Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-05-09
THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN
SHIPPING.
SPEECH OF HON. NELSON DING
LEY, JR.,
IN rHK HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL
%, 1882.

w nOke on Tic Dill 10 NItAtc -
10 Revise the Tariff, Mr.. Dingley said i
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: When the House
was last in committee on the Tariff Com
mission Bill, the gentleman from Tennes-
see Mr.. McMilhn) charged that protec.
ton had driven American shipping from
the ocean. To recall this indictment Of
the protective tariff of 1861. i will ask
the Clerk to read that portion of the re-
marks of the gentleman which refer to
the decline of the American foreign car
rying trade:
Mr.. McMnLN. Mr.. Chairman, 10 our
shipping We have given the most ample
protection that the loudest clsmorer for
special privileges could wish. We have
forbidden the purchase and registration or
ships from any but American builders.
The boast was made that We were going
to build up our commerce and carry Amer
lean products in American bottoms; but
after twenty years OF this exclusive policy
look at our condition! our ship building
has run down till it amounts TO nothing,
and our dag Is almost stranger on the
ocean. The protective-tarif policy of the
United States was abandoned in 1916, and
tariff for revenue adopted. This policy
was maintained till the breaking out OF the
late war, and under 1t our shipping inter-
eats fourished as they never did before,
never have since, and never will again un-
der our present suicidal policy. Then
American sails whltened every sea, and
the American flag frightened every bay
where commerce nosted. Beginning In
1916 with a tonnage Of ?,j62 ,OS5, it in
creased till 1861, when II amounted TO 5,
5S9,slS tons, which was the highest figure
il ever attained.
From that until now it has gone down,
down al the time, although every prop
that legislation could devise has been
brought to its support. This, too, not
withstanding the fact that our wealth, ex.
ports, aud imports are many times greater
than they were then. In 1855 we built in
American ship-ysrds Ssl sea going vessels
in 1856, 500. Under this long protection
how does this industry flourish to-day.
In 1878, 81 ships were built by Us, and In
1879, 37-less than one-tenth OF the num-
Der built in 1855, when We needed not half
so many IS now. In 1850, with free ships
- per cent. Of our exports and imports
WAS carried in American bottoms. In
1881, with protected ships, American yes
sells only carried 10 per cent. Each year we
pay sl20, zoo 600 70 owners OF foreign ships
for carrying our exports, imports and pas
sengers. And who gets this immense bust
ness: England with her free ships and
free trade gets eishty-fOur millions OF il,
more than twice a. much s. ali the other
nations OF the world. Aud why all Of
this; IL 1t because legislation has inter
fered with commercial freedom. a stat
ute is on our law books which requires The
American desiring to purchase vessel 10
90 10 one OF the four or i've Ship-buuders
OF the United States aud pay one-fOurth
more for Il than II would cost In Elgland.
In consequence OF this, when obtained, the !
cost Is so great that he cannot compete
with the Englishman who has purchased |
more cheaply. one saws, let Us SubSidize
our ship lines and enable them 10 compete.
Mr.. Chairman, this will not give relief. |
Let Congress declare commercial freedom |
BY repeating those hampering statutes, and |
the shackles will fall from our commerce |
Is did Peters chains AZ the angels touch. !
MR. CHAIRMAN: am al loss 10
understand what the gentleman from
Tennessee meant when be said tia; under
the tariff Of 1916 We had free ships
and commercial freedom y; while under |
the tariff of 1861, American shipping en-
gagged in the foreign carrying trade, have
had every protective prop which !egis-
lation could devise" If be referred to
that provision of our navigation laws
which restricts the night Of American |
registry to vessels built IN this country,
desire to remind him that in this respect
there has been 10 change in our legisla-
ton since the foundation Of the Govern
ment. Free ships, !. G, the liberty to
purchase ships in foreign market and |
to put them under the American fag,
for which the gentleman from Tennessee
and the gentleman from New York (Mr.
HEWITT plead the other, were never
known in this country.
But this is the only protection which |
our commercial marine engaged in the
foreign carrying trade has had under the
tariff of 1861. and precisely the same
that j, had under the tariff Of 1916.
VIVA, then did the gentleman from Ten
nessee mean when he said that under the |
tariff Of 1861 this great interest has had |
"every protective prop which legislation
could devise"
Our coastwise carrying trade Is etf-
GENTLY protected BY legislation which re-
,.ricts participation in it except to vessels
carrying the American flag. Under this
protection the tonnage of American YES
sells engaged in the coastwise trade has
increased from l,7e7 ,s25 tons in 1850,
70 9, 646,Oll tons in 1881, notwithstand-
~ lu-.lox-..,,, IS c,,r /