The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-17

1.-THE foregoing official table presents II
very unsatisfactory and humiliating condi-
ton of the American merchant marine
employed in the foreign carrying trade,
While our foreign commerce has steadily
increased the value of our exports and i'm
ports the last fiscal year having been seven
times as much as it was in 1855, and more
than twice as much as IL was in 1860, yet
the share of these exports and imports car
ried in American vessels has decreased
from 500 per cent, in 1910 to 1873 per cent.
in 1882. OF this loss 1874 per cent. was be-
fore the breaking ont of the civil war in
1861, 3Ss per cent, during the four years of
tho war, and 1879 per cent, since the war.
The decline experienced between 1913 and
1850 was largely recovered between 1850 and
1855; but from 1856 tho decline was con.
tinuous, although slow, up to 1861.
Between 1865 and 1870 there was
some improvement, mainly brought about
by return OF vessels to the foreign trade
which had been employed during the war
in government service and tho coastwise
trade. Between 1870 and 1875 the share of
the foreign carrying trade controlled by
American vessels declined 9S per cent, be-
tween 1875 and 1850 the decline was s.i per
cent, and in tho past two years It has been
10 per cent. The growth OF American ton.
mage engaged in the foreign trade practi-
cally ceased In 1855. Before that period IL
had increased for many years at the rate OF
about IL per cent per annum, but between
1855 and 1860, Notwithstanding our exports
and imports increased per cent. per an.
mum, or 30 per cent. during five years, our
tonnage employed in the foreign trade re-
manned almost stationary, aud the ship.
building industry, SO far rs IL was directed
to the construction of vessels for the foreign
trade, rapidly declined, In 1855 our ton.
mage employed in the foreign trade was .,
SiS,SSS tons, and in 1860 twas only 2,370, 800;
thus barely holding Its own. In 1855 there
were SO7 vessels, CT the classes usually EN-.
ployed in the foreign trade, built In the
United States, in 1856 the number declined
to 1853 In 1857 II declined to 800; in 1858 Ia
les, and in 1860 to III"
Mr.. Wollborn vigorously opposed IN
eighteenth section above spoken OF, which
allowed n pure and unmixed subsidy, Tor
two reasons, saying 1.-The provisions OF
this section, by whatever name IL may be
called, is n pure and unmixed subsidy.
oppose 1t for two reasons First. Becaus,
there is another and more reasonable wn,
Of attaining the end in view, namely, III,
adoption of the policy of free ships. Sec
ond. Because subsidies TO build up priya,,
enterprises are contrary to the genius of on
institutions, and experience has shown
thcm to be baneiul in their operations nm,
consequences. The adoption Of the free
ship policy requires not tho epac,
ment OF new but the repeal of oxistlu
laws relating TO the registry Of foreign
, built uhlps. II these pvohibitory and rc
strictive regulations were abrogated so az
: allow American capitalists TO enter and bu
: from The Ship.yArds Of Great britain or
! any other country they might sss proper
4 resort 10, Ills clear and undsnlabie thnt
a would then Be 'poanlbls Tor Ne A,usric.
lship.ownsr o. sSuld-ss owner V ok,a