, and should Congress.
wisely enough change these navigation laws
A. 4.
buy them cheapest, why then this resolu-
ton will not do any injury. And In
that event should Europe engage IN q gen
eral war, which IL not Mt all improbable. and
their commerce on the sea thereby stopped,
the people IF this country will be In posi-
ton 10 buy these ships Of the European coun-
tries ana engage In their stead In the carrying
trade, by having those ships registered as
American. Should these laws be persisted in.
and these foreign ships driven home that
had our carrying trade, where will be tho
market that can be reached for the corn Of
tho West, the cotton Of tho South and the
tobacco Of the Middle States Where will
he our ability to carry on the carrying trade
We must have laws that will obviatn that
difficulty or ruin will engulf the people Of
this country.
Mr. Green. Of Kentucky-In the preamble
Of the resolution Of the report of the com
fnittae on foreign commerce reference Ia only
had to the desire Of this convention 10 estab-
fish ship lines upon certain postal routes
There is no division Of opinion In the con
vention that these routes ought TO DO eStab-
lishad. There Ia provision in the postal
laws which requires that al vessels engaged
I'm the postal service Of the United States
shall be American built and hence the
idea Of the committee I'm inserting the
word built I'm that resolution. There Is
no question as 10 the power of the people
In buying or not buying foreign built vessels.
Let not the convention. especially the mem
beers Of the South and Southwest, trouble
themselves too, much as to the doctrines Of
protection, Let us not commit ourselves In
any shape or form to that nefarious policy.
II seems to Inc that the motive of the com
mttee in inserting the provision that the yes
sells should be built In America would not
change the law We have no Legislative
power We can only recommend and suggest
TO those who have Legislative functions what
ought to be done We are unanimous in the
opinion that these steamship lines should be
established but we are not unanimous on the
point that they should be American built, and
therefore weaken the resolutions.
Mr. Davis, OF Mississippi cannot see why
the word built should be inserted. Ii the
laws, az they exist now In regard TO navga-
Of the United States IT may not be wise to
express our opinion, but Mt least let us not in
dorse the laws. That word Quilt sounds Ms II
II were put there for the people Of this country
not change the facts, and II we are wrong lot
us preserve the word built" and II we are
right. let us proclaim to the world the motto
of Free trade and sailors rights" APP
nlauspl Let uS buy ships wherever they can
DO bought cheapest and best, and give an
American registry wherever it Is the property
of an American citizen.
Mr. Bussey. of Louisiana didn't intend
to make any remarks on the subject, but the
distinguished gentleman from Mississippi has
made some remarks which desire to answer.
] want to read n line or two from tho report
of the Secretary Of the Navy, just sent to
Congress, where he discusses deliberately
the amount Of money spent for foreign ships
showing that we paid last year 800
600 000 TO foreign vessels, which shows that
the whole commerce of this country Is upon
It, Any man who has got ship In England
and the only reason there is vessel for sale
IL because II II some old Anticipated ship that
would absolutely ruin any man TO use. | saw
one I'm New York offered for $40, 900 that had
cost S3500O0 10 build. and any man would he
swindlcd TO take that vessel with q 800, 900
gift and run 1t in competition with tho modern
built vessels.
The Secretary or tho Navy, IN bis report
says: Every dollar paid for freghts on for
eign-bult ships adds to the wealth
of other countries That ts tho doctrine OF
every statesman In tho country, with few OK
ceptions. and the Hon. Mr. Davis IL one Of
them That has been demonstrated from tho
day of Jackson to the present time. 1t Is the
principle Great Britain adopted until she
DESTROYED all the ship yards In the world ex-
cept In the United States, and there Is In this
country sufficient means and skilled labor 10
supply our own demands and the demands of
other nations. There IL only one Other Coun-
try that can build ships. and that Is Great
Britain Eve were talking Of the monopoly
of the Pacific Railroad here, and we passed
resolutions that competition was necessary
by building another railroad. II competition
Is necessary In railroads it is necessary In
ship building No man will invest a milan
dollars In ship-yard and pay taxes upon It
without receiving the patronage Of the peo-
pie of the country and If there vera
no laws protecting ship builders no
ship yards would be built: there would
be no competition. and thereby as
England IL tho only ship building country
outside of the United States. she would build
all our ships, or at least If she pleased. She
would advance her prices and have absolute
monopoly OF the ship building industry of the
world. And how would the American people
get those ships. "a Mr. Martin said they could
get them in ease of European war Why,
they would be driven bac1 home, and England
being the mistress of the sea and owning all the
b.,t -hi tat