The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-28
Forty sixth Third Session
WASHINGTON, January 81, 1881.

Mr.. Dawes presented petAlon signed bY
John Welsh. Bishop Simpson, Rev. Joseph
Cook, Wendell Phillips. and ~ 900 other
individual sigueTs, with signature Of
churches, benevolent aud other societies,
representing in all more than $1,000 c,lt
zens, praying Congress TO observe the trea- !
ties heretofore made with The Indian tribes |
and IN future to do Justice 10 The remnants
Of that people Referred 10 Committee on
Indian Affairs.
Mr.. Wnvtc reported fav0rabiy fSouse con- |
current resolution for printing 10000 copies !
Of the chronological Commissions report
on cotton " Orm, with the means OF cOun. !
teracling H. rayages. The bill was passed. |
as was also House joint resolution 10 print
6. 600 copies Of the report o. the National
Board of Health.
Bills were introduced by Mr.. Garland 10
establish uniform system Of bankruptcy.
referred 10 Committee on Judiciary.
By Mr.. Call: To provide for the payment
OF part OF the interest on the sum OF
$3.50 600 under a treaty of 1856 to the semi
mole Indians.
Mr.. Jones. OF Florida, from the Committee
on Pubic Buildings aud Grounds, reported
IaYorahly House blli 10 provide for the con-
sfi uction OF the public building at jackson,
Miss.
Mr.. Beck addressed the Senate for an
hour in favor OF free ships, holding - his
! text his resolution submitted on Monday for
the repeal OF ali laws prohibiting our clti-
ZcnS from purchasing ships 10 engage IN the
/ foreign carrying trade, or which prevent
the registration Of them rs American ships
when owned, commanded. ana Oinccred
lbs United states citizens. He argued that
wc were unable TO compete with foreign
nations either fer our own carrying trade
4
! orr oWn was allowed 10 buy IT,
shin, wncrc II could buy them che1pcS'.
Every dollar ihii We made our ships cost
above what was pad by the people OF other
countries only handle pped IL ana dmln-
Ii>bcd our chances Of successful cDmptii-
| lion. Before The war We could buy snip-
cle3ulv, buf the elect Of our policy bad
since Dten to build up navy for England,
/ which had now the tues body Of sailors IN
the world, while the United states was
I without . marine. The imminent danger
! 10 H. IN a foreign war, WITH our deicnccIe>s
ocean and gull coasts. was next referred to.
/ cur surplus being largely agricultural, ana
% Great tnat IL cannot he consumed at
home. we are obliged TO float Our exports IN
foreign ships, and ;huS Germany, England,
and France were doing our carrying trade.
II these I.arions went 70 war. although we
MIGHT be on the best terms with the bclli@e-
rents, We would >utlrr more than they, be.
cau,c our produces would - to the bottom
A. the cruisers OF each destroyed the mer-
chant vessels OF tie otter. The only rcnc-
Ids WIS for Us 10 do our own hauling. me
great producing interest or the YES, WIS
perhaps The most interested IN this question
of cheap trans pOltalion, because all Tue cost
OF transportation, both to the seaOoard ana
over the ocean, 10 market comes out OF
the man VITO raises the product that Is to
he Transported. Whatever dminiShes the
cost is TO his benefit, and whatever ADDS
ito it has to come out OF his pocket
All subsidies and bOunties only ada 50
much more ID his burden In taxation, ana
fail TO accomplish a remedy. CheapneS' OF
TRANSFORMATION i the only remedy, and
ship is ouly wagon adapted TO the hlgh-
way over which il travels. Our treaties
with Germany, Norway, Sweden. and other
countries gave them all privileges over our
own citiZens in our own ports, and all CT
them are doing their carrying trade IN iree
cheap ships. We are keeiiug up our naVi'
cation laws to iniure our own people.
MFR. Beck then proceeded with an cIabo-
rate discussion OF the tariff, wltn MS IN
Icqualitics OF protection and It's pracIc1I
oneya,ion in fostering mOnOpolieS at The eX-
pcpSc OF the poor man. incidentally di-
crossing in this connection to notice the
estimate OF the Commissioner OF Pensions,
that over $500, 000. 900 would be required TO
meet the expenses Of the pension-arfears
act. he said the pension act, when he was
fortunate lp having voted against, would
prove Il heavier tax and more enduring
burden than the national debt.
Mr.. Blaine followed in reply TO Mr. Beck.
He construed the Senator's speech ~ an adj
mission that his policy looked forward to
and proclaimed the permanent dependence
cf This country upon England for her ships.
He could not allow such speech TO 30 our
for single day without an answer. lie ala
not believe The people or Congress Of the
United States were ready to acknowledge or
proclaim any such dependence. He SAID II
was a remarkable fact that in twenty years,
since the beginning OF the war, the Congress
of the United States had net done one s0ll'
tary thing TO uphold the navigation Interest
of The country until the Senator from Ken
lucky (Slr. Beck rose in his seat ana pro-
poScd to make proclamation OF the per-
petual future dependence OF tins country
upon England for such commerce rs She
may enjoy.
Mr.. Blaine then proceeded TO show how
American steamship lines had been driven
from the ocean by The failure OF the Amerl-
can Government to encourage and support
them as other Governments, and especially
| that of Great Britain, had encouraged ana
supported their lines. He cited as an IN
stance of this the steamship line between
New York and Brazil, to which the Gov
eminent OF Brazil was willing to give
! 100000 per year, but to which the
| United states would give nothing. The
| British Government, on the other hand, was
ready TO unite with Brazil in encouraging q
| lire OF steamers, and so her line took the |
place OF ours. Great Britain had paid from
her treasury more than 100000, 600 alto
| 0ether 10 aid her steamship lines in all part, !
of the world. France, although she buys |
her ships in England, paid 23,000,0O0 francs !
last wear to aid and encourage her line OF
steamers. Italy, for the same purpose, paid |
& 600 900 francs; and even Austria, with |
ONLY a single seaport, paid 100000 III !
steamship subsidies. Now, the United |
St1lcS could not win in this great lnterna- |
tiona struggle without adopting exactly !
the same means that had achieved victory |
for others. What was that !! IL was not 10
help Mr.. John Roach or Mr. anybody clse'
but 10 make great and comprehensive
policy that shall give to every man and every
company the specific aid Of so mucn per
mile for such term OF years. Let
the American marine feel that the Govern
ment OF the United States Is behind Them
let the United States only take from her
Treasury per annum four millions OF dol
lars. the same sum that Great Britain is pay
ing only as postscript TO her two hundred
md IQf Al NE |