National Republican., 1883-01-10
THE HOUSE.

The House resumed the consideration of
the shipping bill very early in the session
yesterday.
Mr.. Bisbee thought that there were fatal
objections to the section of the bill which
exempts vessels engaged in foreign trade from
state and municipal taxation. 1t was per-
fcctly obvious to him that congress had no
constitutional power to enact such n law, and
he fortified his position by citations of de-
cisions of the United States supreme court.
Mr.. Springer was about proceeding to make
an argument in the same direction when
colorcd man in the gallery arose and began
speaking in u loud voice until he was elected
by a doorkceper.
Mr.. Springer trusting that the interrupt
tiOn would not be taken from his time, con-
tinucd with his argument, contending that it
was n most extraordinary doctrine that con-
gress could interfere with state taxation not
prohibited by the constitution. A state could
not tax commerce, but It could tax the in
struments or means of commerce, II could
not tax the tonnage of q vessel, but
it could tax the vessel itself, The PAS
senger cases" 9th Howard) was case
in point. 1t was there decided that
it "a state) may tax ship or other ves-
sci used in commerce the same as the property
owned by its citizens" In the state tonnage
tax cases (12th Wallace) it was held by the
supreme court that ships and vessels owned
by individuals and belonging to the COM
mercial marine are regarded as the private
property of their owners, and as such are
plainly within the taxing power of the state
In one of the Reading railway cases (15th
Wallace) the court had decided that, though
the freight of transportation companies could
not be taxed by states, their gross receipts
could be. The effect of the proposed provision
would be to recognize the power of
the general government to tax the
property of all railway, steamboat
and stage coach companies. 1t would take
from state jurisdiction all this vast property
and confer it upon the general government
because the power to exempt included the
power to tax.
THE MILITARY ACADEMY BILL.
The regular order of business was here inter-
rupted rthe purpose of allowing Mr. Black
burn to report back from the appropriation
committee tho military academy bill with
senate amendments, The amendments were
non-concurred in. The consideration of
THE SHIPPING BILL.
was then resumed, Mr.. Herbert taking the
floor. He thought that the subject merited
most careful study. The bill proposed to eX-
tend to the sea the same system of protection
which had obtained so long on land. That
system had brought the country many bless
ings, but at the same time the country had
paid for them Mt n fearful cost. The bill pro-
posed to enter upon n system of subsidies
subsidies to shipbuilding and shipOwning.
1t was important that there should be mer-
chant marine, but he did not believe that
that result would be accomplished by the
pending measure. Suppose II war should
break out to-day between the nations of Eu-
rope. How long would il take the United States
to build a merchant marine? The war would
be over and irreparpblo disaster would have
been inflicted on our commerce before any
considerable number of ships could be built.
But If the proposed amendment allowing
Americans TO buy ships where they pleased
and sail them under the American flag were
adopted there would be fleet of merchant
marine almost instantaneOusly. He con-
tended that under the drawback clause of the
bill an immense profit could be made by the
shipowuer or shipbuildor Under it an
American ship could be built in John ROach's
yard OF steel cheaper than ii could be Of iron.
American steel was worth $40 ton and the
tariff on foreign steel was sos u tom SO
that the government would nay to
the builder S2S, while he only eX-
pended Sl2. American iron was worth
$22 ton and tho tariff was 81, so that the
builder would have to eXpend $40. The
theory of this bill was to put American ship
builders on an equality with English ship
builders. IL that was what was required it
could be accomplished by giving them free
materials As it was the bill presented vast
opportunities for fraud and the American
people could never know where it would end.
Mr.. Hammond said that the gontepan
from Maryland (Mr, Mcl.ane) had quoted
Thomas Jefferson ~ having been in favor of
bill of this character. The doctrine uttered
by jefferson, as he regarded it, was mere
declaration that when war threatened the
country should prepare for war,
Mr.. MCLaul said that II had much more
general significance. 1t spoke of the general
policy of the country at all times.
Mr.. Hammond Gpntended that Jefferson
had alluded to the fact that England was in
sulting the United States, and claiming the
right to search her ships. If congress was now
preparing for war let il say so honestly and
build a navy. There was no no danger Ofwar.
There was no nation of the earth attempting
to take any advantage Of us. At all events
war made trade and opened up new channels
OF thought and enterprise. The SOUTH with
out a ship, without tool, had built vessel
which had driven the navy OF the north like
pigeons in fright from the sea. Tho gentle
man from Maryland had talked about the inn
minence Of general war in Europe. He Mr..
HummOnd) did not believe that the world
would so play the fool.
The thicSly populated nations Of Europe
were often at war; but mainly because they
were in readiness TO go to war. IL was that
readiness that begat a disposition for war.
The United States occupied an entirely differ
ent position, 1t had done enough, For
hundred years il need seek no conquest for
u thousand years il would not seek conquest
unless the fundamental principles of the gov
eTnlnCnt were forgotten, In an economic
point of view il was immaterial 10 the farm
l. 4. a. A.