Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-08
FREE SHIPS.

can Ocean Commerce Divided In Opin.
ions-John Roach Opposed to subsidies-
Mr.. W. Fl. Lincoln Tells of the Passing
| Away Of Our American Marine-The Pro-
tectionists On Hand to Defend Their Pet
Form of Robbery.
! BOSTON, Oct. 7.-At the convention of ship
owners and merchants to-day, w. 81. Lincoln,
from the committee to which was referred q
resolution and bill relating to the shipment
| and discharge of seamen, reported, recommend
| Ing the passing of the bill with amendments
providing that the first and second officers as
! well as the captains Of American ships be
Americans, make technical change in the
clause relative to the discharge Of seamen in
foreign parts, and an amendment fayoring the
employment of apprentices on ships of the
United States.
John Roach, of Chester. Pa, gave his views
upon the present condition Of the carrying
trade OF the country and the best way to re-
Vive its former prosperity. Af.er paying his
respects to Congress by saying it was made up
OF too many lawyers and not
enough merchants and business men,
ne came to the question of subsidies,
~.-N S|SA~ Ao AopSo tuC SOScEuInenI WOulQ never
give one cent to any individual or private par
ties, but that subsidies be broader, extending
from Maine to Texas, allowing all American
ship owners to share alike He did net want
any subsidy himself, but the difficulty was
how to drive Great Britain out of the carving
tIade: Dnring the last ten years GAO, 900 tons
or shipping has disappeared from the United
states. Taxation and other burdens have put
1t under foreign flags. Entering into q dis
cussion OF ship buiiding 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 tn
| all parts of the world.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Roach's speech the
committee Of nine reported and upon their
recommendations the following resolutions
were adopted:
That permission should be granted to take
goods of foreign production or manufacture
out OF the land free of duty, when such goods
are 10 Dc TAKEN as stores ON board Of any ship
bound from a port in the United States to
foreign port or to any United Ststes port on
the Pacific ocean.
That as property invested in shipping de-
serves Its protection from the government of
the United States, and as said property is sub.
ject to taxation by government, it should be
exempt from all local and municipal taxation
by special act of Congress, leaving the net in
come only subject to such taxation.
Ihat the government assist in the establish
ment and maintenance Of American lines of
steamships. built and owned in the United
States, from our own ports to important for
eign ports, by payment of proper
sums OF money for transportation of mails tn
such lines as will render the most
etfeetual service, and without such substantial
aid such lines, 80 important to the progress and
prosperity of the nation, cannot exist in COM
petition with the subsidized steam fleets of
other countries.
The discussion of the day was upon the ad-
vlsaoiiity OF free ships, and W. II. Lincoln
opened with long speech In which he took
strong grounds in favor of putting our ship
ping upon equal footing, both az regards orig.
lnal cost, expense of equipment aud support
at sea, with that of foreign nations. In 1850
there was carried in American vessels nearly
tnree-1oid the amount taken by foreign vessels,
and In 1879 the position was reversed. Ships
and barks built in the United States in 1855.
3S1; in 1856, 3O6; in 1878. 81; in 1879, 81. Dur.
| ing the war we sold to foreign nations nearly
sou, 600 tons of shipping. During the years
1856 and 1856 we sold but 100000
tons a.,o I. to ~. foreigners, while we built
were sold to foreigners 81, 600 abandoned. .24. 600
tons, and lost 81 900, making total of las, 600
tons. 1t is most remarkable fact that despite
the boasts made that iron ships can be built at
the same prico IN this country as upon the
Clyde, there Is not single iron sailing ship
under our own flag. While other nations are
privileged to buy in the cheapest market we
ere excluded and for the purpose, we are told,
OF protecting American industry. The grain
fleet dispatched from New York last year mum
bered 2,9S7 vessels, carrying 102, ,3i2, 56S bush
els of grain. or these vessels LOTS were
steamers carrying 42,462,535 bushels; the re-
naming l,S22 being. sailing vessels carrying
59,892, ,0SS bushels; all of this tonnage includes
1 cfaa
can. 1t Is estimated tina, over
one hundred millions of dollars per annum are
paid to foreign vessels for the transports
tion OF our products. Mr.. Lincoln concluded
Give Us ships as cheap rs other nations, fur.
nlsh them, and the same advantages in respect
to maintaining them, and that iH all we ask.
Some timid persons fear if any breach in the
wall OF protection is affected it will invite as
| sault upon the whole tariff system, but our
shipping occupies different position from all
other interests of the country. Our vessels
must be brought into competition with those
of every other nation and the desired changes
relate only to our foreign trade. Parties fore
most In urging the removal Of restrictions up
on navigation would as earnestly oppose any
measures that would cause the great industries
Of the nation to suffer.
Captain Osborne claimed that British gold
was largely used in this country for the pur
pose OF influencing and creating public opin-
ion favoring free trade in ships. He charged
that there is to-day foreign line of steamers
| using the ports of the United States, which is
| building three steamers, intending In case OF
foreign var, to pat them under the American
flag.
MIR. Goss, of Maine, claimed he was the
largest wooden ship builder Ia the United
States, aud expressed the opinion that the pres.
ent was a transition period, and that the pres
| eut laws if left alone would he all.sntf1cien,
in the future. He asked no favors of this @,
any other body for the construction of ships
and called attention to the circumstance tina,
agitation of the free ship question Was alway.
most prominent when Englsnd was threatened
with foreign war.
A. a. Adams, of Cleveland, defended the
| protective tariff of the country, after which
the convention agreed to vote on the resolu
| tion tomorrow.