The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-13

officials remember great number OF In
stances which have come within their obser-
walton, and estimate that the actual loss on
greenbacks by fire and carelessness amounts
to O0,OO0-l Philadelphia Ledger.
New York Herald: We have watched with
some care both the debates In Congress and
leading articles In the press, to find the
grounds OF opposition to free trade In sbipg.
The reasoning in favor Of permitting Ameri-
can citizens to buy ships In the cheapest
markets and sail them under the protection
OF the American flag Ia 80 cogent and con-
what could be said in reply. The defenders
Of our Anticipated navigation laws have been
prudently shy OF coming Into close quarters
with the incontestible facts which we have
been urging upon their attention. We have
again and again thrust upon their notice the
great point In history that the British
navigation laws (of which our own are SER
vile copy were repealed IN 1S49, and the great
statistical fact that British tonnage was
nearly doubled within the ensuing twenty
years We have repeatedly challenged
them TO explain this history and these
statistics and the discreet silence which
| they have maintained Is virtual
admission that the argument founded on
| these CONSPICUOUS facts cannot be parted.
We have also tainted them with the we'll
known fact that France and Germany permit
| their citizens and subjects to purchase ships
| in the cheapest markets; that they have
| availed themselves of this liberty; that the
| consequence has been that France and Ger
many have established great lines Of ocean
| steamers which maintain successful rival
ship with the British lines, while the United
States, which adhere to the obsolete naviga-
1 ton laws which the other maritime nations
| have discarded, are put out of the field OF
ompetition. These great, pertinent and In
disputable facts are ignored by the apologists
Of our restrictive navigations laws, who do
| not even attempt an answer to the irresisti-
ble argument Of which these great facts
are the basis. We wish Senator Blaine,
who has made himself the foremost
champion OF 1.-THE restrictive policy,
would undertake to chow that France
and Germany made o mistake In adopting
the liberal policy which has enabled their
shipowners to compete successfully with
! Great Britain for the lucrative carrying trade
Of the world. Freedom to purchase foreign
ships having worked so well In those coun-
tries, what rational argument can there be
against according the same freedom to cltl-
zens Of the United Statesp We do not wonder
that MIR. Blaine and bis followers evade this
question and despair of answering the argu-
ment founded on the example of countries
which permit free trade In ships, How can Q
policy be bad for the United States which has
been 30 salutary for Germany and France
, What stronger condemnation can there be o
our navigation awe than the fact that while
they have been In operation the greater par
of our trade goes and comes in foreign bot
toms2 The refusal of American registers T.
foreign built ships Is utterly and obviously
: impotent, since, In spite of it, American Ship
/, are excluded from the business.