American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-03-05
Subsidies VS.. Free Slips.

In 1855 there were 3st ships and
banks built IN the United States; in 1879
there were, 81 barks and shins built in
this country. 1t is reported that the
grain fleet dispatched from the port of
New York in 1879 numbered 1887 YES
sells, carrying 102, 312, 56S bushels of
grain. All of this tonnage included but
ore American steamer and only "A
American sailing vessels. f. +. Noyes.
our Minister to France, devoted six
mouths to the Investigation of orr COM
mercial carrying trade in the Mediter-
ranean by order of the State Depart
rnent. He reported Tilt he experienced
seitse of humiliation ut the absence of
the American flag from the waters On
which he locked. The Consul at
Smyrna reports that while formerly as
many as .seventy-five or eighty vessels
had been seen. in that port at one time,
there were last year but three, all told.
We are now paying foreign nations an
nually over 800, OOo, 900 for the trans
portation of our freight. and $40. 0O0,-
900 for tho carrying of our passengers
and mails. We pay, that is to foreign
ers, largely to England, $I2O, O0O,O 900
for carrying our products across the
seas and bringing the. things we wish to
buy to our shores. The American flag
has disappeared from the high seas, and
our merchant marine is no more.
Senator Beck, who is more and more
distinguishing himself for critical and
well-informed attention to the public
interests, and who is capable of broad
and National views as well as of atten-
ton to. little things, recently made a
notable speech in the Senate upon free
ships. He was antagonized, by Senator
Blaine. who will be a conspicuous figure
in the next Administration. The rem
edy which Senator Blaine would apply
to the decadeAce of the merchant ma
rinc of the United States in subsidies.
The remedy which Senator Beck would
apply to the decline of the commercial
power of this country upon the high
seas is free ships. Senator Blaine says
that. within thirty miles of his residence
in q town which is the largest wooden
ship building place on the globe. He
is intavor of a subsidy of about 81, 000,-
600 year in the ship-building interest.
He, representing the Republican party.
argues that since Congress has passed
ninety-two.a acts within twenty years, in
aid of internal transportation by rad,
and has given 200, 600, 900 acres of the
public landsJ worth to-day. 81 900. 000,-
coo, and has given also, in addition,
$4,000, 900 in cash to railroad corpora
tons, Congress ought, for the sake of
consistency, to substitute the men and
corporations that carry passengers and
freight over the waters. This is a fair
statement of the argument, as Senator
Blaine presents it. It; is consistent
with the subsidizing policy. The, argu-
ment vividly reveals the pernicious ten
dency Of the subsidy policy. If A should
be substituted, why should not B also be
subsidized? ss ,...-.-..,a...sip.i rs,ss
The bill which Senator Beck asks
Congress to pass provides that the sec
lions of the Revised Statutes which pro-
hibit qitizens Of the United States from
purchasing ships built in other coun-'
tries to be used in the foreign carrying,
trade of the United States, and which
impose taxes, burdens, or restrictions,
ON such ships when owned by American
citizens, which, are not imposed on
ships built in the United. States, shah
be repealed, and that it shall be lawful
for citizens of the United States to buy
ships built in whole or in part in foreign
countries, to have them registered as
ships Of the United States, and when
SO registered such ships so bought are
to be entitled to all the rights and SUBJ
jected only to the same regulations as
arc now provided by lazy for the. gov
eminent and management Of ships built
wholly in, the United States and owned
and controlled by citizens, of this coun-
try. Senator. Beck does not. Ander-
stand why American citizens should
be. prohibited from purchasing ships
for the foreign trade in the cheap
est ; market when all other ma
tions enjoy this privilege While
England, and France. and Ger
many. and Belgium. and Norway and
Sweden have the right to bring fre7ghts
to our ports and to carry freights from
our ports in foreign built ships. It is not
easy to see. why the laws Of the United
States should select citizens of the
United States to; be alone ostracized,
from this privilege. Ought this country
to pay 81 70, 600, 900 annually to foreign
ers for our carrying work to oblige
few ship-builders thirty miles from the
residence Of Senator Blaine? tgi 5aF-i.
Subsidies are wrong in principle and
vicious in practice. Freedom is beauti-
full ia principle and equal and beneticent
in practice. Senator Beck has this
fundamental advantage over Senator
Blaine In the discussion of this import
ant subject And the, arguments of
Senator Beck can not be answered as
Senator Morrill, attempted to. answer
them, by.saying that Mr.. Beck, being
from the interior State of Kentucky,
can know nothing of commerce on the
high seas. ~ Cincinnati Enqtairer.aa sr-.'f
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