Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-28

of years and abandoned il. Blu, she never
had actually abandoned ii. She
had only abandoned ii with
t. 60 alone, and British postofice repor; for
/ 1879 shows that under despised and r,dicule,l
head of postal aid, TO which Mr. Beck had
referred with sneers. Great Britain paid last
year 100000. France gets her steamships
! from England. She had adopted CONNER
eiil policy which Mr.. Beck thought would be
a revival Ia American steamship industries.
But does France. by the mere fact of getting
| her ships built at Berenhead or on the Clyde.
| abandon the policy of aiding her steamship
| lines, which for So years have been in opera
ton: Last year France paid $500, 900
francs 10 aid her lines. When the
well known line of France Co, known
as Messaperies lmperiale competed to sharp
| Is in Mediterranean waters after opening the
Suez canal. When the great French
company competed with British and
L'Orient companies, and was in
| rivalry. Great Britain promptly stepped for
ward and added fl00,000 TO the Peninsular
! and Oriental Company subsidy. This was
| the way Great Britain had abandoned the idea
| of aiding her great commercial interests.
Italy last year paid 100000 francs, and
even Austria, that enjoys but Il single seaport
| on the upper end of the Adriatic. pays 5o0,-
| 900 toward stimulating commercial ventures
| from that port Now the uited States could
mot win in this great international struggle
without adopting exactly the same means
that achieved the victory for others. What
was that: Ii WAS not To help John Roach or
| anybody else, but Ia make a great and COM
prehenSive policy that shall give every man
Ell.
of So much per mile for such
term of years. Let the American marine
feel that the government is behind them. Let
| the nited States only take from her treas
ury per annum 1000, 0no. the same sum
Great Britain is paving, only rs 4 postscrip
TO her 500, 900, o0- investment, and let that
be used II fund TO stimulate any company
from any port in the United States 10 any
foreign port.
Mr.. Blaine said he was not n prophet nor
the son of one. but if this was done he ven
tured to predict that the long deferred, much
desired event, the revival of American steam
marine, would soon arrive. He would have
the country do one thing more 10 which Eng
land had pointed the way. We have
nine navy wards and are without Il navy.
If we would put the expense of those navy
yards into the building up of great private
enough and aid enough If the Senator Mr.
Beck liked he would do better, it would
give half enough from the saving in construc-
ton of naval amendments To float this whole
grand scheme for the revival of American
navigation. Mr.. Blaine then contraStrd the
eXpensiveness of our nine naval establish
ments with those of Great Britain, and after
referring TO our comparatively detcnceless
position with exposed ocean and gulf coasts.
he inquired of Mr.. Beck how he was going
to have maintain our navy
after getting the country into a state of
absolute dependence upon Great Britain
for commercial marine. How would that
Senator retain even the rudimentary art of
>hipbuilding for our ocean steamers when his
policy absolutely forbade the remotest pros
pect of any of them being built here.
Congress is direlect in its duty if il
passes another naval appropriation bill with
out accompanying it with some forecasting
provisions looking to the upbLilding of the
mercantile marine. What Mr. Beck had said
in regard 10 protective system AMI lis hor
riblc crimes, Mr.. Blaine said he had not
time to answer the unfortunate venture
which was made in the last campaign on that
subject. 1t had its origin in Kentucky, and
If the Senator was putting his statement as a
lament over the atrOclOu> biundcr that had
somehow crept into the Cincinnati platform
through the agency of a brilliant kcntuckian.
he had no special desire to reply to it. lie
conceded to him as he thought he (Beck
would concede to him that it was a blundcr.
and all the efforts of the distinguished gen
tleman who ran ascanddate Of the democratic
party to get back into the protection plat
form only ended in making that which was
before serious cid in laugh. The election
had shown that public opinion in this country
was in favor of keeping up American against
foreign manufacturers, and he would say to
the uphodcrs of protection that this could
not be done by the destruction of the com
mcTcial marine of this country.
Mr.. Beck briefly replied. He said he was
glad that his remarks had called forth the
premier of the next administration. He did
not approve of the remedy proposed by Mr..
Blaine, for the decay Of our shipping subsi
sides meant taxation ami nothing else and
the policy of subsidized lines under John
Roach or any other individual would be to
destroy the competition of its rivals then
doubt its charges and create a monopoly.
House..
Mr.. Morey reported the post route bill,
and it was recommitted.
Mr.. Speer called up the contested election
case of Yates VS.. Martin. and argued in
favor of Mr.. Yates