The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-03-11
QUE FOREIGN COMMERCE.

Senator Beck recently made an ex-
haustive and able argument in the
Senate in favor of legislation looking
toward the revival of American COM
merce. 1t is not a partisan question,
and Senator Beck did not discuss it
from partisan standpoint. He sim
ply cited the mournful but incontro-
vertib|e fact that American commerce
is dead, and urged the measure which,
in his judgment, is necessary to revive
it. The merchant marine of the
United States is thing of the past,
and the American flag has almost dis
appeared from the seas. When the
American traveller abroad visits for
eign ports and sees them crowded With
shipping, he looks in vain among the
flags for the stars and stripes. Our
carrying trade is almost entirely in the
hands of other nations, the products of
the country are transported across the
ocean in foreign ships, and the money
we pay for transportation goes to en-
rich the nations of the old world.
Once we had fair share of the worlds
commerce, but now we have none !;
once we had sixty or seventy thou
sand sailors, but now we have none !;
ONCE we had a navy that commanded
respect, if it did not elicit admiration,
but now our navy has become dis
grace that only brings the American
flag and name into contempt among
the nations Of the world. All these
changes have come about under Re-
publican policy and in the twenty
years in which the Republican party
has been in power in this country.
But these are not partisan statements
made for political effect. They are but
plain statements of patent facts that
are not denied and can not be denied
by either Republican or Democrat.
The simple truth is that the United
States has become, under the policy of
the Republican party, a country alb
destitute of Il merchant ma
rine, and that its commercial interests
sleep of death. The question is, what
shall be done to remedy this deplora-
ble state of affairs i? Unless it is RENE
died it is idle to hope for any sound or
lasting National prosperity. Without
no nation under the cir
under which the American
Republic exists can expect to prosper.
We must as Il matter of necessity by
some means rebuild the commercial
marine of the country. Two plans
were put forward, one by Senator
Beck, and one by Senator Blaine,
voicing tho policies of their respective
parties. Senator Beck suggests free
ships, while Senator Blaine recon-
mends subsidies to American ship
builders. "Let enterprise be free"
said Mr.. Beck. ssLct whoever wants
a ship to engage in the carrying trade,
buy it where he can buy it the
cheapest. If our merchants can buy
ships on the same terms as the NOR
chants of foreign countries do they
will go into the carrying trade them
selves and American commerce will
rebuild itself by natural process"
tsTax the people" says Senator Blaine,
ssand raise money to subsidizc Ameri-
can shipbuilders. Hire American
to build ships by grant
ing them Government subsides.''
These are the plans proposed and they
are worthy of serious consideration.
Whatever may be said in favor of pro-
tecting American industries cannot ap-
ply in this case. American ship
as an industry does not exist,
and therefore does not call for protec-
ton. It is not sound public policy
that crushes an industry out of cNis-
tence under the pretensc of protecting
it. The revival of commerce is of inf
nitely more Importance to this country
than that Il few American shipbuilders
should have the exclusive privilege of
making ships ClerelulH Poi,a- Dcm.
Cr.
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