The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-12-30
AMERICAN SHIPPING.

Hc Dali ldilCioCO oOdiu VI " htS
has lately recommended that the fol
lowing be incorporated into the ship
ping laws of the country, so as to
change existing laws in favor Of
American shipping.
1.-The establishment Of Bureau
of Commerce, with Cabinet officer
representing the same The duties
of this Bureau to be analogous TO
the British Board of trade, including
the official inspection and certifying
Of hulls and boilers; the investiga
ton of the needs of our maritime
commerce, and the recommendation
to Congress of such legislation as
will foster It's development; the offic-
ial recognition of distinguished cour-
age or meritorious service on the part
of mercantile officers and seamen: the
granting of certificates of compel en-
cy to masters aud officers, based upon
examination by local boards, appoint
ed at the principal maritime ports OF
the country, and Il e general super
vision of the interests OF our mercan-
tile marine.
2-The taxation on shipping should
be solely on net income, instead OF
being on valuation as at present. thus
placing our shipping on an equality
in this respect with Il at Of our great
est competitors. To effect this either
State laws should be enacted similar
to the Massachusetts law now in force
or Congress. under its constitutional
perogative to regulate commerce,
should legislate to control the point.
3-The establishment ofocean post
al routes 10 he covered by first-class
steamships, built of large tonnage
and high speed, i'll accordance with
Government specifications, which
should, to the limited extent that is
practicable, adapt them to transport
and rapid cruiser service in time OF
war. a! liberal compensation for post
al service to be paid such establish.
ed lines under a general law anthor-
izing the PostmaSter-General TO make
ten or twenty-year contracts for the
carriage of mails to important ican
time ports. We repel the idea of
subsidy in this connection. The ex-
pense of carrying ont this policy
would amount to between four and
five million dollars annually, and we
respectfully suggest that it would be
eminently proper for Congress to en-
act such laws as would authorize the
appropriation necessary for this pur-
pose. This recommendation is so
important in its character that your
committee cannot d .smiss it without
the remark that no remedial legisla-
ton will avail that does not substan-
italy cover its requirements.
All articles included in the con-
struclion, equipments of stores Of
American ships should have duties
RENTED thereon, when taken out of
bond or imported for this special
purpose The legislation authorizing
this should impose careful restrictions
to prevent the abuse of the privilege
thus accorded, and impose heavy
penalties for its violation.
5.-The contract between owners
and seamen should rot be hampered
by legislation as to discharge abroad
or at home, and ship owners should
have the same privileges in contract
ing for services that are accorded
other employers of labor, the laws to
secure the fulfilment of contracts be-
ing enforced with equal impartiality
in both cases.
6.-Thc annual tax of 80 cents per
ton should be removed from Ameri-
can shipping in the foreign trade,
this being a discrimination against
water transportation, which finds no
parallel i'll modern legislation. The
tax should be retained on foreign
shipping entering at our Custon-
houses, and retaliatory legislation is
unlikely while we charge foreign
ships no lighthouse dues, although
our shipping is heavily taxed for this
purpose in foreign ports.
THE adoption, under tional
legislation, of well considcrd mari
time apprentice system, obliglng
American ships to carry such limit
ed number of apprentices as may be
deemed proper, in accordance with
the registered tonnage.
s.-The fees OF United States con-
salar officers, collected from shipping,
should be abolished, and any defc-
iency created thereby made good by
the Oayment of repDIar ealar;as