Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-30

with respect % that branch Which = 0mp00yU0
IN FOREIGN commerce and 20 thas beaneA whicA
10 employed N - internal commerce Of tie
country, has Chains TO public conssdsrat,oo
which canuot poDibly - presented b means
Of stsf1stics Of tonnage built and employed
thorough ilveee1gofsou which tn importance
demafsds. Il = matter Of interest 10 advert
70 the,fact that on the &oth Of January, lseo.
the Ufench GovcuG1nn1 adopted the some
whist extsaosdinafy scheme OF subveutions
for the promotion Of the French merchant
marine. Boua1tss were provided for ships
built I'm France, and subsidies granted In
favor OF all vessels built, % the rate OF ~
francs on every ton for each l.ooo miles srsv~
eled I'm voyages TO and from that country.
These meas, res are evidently I'm . high degree
protective and enabling, both - TO De ship-
ping and commercial interests OF France.
Aside from tho uppropriatto0s -for tnpsov1n6
or providing highways OF commerce. puohio
sentiment in the United States has always TO
earded with disfavor direct grants from ths
Treasury in aid OF particular industrial or
commercial interests, except for the purp0se
of taking the initiative In industries promisinR
large public benents I'm development, or for
the purpose Of promoeinG enterprises directly
conducive 20 the Nations safety or conserve
tive of the National honor. To what extent
the merchant marine Of the United States pro-
sents claims OF this character 10 question 70
be determined By the legislative branch OF
the Government. The situation Of the Amor
lean merchant marine Is peculiar. 90 far ~ 10
relates to the possibility Of adopting discrim-
mating and protective measures which
in their practical operation shall prove 90 DO
beneficial. In SO far ~ relates 70 industries
other than the building OF ships and their cn.-
ployment I'm our commerce with foreign coun-
tries, foreign competition may Do regulated
-. Ina
OF duties upon imports. This discretionary
power is ample, and may always be exercised
effectively. But the case IL entirely different
with the respective branch OF our merchant
marine which is engaged In foreign commerce.
The Government of the United States has not
exclusive power of determining the proper
ton OF American shipping which shall be en-
ployed In our trade with any particular for
eign country. 1t is highly important. howev-
err. that the Government OF the United states
should accord as great advantages to Ameri-
can ships, when engaged In commerce with
foreign nations, as are accorded by the Gov
ornments of those nations TO their own ships
when engaged I'm commerce with the United
States. .rfl -'t4.I .-. faH.
"The question Of restoring the American
merchant marine IL Undoubtedly q difiicult
one. Nevertheless, the apparent difscuitics In
the case should be an incentive 20 . thorough
investigation of the whole subject, In all its
bearings, and to the adoption OF all practicable
measures which may tend toward securing tho
desired result. The abundance and superiorf-
ty Of the natural agencies and the force I'm this
country essential TO success in bodybuilding
and navigation afford a ground for the belief
that prosperity will at some future time dawn
upon the maritime interest or tho United
States. Reference is here had especially to
our vast resources OF coal and iron, and tho
extent to which inventive genius has, in tho
manufacture Of iron and In tho construction
of ships, substituted mechanical power for
human labor. The approximation OF the rate
of interest on money I'm the United States to
the rates which prevail In tho countries of Eu-.
rope and the rapid accumulation OF surplus
capital In this country are also circumstances
which tend strongly toward turning capital to
investment I'm shin property"