Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-11-05

. nv v VHN1DHn D.
THE CLAP TRAP OF PROTECTION
lists.
As rule, those who ask congress to
take money from the pockets of the
American people and hand it over to
Mr.. John Roach and others as an in
ducement to build iron steamships and
employ them in the foreign carrying
trade scorn all rational consideration
and address their appeals to the senti-
ment of patriotism. Most of our Amer
lean consuls make practice Of inform
Ing the state dep .rtments from time to
time that they are deeply panied and
humiliated because they rarely see
ocean steamships floating the American
flag. Their patriotic hearts are much
grleved when they see scores OF British,
French, German. and Scandinavian flags.
at the ports where they are stationed. II
they had the ordering of things, they
would CRAFTY the national vanity by
putting a1oat ships built in American
yards by American mechanics of Amer
lean materials, no matter what the cost
to the American people. In their view,
q country which does not share IN the
ocean carrying trade is u most unhappy
country. and should hang Its head, ii it
has any head to hang, in shame. With
them it is all matter of sentiment.
The American people should be rOund-
" taxed to the end that they, the con-
suls, and American people may see
the American flag on the great waters,
and be inspired to write verses about the
starry banner. And so it is with the
subsidy beggars at home. It is all flag
and no argument. To him who states
reasons for the belief that it will not pay
to subsidize shlpbuildlng their only an
swer Is that he 10 destitute OF patriotism,
and in full sympathy "with Great Bri-
tain and our commercial rivals"
This is the general rule. And when
any of the subsidy beggars SO far forgets
himself as to s'lude to the economic as
pect Of the question he Invariably uses
the vaguest language, and evinces a
lofty contempt for both logic aud fact.
The following. from local organ Of
the tariff monopollsts and subsidy beg
gars, is a fair sample: SIT is an ad-
mitted fact that the ocean carrying trade
between this country and foreign ma
tions is Immense, and yields princely
sum to our commercial rivals. We see
that 1t is their ships. and not ours, that
cover the seas. and is their shipyards,
and moi ours, where the greatest fleets
of ocean steamships are building. Into
England, France, and Germany is pour.
ed the fabulous wealth which comes
from the ocean ireightage to and from
our shores, and from the building and
launching Of the great ships that do this
carrying trade" Here we have nothing
more definite than "a princeiy sum" and
fabulous wealth." There IS not the
taintest, hint that there Is any reason
why Americans do not. share in the
''princely sum" and the t'fabulous
wealth." There is, however, a good
reason. and it is not far to seek. Itiis
simply that Americans can employ their
capital and labor more pro6tably than
in building iron or steel steamships and
running them between this country and
other countries. 1t American capitalists
could make as much or more by build.
ing ocean steamers as they can By
building railroads and producing cotton
grain, and provisions, they would un.
doubtedly build steamships. American.
do not build them new tor the same
reason that they do not produce tea and
coffee. They can get more tea and coffee
by exchange than they can BY producing
those articles directly. In like manner
they can get more ocean steamship scr.
vice by exchange than they can by pro
vidiny IL than aa1voa
The talk about '.princely sums" ant
sfabulous wealth. Is wi:d. We impor
merchandise OF various kinds to tht
value of about $500, ,000, 900 year. Int
foreign countries s'is poured the fabu
lous wealth. that we pay tor this mer
chaudise. We pay foreigners tor thel
services in producing this merchandise
for us, just as we pay them for their ser
vices in bringing the merchandise to on
shores. There is no compulsion il
either case. We pay no more tor eithe
kind of service than we think it to on
advantage to pay. II we could produc
the mercandise so much cheape
at home we would not import it. If VI
could do the carrying cheaper ourselve
we would not pay foreigners for doing
it. II 1t is ruinous to pay f0relg ners TO
bringing us merchandise, it is at leas
ten times as ruinous to pay them 10
producing the merchandise. for We pa,
them at least ten times as much for tina
service. We pay the freight on wha
we import; foreigners pay the freight OF
what they import. The freight does no
exceed 10 per cent. Of the value of tn
merchandise. We pay, say $500, 900.
600 for merchandise and $50, ,O0e ,00
for freight. If there is a good economi
reason why we should dc our own Car
rying, there is q reason at st tel
times as good why we should produc
the merchandise a. home, and impor
nothing at all.
II we made ship building and oceal
frelghting Improbable by our Legislation
we ought to repeal the legislation, ant
stop at that. Our tariff laws greatly in
crease the cost of materials, and the
CO asiderably increase the nominal cost
though not the real wages OF labor
Let as abolish the monopoly provision
OF these laws, cnd at the same time per
NIT Americans to buy ships whereve
they please. Then the ship-bulldin,
industry will prosper If 1t eau be carrie'
VI Will PLoAs3 OtuokWAS03 ~ WILL uO
prosper, and ought not to prosper. An,
with freedom 10 buy ships anywhere, tn
ocean carrying trade under the Ameri
can flag will prosper. il it can be mad
profitable; otherwise, it will not, an
ought not to prosper. 1t is our interes
to inv It our capital and apply ou
labor and skill IN those fields Of indus
try where they will bring the largest re
turns, and leave others to render tn
services which they can render cheape
than We can. Under conditions of CON
mercial freedom the people OF ever
country would produce those things i
the production of which they have th
greatest relative advantage, and ever
country would be the richer tor so doing
1t ls not necessary that every countr
should produce ships and engage IN th
ocean carrying trade any more than it
necessary that every country shoul
produce ebony, or ivory. or tea, or si
goods. Every man to his own trade
a good economic rule, and every couu
try to those industries in which 1t enjoy
the greatest relative advantage Is q
pnuallv 0ood one Theaa nations of th