New-York tribune., 1879-01-28
vP BLAINE ON COMMERCE.

Mr.. BLAINE On COUnEhtE'
Mr.. Blaine, in his recent speech upon the
appropriations for the Navy. made some Feu!
strong points which have received less pupi'c
attention than they deserve. Every one
knows that the condition OF the Navy is h"'
credtable to the country, and that very niuen
better results should be realized III We" VI
the amount of money expended. NOT many
however. understand how largely the great
exnenditure for the Navy has been due 10 III
absurd dispropOrtion of officers TO sea-
men. and Mr.. Blaine has rendered puo-
lie service in calling attention to the
facts. Inasmuch as we have very mlich
greater number of officers in proportion 10
| scamen than any other country when MAKES
any pretencc of power at sea, there Is obvious
| sense in the suggestion that hereafter gladu-
atcs of the Naval Academy should not be
commissioned as officers of the Navy unless
thcv are especially qualified bY superior schol-
| arship or otherwise But the main interest
and value of his remarks were due to his sug-
eestions as to the proper employment OF
the large sum which might be saved III
expenditures Tor the Navy. He holds that
this sum ought to he expended III Dnild-
ing up the commerce OF the country
As matters stand, we spend millions ea""
year III paying officers Tor Whom theI'
is no adequate employment, because thfee-
fourths Of the commerce OF the country Is
carried in foreign ships. While American
smpplnc decays, so that there is less need
each year for American vessels OF wal to pro-
tect ii, we spend many millions every year 10
foreign shIpowners for the transportation OF
our products to foreign purchasers. "A com
paratively small sum, If iudiClouSly invested
in encouraging American liEcs of tranSporta-
ton, and i'll promoting the employment OF
American rather than foreign vessels in
transportation of products, would save the
country a sum many times as great
Now that specie payments have been reached
the aim of every patriotic statesman should
be to devise the means of surely maintaining
resumption. Secretary Sherman, 10y very
well directed effort, has guarded the country
40, inst large sales of bonds now held abroad,
and has greatly reduced the interest annually
due to foreigners. But we are probably pay
ing each year. for the transportation OF goods,
a larger sum to foreign shipowners than has"t
any time been payable to foreign bOndholders.
Moreover, it is possible to reduce greatly this
annual tax upon our resources, not by the
pavment of the principal OF debts which in
NOlNcS Jnc WlIuuIdNd VI tHOIHltuS 'dfi'"'
now employed and needed in sustain
ing home industries, but by a more sensible
expenditure of comparatively small sums now
wasted in preparations to protect commerce
not now in existence. If, for illustration, we
pay about S11 ,OO0,00 yearly as interest on
the public debt now held abroad, while fully
$50, 900 goes each ycar-and perhaps
much larger sum-tO foreign silpOWnerS tor the
Transportation Of the goods we buy or sell abroad.
surely the latter expenditure is deserving
of serious and immediate attention. FOr great
part OF the $50, 900 600 yearly can be saved.
not at cost of 81 900. 900, 600 or more as
would be necessary if the yearly tax were
for foreign debt, but by expendng few
millions each year in building up American
lines of ocean transportation. Since the sum
so to be expended can be saved, as Mr.. Blaine
has shown, without diminishing in any respect
the real effectiveness of the Navy, what
reason can be given for treating the subject
with indifference?
Great Britain has wreSteds from us
the carrying trade of the world, not
by building pOnderOus ships of war,
and still less by wasting money III a
useless increase of naval officers without sea-
men, but by q consistent and liberal policy
toward its shipping. Large sums have been
expended each year, it is true, in promoting
and upholding lines of transportation. But
every dollar thus spent has brought back
MANY dollars in return. British commerce
J with this country affords a fOrciblc iustra-
ton Once 92.5 per cent. and as late as
1S49 about three -fOurthS of the commerce OF
this country with others, was carried i'll
American ships. while vessels bearing our flag
were found in every port, and com
peted sharply for the carrying trade
of the world. Now 73.1 per cent
of our commerce goes in foreign and
mainly in British vessels, and our
vessels no longer compete in foreign ports.
Ever since 1926. when our commerce was
least dependent upon foreign carriers, Great
Britain has been wrestling from us that most
valuable traffic by patient liberality, and Yet
the sums expended in the promotion of lines
oe TRANSFORMATION have been insignificant in
comparison with the vast amount now paid
by this country to British shipowncrs. 1t is
high time for those to whom is intrusted the
Government of this country to see that this
wastefu blunder is stopped. In short, the
country pays an annual tax amounting to
500, OOO0 900 or more, which ought TO he
abolished without delay.
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| THE CUSTOM house DISPUTE.
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