Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-06-19
senator Blaine's Letter.
Continued from First Page. J

shall be thoroughly inspected by competent
commission under the direction of the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, the Secretary of the
Navy. and the Postmaster-Gcn-ral, and thus
ensure the very first class of construction for
safety and tor speed, both for passenger and
cargo. If the price have named seems
large for mal-pay, beg to suggest that our
Post-Oficc Department. without cavil or
question, is paying larger sum per mile for
weekly, fortnightly, and monthly mails with
in our own territory--mails that carry fewer
letters than these steamers would carry.
mails that carry with them none of the incl
dental advantages which form the chief value
of the steam lines under discussion.
know there is a large and influential class
in the country who are utterly opposed to the
policy thus imperfectly outlined. But sup
pose they should consent to make the expert
ment. If no one should take advantage of
such an offer by the Government. no harm
would be done to the Treasury. If, however,
the inducement should be sufficient to awaken
interest and develop enterprise all along our
coasts, the result might be that lines Of Amer
lean steamers would begin to sail, not only
from New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and
Baltimore, our large Atlantic ports, from New
Orleans on the Gulf and from San Francisco
on the Pacific, but from Portland, Oregon, as
dence, New Haven, Norfolk, Wilmington,
Charlestown, Savannah Mobile and Calves
ton. Three or even four millions per annum
might possibly be called for, and that would
imply twenty-five or thirty lines Of steamers
running from ports of the United States to
western Europe, to the Mediterranean. and
to Africa, to Asia, to Australia and to South
America. to the West Indies and to Mexico.
Such trade as these lines would develop
would give remunerative employment to idle
capital. and, what is far better would give
work at good wages to idle hands. 1t would
build up great ship-yards on the tidal rivers
of the Atlantic, and would soon demonstrate
to the most skeptical that we should find, as
England has found that such expenditure Of
money comes back to us in profit, both direct
and indirect, in the saving of cost in naval
outlay, in the education of the best class of
American seamcn, in the large and generous
employment Of American mechanics. in the
active and honorable and profitable employ
ment of American capital. The Athenan
maxim has taught us that we do not feed hay
to sheep in order to get back hay, but to get
back wool. In the present case the smallest
of heritage would return to US the Golden
Fleece.
Among the numberless advantages which
a general law would possess over special aid
to selected lines would bc the quieting of all
scruple or criticism growing out of the con-
stitutional inhibition that mo preference shall
he given to the ports ri one State over those
of another" Congress has never adiudged
that aiding particular line of mail-stean,crs
contravenes this provision. nor do believe it
does but still il would undoubtedly be the
wiser policy to offer even and exact Justice to
all, to the end that no such objection could
huv IN la1u Mt in tI,a mind, ,f tt,a Ia
of any section or any State.
In expressing this preference for general
law mean no reflection on the effort made
to extend help to the Brazilian line, so ener-
getically set ah0lt by Mr.. John Roach. SO
far from that think Mr.. Roach's enterprise
| is one that deserves to be aided and it was a
source Of regret to ne that Congress declined
to pass bill to encouraged. Our neghbors
in the Dominion of Canada have decided, af-
ter our refusal to extend aid, that they would
try to fill our place and have voted for line
from Halifax to Rio Janeiro a much larger
sum than Mr.. Roach asked from our Govern
merit Those opposed to Mr.. Roach during
the pendency in Congress of the bill to aid
the Brazilian line are in the habit of decrying
that enterprise and sneering at Its protector.
Mr.. Roach is a self-made man, a mechanic
trained to hard work, who by his skill, his
1 s"ish'' "hN ~" ShNiSy, hno uohC loi
his country. In the last seven years, cover
ing the period of depression and financial
distress, he has built forty-six iron steam
ships, has given employment 10 two thou
sand five hundred mechanics, and has ex-
pended in cash for American labor and Amer
lean material more than ST. ,OOO 900. Men
may sneer at him as a subsidy-hunter, but
the facts will show that he was risking mil.
lions in building up an American steam ma
rine, where the government was asked to ad-
vance hundreds, and that in doing so he was
blessing many household with the privilege
Of earning a fair days wages for a fair day 3
work. Those who have paid two and halt
millions Il years. 900 a day for seven
consecutive years--to the workingmenof the
United States may possibly afford sneer at
Mr.. Roach. To Others commend silence in
the presence of the great work done bv this
tireless, unselfsh. and honest man.
| II is not denied that a steamship built in
the United States costs somewhat more than
one built in England But the difference is
not great. 1t does not exceed eight, or at
most, ten per cent, and this excess of cost
arises wholly from the better wages paid Ia
the American mechanic and laborer And
this difference is really not great obstacle.
Giving twenty years rs the life Of q steamer
it is less than one-half per cent. per annun,
on her cost, and that Is a very small draw
back compared to the numberless advantages
of home construction. Nor can it fail TO be
noted that the argument for free ships applies
with equal force to the free admission Of
all dutiable articles which are not exclu.
sively on the revenue basis. WHY not
have free cottons and free woolens, and
free silks, and free iron, and free steel,
and free cutlery, and free fabrics of all
kinds, now manufactured by ten thousands o,
busy hands at home, but many of which NAV
possibly be bought ut a lower price in foreign
countries? There are far greater aud weight
Ter reasons for building up the navigation In.
terest than for building up silk factories o,
many other establishments protected by our
tariff laws. With Frustrated carrying trade
with decreasing and discouraged mercantile
marine, we are daily losing the elements
that constitute naval power and are therefore
being deprived Of the left arm Of national de
Tense. Profit and comfort and independence
come from the manufacturing establishments
which are the outgrowth Of protective duties
but to these are superadded, In the case Of
the shipping interest, the national pride which
always follows the flag on distant seas: the
national defense in time Of peril which comes
1