Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-14
,hn pronnsed Free SHIN Commission

UlallC, ldlu DCAOtC tAC OAANS~
Senate a petition from representatives OF
the New England ship building indus
try. setting forth the moribund condi-
ton of the merchant marine of the
United States, and praying for some re-
lief to prevent American ship building
and American ships from soon becoming
entirely things of the past. The relief
asked fol- is that Congress appoint COM
mission. to sit during the recess of that
body. for the purpose inquiring of into
the wants of this branch of business and
renort s'such measures as would tend to
the relief of this great national industry.
IT will be remembered that Mr.. Frye, al
though an avowed prOtectionist hitherto,
in presenting this petition made fOrcible
speech in its behalf, in which he made
the true, but no less remarkable state
ment. that there was no committee of
either house of Congress that took the
slightest interest in the merchant marine
of the country.
Commissions seem to be looked upon
bv Congress as most convenient media
through which to shirk duty and respon-
sibility, and the statement made by Mr..
FRYE is the only plausible pretext which
can be urged for the appointment
of a commission to investigate the
causes of the decline and fall of
American shipping. There is in reality
no justification for the establishment of
such body. Congress is as perfectly
familiar with the causes of the deplora
BILE condition of our merchant marine as
it is with the burden imposed upon the
people by our ubiquitous protective tariff,
aud should Itself act promptly in the
matter Itknows that our navigation and
ship building laws, passed for the sole
protection of the New England ship
builder, are what have prevented ships
from beng constructed in the United
States as cheaplY as they can be
built in any other country of the
globe, and that for this
reason the American flag has been well
nigh driven from the ocean. But Con
gress also knows that our prohibitory
tariff has seriously crippled American
commerce and proven a grievous op-
preston to the American people, and
as the Federal Legislature sought to
evade its duty and responsibility in re-
gard to a reformation of the tariff sys-
tenn by referring the subject to a COM
mission, so now it proposes to adopt the
same tactics in regard to the navigation
laws, which have well nigh destroyed
American shipping, and caused millions
of dollars per annum, which should re-
main in the country, to be paid out to
foreign ship owners.
Nevertheless, as in the case of tariff
reform, a commission to investigate and
report to Congress, upon the subject was
all that could be expected of a Republi-
can Congress devoted heart and soul to
the interests of protection and protec-
tiOnists, so now, since a commission is
| all we can expect from the same Con-
gress in the direction of a reformation of
| our navigation laws, it is to be hoped
such a body may be determined on.
| II this is done, it is also earnestly to be
hoped that it will not be organ
| lied on the same principle as was the
Tariff Commission. 1t should be COM
posed of men of experience and patriot
ism, who will not seek preteXts to con-
tinue laws which have proven disastrous
even to the parties for whose benefit they
! were enacted, but who will examine the
statistics of the startling decline in
American shipping, and earnestly seek a
remedy for the evil What the result
of thorough, impartial and unbiased
investigation of this subject will be,
there can be no doubt. When the com
missioners realize that there stands upon
our statute books foolish laws pro-
hibiting more than $1,000 of foreign
capital from being invested in Ameri-
can built ships, and forbidding foreign
bought ships to carry the American
flag; when they are forced to recog-
nize the fact that in consequence of
these and kindred laws, and of the high
protective tariff on articles required in
the construction of ships, ship building
in this country is prohibited industry
when it learns that, as a legitimate result
of all this foolish and sectional legisla-
ton, our shipping has degenerated to
such an extent that last year only 10 per
cent. of the freight money between Am.
erican and foreign ports amounting to
500, 900, 000-was earned by American
ships, when, on the basis OF twenty
years ago, they should have earned GA
per cent; when the commissioners re-
alzs all these facts, they must be i'm
pressed with the vital necessity of radi-
cal reform. Their work will be in no
sense partizan-beyond that the Democ-
racy faVors free ships and the abolition
of Radical laws which have cost the
country untold millions-but national
and patriotic, and if good, able and hon
est men are placed on the commission
substantial benefits to the country must
follow as a necessary consequence.
Tho Oamocrats have frightened the