The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-08

come out aud vote for princiole aud not
party, and to Democrats to study their own
interests and vote for tariff, and on the
second Of November the shout would go
up. "Thank God, the country is sayed.v !
{ii ALwYs.
THE COMMERCIAL CONVENTION.
Opinion and Figures Concerning our
shipping Interests and the Laws In
Reference 10 them.
BosroN, October 7.-At the convention
OF ship owners and merchants to-day,
W. e. Lincoln, from the committee to
which was referred the resolution and bill
relating TO the shipment and discharge Of
seamen, reported, recommending the pas.
sage Of the bill with the amendment pro.
viding that first and second otticersas well
as Captain Of American ships be Ameri-
cans, making a technical change in the
clause relative to the discharge Of seamen
in foreign ports, and the amendment IA
ring the employment OF apprentices on
ships of the United States. John roach,
OF Chester, Pa, gave his views on the
present condition Of the carrying trade OF
the country and the best way to revive it's
former prosperity. After paying his re-
spects to Congress by saying 1t was made
up OF too many lawyers and not enough
merchants and business men, he came to
the question OF subsidies aud said that he
hoped the Government would never give
one cent to any individual or private par.
ties, but that the subsidies be broader,
and extending from Main to Texas and al
lowing all American ship owners to share
alike.
He did not want any subsidies himself
bnt the difficulty was how to drive Great
Britain out OF the carrying trade. During
last ten years $40. 900 tons OF shipping has
disappeared from the United States. Taxa
ton aud other burdens have put thunder
foreign flags. Entering into discussion
OF ship building In comparison with that
OF locomotive building, he said everything
that enters into the construction Of loco
motives also enters into the construction
of ships. We build locomotives and send
them to all parts OF the world. {,-G,
At the conclusion OF his speech the
Committee Of Nine reported, and upon
their recommendation the following reso.
lutions were adoptedi That permission
should be granted TO take goods Of foreign
production or manufacture out OF bond
free OF duty when such goods are to be
taken as shares on board OF any ship bound
from any port in the United States TO any
foreign port or to any United States port
on the Pacific Ocean. That as property
invested In shipping derives its protection
from the Government OF the United States,
and as said property Is subject to taxation
by the Government, It should be exempt
from all local and municipal taxation by q
special act Of Congress, leaving the net In.
come only subject to such tax 'tion. That
the Government assist in the establish.
ment and the maintenance of American
lines OF steamships built and owned in the
United States from our ports to important
foreign ports, by the payment Of proper
sums OF money for the transportation Of
mails TO such lines as will render most
effective service, and without which sub.
stantial aid such lines important to the
progress and prosperity Of the Nation,
cannot exist in competition with subsi-
died steam fleets of other countries.
The discussion oil the day was on the ad-
visibility OF free snips, and VIM. Fl. Lin.
wen opened with long speech, in which
he took strong grounds In favor Of putting
our shipping on an equal footing, both as
regards The. original cost, expense Of equip.
ment and support at sea, with that Of for.
eign nations. In 1850 there was carried
in American vessels nearly three fold the
amount taken BY foreign vessels, and in
1879 the position was reversed. Ships and
barIs built in the United States: in 1873,
3sl; in 1855, 306; in 1873, 81 ; In 1879, 81.
During the war We sold to foreign nations
nearly SOC, 900 toms shipping; during three
Years 1854, 1855 and 1855, We sold but ie7,.
900 tons to foreigners. While We built IN
1879, z, 800 tons OF registered vessels there,
were sold to foreigners $1,000 tons;
abandoned, $1,000 tons, aud lost $1,000
tons, making total ef $4,000 tons. 1t Is
a most remarkable fact, despite the bossta
made that iron ships can be built at the
sameprice In thiscountry as on the Clyde,
that there Ia not single iron sailing ship
under our own flag. While other nations
are privileged TO buy In the cheapest mar.
ket we are excluded, and for the purpose,
we are told, ofprotecting American indus.
try. i5
The grain fleet dispatched from New
York last year numbered 2,9S7 vessels,
carrying l02, ,3l2, ,58S bushels. OF the YES.
sells I075 were steamers, carrying ~, 1885,
5S5 bushels, the remaining 1922 being
sailing vessels, carrying Sc. .S92 0SS bushels.
all OF this tonnage includes not one
American steamer, and only seven OF the
sailing vessels were American. Il Is esti.
mated that over sl0O, 900, 900 per annum
are paid 10 foreign vessels for tho trans.
portation Of our produce.
Mr.. Lincoln concluded 10 give US ships
cheap as other nations furnish them and
the same advantages IN respect to main.
tanning them, aud that Is all we ask.
Some timid persons fear Il any breach In
the wall otprotection Is effected It will In
vite an assault on the whole tariff Bys.
tenn. But our shipping occupies differ
ent position from all other interests OF the
country. 0nr vessels must be brought
into competition with those OF every other
nation and the desired changes relate only
70 our foreign trade. The parties fore
most in urging the removal ot restrictions
upon navigation would as earnestly op
pose any measures that would cause the
great industries OF the Nation 10 suffer.
Captain Osborne claimed that British
; gold was largely used In this country To-
the parpose ot influencing and creating
public opinion.
II. 81. Adams, Of Cleveland, defendet
the protective tariff Of the country, aite
! which the convention agreed 70 vote ol
the resolution Tomorrow,