The National tribune., 1881-08-27
The Ocean Carrying Trade.

During the year ending June 80 $780, the ex-
ports from the United States to foreign countries
amounted in value to ss23, 1858 The value
of importations for the same period aggregated
something over S667 100000. The grain, iron,
steel tobacco and other commodities represent
in American bottoms, but owing to the condition
of our merchants marine the bulk of shipments
made either way was by foreign vessels.
To get our productions into the foreign mar
kets we were compelled to pay tribute to England,
France, Germany-in fact, to almost every Eu-
ropean nation to which shipments were made
and the showing is far from creditable to the
American people.
Nor is it indicative of our alleged Yankee
shrewdness. If there were any good reason for
the existing state of affairs perhaps that reason
might account, to some extent, for the apathetic
condition of the public In reference to our ship
ping interests; but there is none. The country
is prosperous there is a continually increasing
demand from abroad for American grain and
other products as well as for various articles of
manufacture, and already our experts far exceed
all importations. During the year above men
100000 Why is it then, that instead of adding
yet further to our resources by patronizing yes
sells carrying our own flag we are continually
adding to the wealth of others having no interest
in our national prosperity? The answer to this
is the very best that can be given, viz: We have
no ships; our merchant navy is a mere skeleton
scarcely that Every effort to build it up since
the war has ANONYMOUSLY failed; not, however
for want of individual enterprise, but because of
a mistaken public policy coupled with the parsi-
mony of Congress. The foreign competition is
too strong to be overcome without governmental
assistance, and that has been withheld. Had
Congress during the past ten even five years
our shipping interests as it has been in the i'm
provement of the Kiskiminetas and other equally
unknown alleged water-eourses and in making
navigable streams and channels out of mountain
DIoOhittS anu S"dHlpy lnletS, we SnOulu To-Day
have magnificent lines of ocean steamers run
ming from chief home ports to the principal
ports of the Old World Brazil, China, the Sand
wich Islands and Europe would receive the
products of our soil and workshops from our own
ships, which would bring back from those coun-
tries such commodities as the needs of our people
might require. 1t is time that the existing order
of things be done away with. If Congress can
appropriate money, or donate land, or loan the
Nations credit to a railroad it can certainly do
the same in order to foster the commercial in
terests of the country. If it can pay railroad
and other corporations vast sums for carving
the mails within our own territory there is no
good reason why it should not do the same for
carrying them across the ocean, and especially
when by so doing the public interests are sub
served and the national prosperity made more
secure and less dependent upon aliens.
1t is to be hoped that at the approaching ses-
sion some decided steps may be taken by Con-
gress TO remedy the existing evil state of affairs
and that such encouragement will be given to
those favorably disposed as will warrant them in
to compete with those who now
serve us as ocean carriers.
man who becomes slave to his own passions
will sooner or later find that he has chosen q hard