The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-02-15
PERTINENT AND POINTED.
A Short but Ringing spcccl, by thc 1lO
ira y. tIRseltine lii CO,lgrc~s.

Lie IOuSc VI AftFeSeHIhtlNcS IaV-
ing under consideration the bill to re-
move certain burdens on the American
merchant marine, to encourage the
American foreign carrying trade, and
to amend the laws relating to the ship
mcnt and charge of seamen, Mr.. Hasel-
tine said:
Mr.. SPEAKER: l mn opposed to see.
ton II of the bill. am opposed to
degrading and humiliating the laboring
men placed on our vessels. The labor
ing men upon ship should have the.
same right to ask for assistance, and the
officer to render assistance, rs other in
dependent Americans. / would not
| degrade seamen upon American vessels.
| would not nllow the stars and stripes,
the emblem Of freedom Of the Ameri-
can republic, to float over a degraded
humanity.
Sir, l am willing to vote for any
reasonable bill to encourage shipbuild-
ing and every other industry. l would
! offer every reasonable encouragement
to enterprise and industry, to develop
the resources of this great country. Ii
We accept the statistics of the gentle
man from Maine, we built ships sue
cessfully until 1866. From that period
there was decadence. 1t was not the
low tariff of 1856 or the high tariff after
1860 which caused this decadence Of
American shipping. The final crisis of
1867, with shrinking volume Of
| money, had much to do with this mat
ter. During the four years Of war q
large part Of our shipping was driven
from the ocean. Other nations had the
most favorable opportunity to get pos
session Of the carrying trade. Our ma
tional policy after the war III shrinking
the volume Of money until 1878 had
much to do with the decadence in
American shipbuilding.
When capitalists could invest their
money in railroads and national banks
to pay them from 10 to 25 per cent, we
could not expect them to build ships to
be placed in competition with the
vessels built with 3 and per cent.
money of other nations. When a large
part Of the materials necessary to ship
building are cheaper in other countries,
when foreign labor is 45 per cent.
cheaper, and when the capital ncces.
sary to the purchase Of such materials
and labor is so much cheaper in other
nations, we cannot hope to compete
successfully in such CARRYING trade
Trade regulates itself. The same great
law of demand and supply pertains t,
the shipping industry that controls al
other industries.
When the volume of money was con
tracted by putting it into interest-bear
ing bonds and exempting the bonl'
from taxation, when money paid better
in non-taxable bonds and banks, ths
land was filled with millions Of unem
ployed men. When in 1878 Congress,
remonetized silver, stopped the IL
struction Of paper money, and increase,
the volume of money S4OO.274, 9S:
within two years and ten months from
the lst Of January, 1879, MI industries
revived and laboring men were EN-
ployed. In 1880 we built STA mile
Of new lines of railroads. As none,
became more plenty and intercs
cheaper we could build railroads. cite
and towns, and we could improve on
rivers and harbors. When the volum
of money shall he increased equal to tn
demands of business, when money vii
pay better in building ships than build
ing railroads and establishing banks
then may we expect to compete success
; fully with the cheap money, chca
materials and cheap labor of othe
countries.
When wooden vessels were prime
pallv used instead Of iron, aud We ha
} the immense pine forest OF Maine I
, supply cheap materials. We could CON
pete successfully with all other nations
. Hence, until the financial crisis Of 1851
,, American ship-builiing was success,
The emancipation of slave labor durin
the war, the change of material for shin
building from wood to iron. the con
traction of the volume of money, til
greater profits from the Investment {
money in other enterprises, have pr,
? vented our successful competition wit
l cheaper materials, cheaper labor an
cheaper money of other nations. "
) may pass this bill and remove all IL
burdens which we propose to reno,
by this bill--we may even donate lar.
subsidies-yet the cheaper money an
: cheaper labor will give the snecessf,
competition to other nations.
We passed hill prohibiting Chine,
immigration, to protect onr laborii
classes. 1t was right to do SO. .,
civilization, with equality of polite
privileges, with schools and xhurche
with reasonable supply Of food ri
comforts of the laboring classes. cou'
not be placed in competition with Il
lower civilization of the Chinese el
pire. We could not afford to degra.
the American laborer by such compel
tion. Sir, Notwithstanding all the p
triotic speeches which have been ma.
about our commerce in American bt
toms, carrying the American flag, '
cannot afford to cheaper the labor
our people, to degrade Americans to
level with Chinese coolies, chatt
slaves, or pauperiZed lahorers Of mo
archical governments. Since the "
our national policy has been change
A large amount Of special Legislation
the interest of capital invested in bono
railroads and national banks has thro,
capital into other channels. When {
NOSeTLIncill NSuss w S1uuV
ileges to build millionaire monopoli,
when it shall assume its high preros
tives of controlling the transportati
by just and equitable laws, and the
suing and controlling the money Of I
country, then will trade and CONNER
he regulated by the law OF supply a
demand.
Why should capitalists invest tin
\ money in shipbuilding and foreign co
| merce, in competition with all the che
! money and cheap labor Of nil other !
tions, when they have such spec
!. privileges, subsidies and other indu
!. ments offered them for Interstate CO
= merce; when they can establish th
@ lines of transportation through the r
1. States of the West and South, a
nd make their own freight rates, with
little or no competition; when our G
I, ernment permits them to take st
rent as they choose from all the far