Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-12

|
is obvious that this consultation with the
Congressional delegation can by no posi-.
bility produce any practical results. Mr..
Hopkins suggested number of changes in
the United States statutes in minor points
of ship management, all of which changes
may perhaps be worth making. yet none
of which are capable of reviving the dead
shipping interest. Bnt not one word was
heard of the repeal of the navigation laws
of putting the material of ship building
and ship-running upon the free list; or of
reforming the tariff; all of which things
are indispensable to the accomplishment of
that which the San Francisco merchants
desire. 1t is true that the Board of Trade
proposed the exemption of shipping from
local taxation the repeal of the tonnage
law; and the abolition of compulsory pi.
lotage. All these suggestions are good,
but they are subordinate to the measures
we have indicated above, and it is neces-
sary to secure those measures first.
1t is perfectly useless for the San Fran
cisco Board Of Trade to talk to the Con.
gressional delegation about these matters
so long as its members are ignorant of the
first requirements OF revival of the ship
ping interest. Their position in fact is
pitifully weak. They can think of nothing
better than subsidies for steamer lines
Now it ought to be clear to every business
man that in order to secure the ocean car.
rying trade we must offer TO all the world
at least equal advantages and inducements
with those which England holds out. We
must have as good ships. We must have
as cheap ships. And we must be able to
run them as economically. To get ships
we must either build or buy; and under
the existing laws we are prohibited from
doing either. Yet there are merchants so
shallow as to think that we can restore the
carrying trade afoat without repeating the
navigation laws, and without modifying
the tariff business men so ignorant of
business principles as to believe that in
the teeth of these paralyzing laws it is
| possible to Tecreate our merchant marine
by getting Congress to pay out four or five
millions a year to few steamer lines. II
is very disheartening to find such stupidity
among those who are supposed to repre-.
sent the commercial intelligence of the
country, but when we encounter this ig.
norance we are at once enlightened as to
the cause of the decline of San Francisco.
The truth is that her merchants are not
properly equipped for their work. They
have not studied political economy. They
do no. understand their own interests
| They are able TO perceive that the shipping
| interest has been sacrificed" but they
are resigned to this because they think the
sacrifice has been " for the general
"good." 1t is necessary to tell these mer-
chants, therefore, that they will never get
any good out of the remedies they propose,
unless they are prepared to demand other
remedies which involve the overthrow CT
the tariff. If they cannot bring themselves
to do this they may as well become recon
ciled to the existing situation, for they
will never live to see any change for the
better inaugurated under their present
ideas. We confess to some surprise at the
fact that though Senator Farley was pres.
emit at the conference referred to, he does
not appear 20 have pointed out the short.
sightedness of the measures proposed, or
have availod himself of the opportunity to
| give the merchants of San Francisco sea.
sonable lesson in free trade principles. 1t
was a most favorable opening neglected.
The Senator represents party which at
one time was not afraid to declare itself
freely on this head, but he seems to have
preferred to keep his opinions to himself.
There was some conversation also about
the Nicaragua canal, which is Captain
Merry's particular hobby. Curiously
enough Senator Farley is reported as say
ing in this connection that "The Com.
''mittee on Commerce had reported in ia.
'vor of the Eads scheme, but the matter
" had not yet been settled, and 10 doubt
the Nicaragua scheme would be adopted
eventually" Why " no doubt" Senator
Farley? When committee recommends
certain thing in Congress ia it the rule
that some other thing should be adopted?
The committee reported in favor Of Cap
tain Eads' scheme for the best OF all
reasons: because that scheme offers the
greatest advantages. We are certainly
surprised to find Senator Miller saying
tina. :" he thought the Eads scheme i'm
practicable" for this is equivalent to a
confession that he has not examined the
Eads scheme at all. Whatever else may
be objected to it, the assertion that it is
lmfractlcable cannot he made by anyone
who has familiarized himself with the prin.
ciples involved. There is nothing new in
the plan of ship-railway. There are sew.
eral ship-railways In successful operation in
various parts OF the world. The greatest
living engineers have united in affirming
the entire practicability of Captain E.ds'
scheme. In fact there is really no room
for doubt on that point. and we do not
hesitate to say that the Esds plan is
preferable to the Nicaragua canal in every
essential. 1t is cheaper, it can be built in
less time, it requires much lower operas.
ing expense, it offers very much greater
speed of transit in fact it is a very much
better plan than that which Captain Merry
is pushing.
Probably, however, it does not matter
much which of these enterprises is ap-
proved by the San Francisco Board of
Trade, for that body evidently has not the
faculty of taking up anything in a practi-
cal way, while it is represented by men who
are altogether behind the age in their
knowledge of commercial principles. We
are very sorry to see a conference which
might have been useful frittered away in
the discussion of futile sRd inadequate
remedies for abuses the very nature of
which is uncomprehended by these bust.
ness men. We are also sorry that not one
OF the Congressional delegation should have
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