Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-06-18
ANNIHILATION OF AMERICAN SHIP
PING,
[From the Kansas City Times. ]


Roach equipped fine line Of excel.
lent steamers for the Brazil traffic.
In SO doing he evidently depended
OH a government subsidy which to-
gether with the reputation Of his yes
sells should eventually run the exist
ing line out of business and give him
control of the South American trade.
However, he reckoned without his
host. The people of this country
were not SO earnestly devoted to sub
ly they did not hand over the expect
Ell check. On the contrary they made
hiIa carry the mails and paid him OH
ly just and reasonable compensation
for so doing. The competition of the
English line was Sharp and Mr.. Roach
soon perceived that there was no
chance of making a fortune. Realiz-
ing that he could obtain no subsidy
he subsequently, arrayed himself
against the whole iniquitous system
and contented himself with opposing
any legislation which wonld admit
English built vessels to the American
register.
Mr.. Roach Doubt did everything
possible under our laws to command
success. The fact that he missed it
is largely, if not entirely, owing to
himself as protectienist. All that
he made with one hand he destroyed
with the other. If the trade had not
| been hopelcssly restricted it would
not have died out. Under our absurd
aud antiquated tariff Brazilian pro-
ducts cannot be shipped to this coun-
try with anything like profit. The
duty on foreign goods is 30 outrage
ouslY heavy that impertations are all
impossi South American skip.
pers can send their wares to ether
markets end British steamers stand
in readiness to carry to other c0un-
tries the goods that are forbidden
here. In consequence of this there is
nothing left for United States vessels
to ship aud of course they have to
mako their trips at loss. A line of
steamers cannot be maintained with
out business. There is no CONNER
cial relations between the United
States and Brazil aud consequently
but little passenger traffic. Moreover,
such trade as there is cannot be cap
tured by the vessels of this country.
The present system of spoliation
and robbery known as the tariff Of
fectuslly prohibits the building Of
modern steamships iu this country al
cheaply as in Great Britain. They
eanuot, moreover. be manned at the
same figures. 1t costs the shipper %
much more to tr ansport goods on al
American hull than it does on al
English one that upon the simplest
business principles he chooses the lat
ter. When Mr.. Roach went into the
business he must have known hit
inability to compete with foreigners
} Failing to obtain compensation oul
of the national funds, he saw that tn,
game was up. Fearing that he coult
not get congress to tax his fellow
citizens for the purpose of enabling
, him to keep up a non-paying line, b.
has now given notice of withdraw
ing his steamers from business, ol
the ground that British competition
is too much for him. He probably
tells the truth. At the same time tn
proposition that the government
ought to pay AL immense subsidy 70
running two steamers to Rie de Jan
GIRO is both absurd and ridiculous
We therefore say emphatically,i If Mr.
Roach wants to withdraw his line
. let him do it. If he cannot get freigh
and passengers enough, it is not th,
business of the American people tt
: reimburse him for his losses.
This method of building up mer
! chant marine has been tried in thi
country before, and always with th'
same result. In every case it prove,
dead and conspicuous failure. Tn
subsidy business, instead OF develop
ing, has completely paralyzed th'
French merchant marine, BismarcI
is thinking of following the example
Of France, but the sensible ship
builders of the great maritime cite
3 of Germany have written . protes
, against the scheme. They correctl,
say that German commerce and nav
igation are able to compete will
other nations, if left to individual ex
ertions. They further state that 9Th
growth and prosperity Of natiOna
trade are created by the nationa
talent and disposition of a people
Government measures, whether con
sisting of throwing artificial OBJ
stacles In the way of foreign compe
tition or in direct support Of the na
tioDal flag, may in Isolated case
bring temporary advantages to in
dividual enterprises, but they neve
will be able, permanently, to rais
and elevate the shipping interest,"
That is so. 1t is the view of practi
cal Germans. 1t is moreover the ex
perience of Holland aud Great Bri
tain. We hope that not . dollar viii
ever be obtained in the way of sub
sidy.