National Republican., 1883-01-08
THE IIOTrgE.


TO learn moro about American shipping in
terests, and the effect of present laws upon
the carrying trade, than ever, before in one
day. Ex.-Gov. Dingley of Maine, spoke for
nearly three hours, and there was no lack of
attention He brought to the subject not only
q thorough knowledge Of the matter in hand,
coming from his work on the shipping COM
mittees report, but as well from the practical
side of it as il affects his own harbor-fringed
state. The subject did not at first promise in
terest, and the members drifted away, but they
gathered around again and listened to tho
end. Mr. Cox, of New York who dissents
from the report in some matters which touch
the tariff question: also made most interest
ing spccch. 1t was decidedly sailors day in
tho house.
The sneaker laid before the house a letter
from tho secretary of the navy transmitting
the recommendation of the naval advisory
board for an appropriation of $4,000 for test
ing the practicability of defective armor
Referred.
Also a message from tho President trans.
mitting q communication from the superin-
tcndcnt of the census asking for anappro-
priation of 100000 TO complete the tenth CEN
sus. Referred.
FOR MR., RAUMS BENEFIT.
Mr.. White, of Kentucky, offered n resolu-
tion reciting that large quantities of distilled
spirits now in bonded warehouses are owned
by Illinois capitalists who are petitioning for
another extension of the bonded period, and
calling on the commissioner of interal revenue
for information as to the number of gallons
of distilled spirits now i'll bonded warehouses
in Illinois; the number of employees of the
bureau in that state and the dates of their APP
uointment and whether or not the presence of
The commissioner of internal revenue is re-
uliired at this time in Illinois, preparatory to
the collection of the taxes on large quantities
of distilled spirits which, under the Carlisle
bill, have been allowed to remain in bond for
three wears, at Il loss to the revenue OF many
millions of dollars. Referred.
The house determined, by yeds 103, nays
So, to proceed to the consideration of the
shipping bill.
THE GAS CoMPANY's ALLEGED AGENT.
Pending which Mr.. Murch, of Maine, asked
leave to otiera resolution for the appointment
of select committee to investigate the truth
of the charge that the chief clerk of the house
had been retained in the clerks Office for
many years through the influence of the
Washington Gas Light company, of which he
is an officer and stocllholder in order to assist
il in securing favorable action.
Mr. Page declined to yield, and
THE SHIPPING BILL
was read.
The speaker pro tenn (NTr. Cannon, of Illi-
nois) overruled a point of order raised by Mr..
Reagan, of Texas that the bill must be con-
sidered in committee of the whole, and Mr..
Reagan appealed from the decision. After
very noisy discussion of the appeal it was
withdrawn, and it was agreed that the bill
should be considered in the house as in COM
mittee Of the whole.
Mr.. Page, of California, gave statement of
~ LII, nf M Cl
Tho bill was the result Of very careful con-
sideration and examination by the committee
of gentlemen who had made the question of
the foreign carrying trade the study of
lifetime. 1t looked to the encouragement and
revival of the great interest of shipbuilding in
the United States
Mr. Cox, of New York, then delivered n
carefully prepared speech in support of the
bill. He said In most cases, either of social
or physical grievances or disease, the way to
reach the remedy is to study the causes so rs
to remove them. The sickness even unto
death of our marine is partial exception to
this mode of treatment. Many of the causes
which produced the effect which we deplOre
have done their worst and have expired as
active energies. To their operation have been
added new causes, which congressional supine-
ness and injurious policies have intensified so
that, indeed, it may be said that if our nav-
CATION and commerce are to be restored the,
remedy must be as heroic as the case is des-
perate
We are progressing somewhat in the search
for remedies. We are eliminating delusive
proposals, such as subsidies. 1t is not neces-
sary to discuss subsidies, so called, any more.
The committee have not recommended sub
sidy as a remedy. While unnecessarily taking
up much of our report with irrelevant matter
we did not once consider il in the light of n
remedy. Subsidy is an obsolete and disgraced
system. While referring to a general postal
service as one of the fair methods of support
ing our marine, we do not ask the treasury
should bean eleemosynary institution for the
running of ships. No one has proposed to
create for our decrepid navigation charity
hospitals.
Ma Cox then proceeded to give an exhaus-
tive history of the origin of the navigation
laws, and continuing, said: These lnwswhose
origin is found in the horrors of the middle
passage, and whose history is Il part of the
most disgraceful experience of our country,
have ceased TO protect American shipping.
The protection of these laws, by the whirli-
gig and ravages of SINE, is given to the for
cigner-to the BritOn. We drive to him the
carrying of our persons and property; load
him with layers of freight and fare, and for
bid our own people from enjoying even n
share of the hundred and odd millions which
our laws transfer out Of our produce and pro-
ducers to the pocket of the foreigner!
If this be done to protect our shipbuilder, ii
it fails, The owner, If he would build here,
must do it at a loss of % or so per cent. If he
would buy, he must buy ships only thus built
Thus builder and owner are burdcnod by the
clinging of this old man of the sea
In summing up his argument ut the close
Mr., Cox said:
The relief, whatever IL is, must come as well
10 the shipbuildingas to the ship-using inter-
est Even if we removed all the burdens upon
The use of ships it will avail nothing so long
as the ships cannot bo bought or made MS
cheaply at home as abroad. Is il not marvel.
Gus that in this majority report the confess
sion is naiycly made that our merchant ship
ping laws remain the same as they were
originally framed moro than fourscore years
ago, and that they were all that were needed
50 long as the English laws were the same?
And yet the majority stop short OF the one
prominent and majestic feature Of the newly
constituted English systom-liberty TO build
and buy Commerce means bartor, ex-
change, buying and selling both IL we
would sell our products abroad we must
buy abroad. The tariff, by preventing
importatlons or exchanges, as in the South
American examples which the report of the
minority shows, destroys commerce. Com
merce being absent of what use is the ship or
its reyiyalY OF what use is the telescope if
there were no stars, or the spindle without
cotton, or any instrumentality without that
which gives it employment? So that when
we revive commerce by revising the tariff