The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-01-28
BLAINE AND BECK
DISCUSS TIE U, 8. SHIPPING LAWS IN
THEBENATR.
HOOted QusatiOns of Policy Ably Debated
BY Leaders Of the Two PARTIES
Beck Goes Out OF His Way
to AsSAiI "the lnIqul.
HOrPrOtectIOn."

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SENATE.
WASHINGTON, January 97,SMr. Dawes
presented a petition signed by John
Welsh, Bishop Simpson, Rev. James Cook,
Wendell Phillips and thirty two thousand
others, besides churches benevolent and
other societies, representing in all more
than fifty thousand citizens, praying Com
gress to observe the treaties made with the
Indian tribes, and in future to do Justice
to the remnants OF that people. The bulky
package enclosing the petition was con.
veyed from the Senator's desk, where it
had attracted much attention, to the Vice
Presidents table, and with an explanatory
letter from the Indian Treaty. Keeping AS.
ISOLATION, OF Philadelphia, was referred to
the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mr., Beck addressed the Senate for an
hour, in advocacy OF free ships taking as
his text, his resolution submitted on
Monday for the repeal Of all laws prohibit.
ing our CitizenH from purchasing ships to
engage in foreign carrying trade, or which
prevent the registration Of them as Ameri.
can ships when owned, commanded and
othcered by United States citizens. He
argued that we were unable to compete
with foreign nations, either for our own
carrying trade or foreign trade, because
every nation but our own was allowed to
buy its ships where 1t could buy them the
cheapest.
Every dollar that we made our ships
cost above what was paid by the people
OF other countries, only handicapped us
and diminished our chances Of successful
competition. Before the war we could
buy ship cheaply, but the effect OF our
policy had since been to build up q navy
Tor England, which now had the finest
body OF sailors In the world, while the
United States was without marine. The
imminent danger TO US In a foreign war
with our defenceless ocean and gulf coasts
was next referred to our surplus, being
largely agricultural, 80 great that It
cannot be consumed at home, we are
obliged to float our exports In foreign ships,
and thus Germany, England and France
were doing our carrying trade. II those
nations went to war, although we might
be on the best terms with the bslllgerents,
we would suffer more than they, because
our products would 90 to the bottom as
the cruisers OF each destroyed the mer.
chants vessels OF the other; the only rem.
edy was for US to do our own hauling;
tho great producing interest OF the West |
was perhaps the one most interested in |
this question OF cheap transportation, be.
cause all the coast transportation, both to |
sea.board and over the ocean to the mar.
ket, comes out OF the man who raises the |
product that Is to be transported; what
ever diminishes the cost Is TO his benefit,
and whatever adds to 1t has TO come
out Of his pocket. ALI, Subsidies
and bounties only add 80 much more to
his burden In taxation and fail to
accomplish remedy. Chespness OF trans.
portation Is the only remedy, and ship |
Is only wagon adapted to the.highway
over which 1t travels. Our treaties with
Germany, Norway and Sweden, and
other countries, gave them all the privi. |
leges Of our own citizens In our own ports,
and all OF them are doing their carrying OF
trade In free ships. We are keeping our
navigation laws TO injuro our own people.
He then proceeded with an elaborate dis. |
cuBsion Of the tariffs, with its iniquities OF
protection and its practical operation In |
fostering monopolies at the expense OF the
poor man. incidentally DEPRESSING In this
connection to notice the estimate OF the
Commissioner OF Pensions that over 500
millions would be required to meet the
expenses oi the pension arrearages act,
he remarked that the pension act (Which
he was fortunate In having voted against)
would prove heavier tax and more en-
during burden than the national debt.
Mr.. BeCk's speech was listened TO with
marked interest by almost the full Senate
and crowded galleries, the compliment OF
an unanimous vote being rendered him on
the expiration Of the morning hour, to en-
able him TO proceed.
Mr.. Blaine followed In reply to Mr..
Beck. He construed the Senator's speech
as an admission that his policy looked
forward 10 and proclaimed permanent de.
pendence OF this country on England for
her ships; II was remarkable, fact that for
twenty years, or fromthe time Of the war
TO this hour, the Congress Of the United
States had not done one solitary thing
to uphold the navigation interests OF the
United States. The great march forward
OF our old commercial rival had been wit.
messed and everywhere recognized, and
the representatives OF the people Of the
United States had sal In their two halls OF
legislation, dumb, as though they could
not speak, and had not offered remedy
or single aid till the Senator from Ken.
lucky Mr.. Beck had risen In bis seat and
proposed TO make o proclamation Of the
perpetual dependence OF this country
upon England for such commerce as
she may enjoy, and holding up
10 the United States, Germany, Italy and
other European countries that we are as ab.
solutely dependent on Great Britain for
the commerce they enjoy 10 the Dis.
ttipt Of Columbia 10 upon Oongtess.
Dufing these two years this Con-
gress had passed ninety.two acts In
aid Of internal transmission by rail.
It has given 20O000,0OO acres Of public
lands worth to-day $1,000, 100000 In
money, 10 which Il had added $40, ,0O0, 900
In cash 10 the same end, yet Il had not ex.
tended the aid OF scarcely dollar To that
vast eternal transportation, whose i'm.
pottahCe had not been exaggerated by the
Senator from Kentucky, The United
States could not win this great interna.
tional struggle without adopting exactly
for others. What was that2 II was mot
to keep Jno. Roach or anybody else, but
10 make the great aud Comptehen
sive policy that shall give
every man and every company
specific aid OF 80 much per mile for such
q term Of years. Let the American ma.
fines feel that the Government Of the
United States 10 behind them. Let the
United States only take from her Treas.
uty per annum a 100000, the same sum
that the government OF Britain is paying
only as a postscript TO hers,
Mr.. Blaine said he was not a prophet
not the son oi one, bpt II this was done
he ventured 10 predict that that lopg defer.
red and much desired event, The revival Of