National Republican., 1883-02-19

said he had been requested to say few words
on American shipping. He alluded to the
paper of Mr.. Roach, and said It went over the
subject so fully that but little remained 10 be
said. Thore were fow men in the country
who knew as much on the subject Of Ameri-
can shipping, and no one who could express
that knowledge better than Mr.. Roach. He
held it to be patriotic duty to revive the
American marine, and TO rebuild up our for
eign carrying trade. We wanted to discuss
the American merchant marine which Incl
dentally included the American navy, for
the transition in time Of war, from q good
merchant ship TO man-of-war was easy. 1t
is with feeling Of just pride that any ma
tiOn points to her flag on every sea. Eng
land, by proper policy, has earned the right
to the title she bears of the mistress of the
seas" Other nations got their ideas of her
strength and intelligence from the extent and
capacity of her marine.
Alluding to the fact that for the past few
years we had been paying yearly from $780,
100000 to $140,000,O00 TO other nations for
carrying our exports and imports he said that
the statement was appalling. A few years
ago the balance of trade in our favor was
$4OO,000,OO0. And yet with all this
we were paying somebody else for
carrying this trade some 140 millions. There
was no reason this state of things should be-.
Outside of sentiment and patriotism, simply
on business principles, il should not be. Free
ship" we have been told, means free trade in
ships, and he was opposed ON principle to free
trode in anything But " free ships" means
little more than free trade in ships. Under
the navigation laws of the United States, no
ship can receive an American registration
unless it is owned by Americans and built in
an American yard. They also provide
that the officers shall be American
citizens, and also prohibition, that
no foreign ship shall engage in the coasting
trade. Now, is this n wise provision Is it
wise that we should turn over the manning of
our ships to foreignersp l say no, and that
in this respect the navigation laws are correct
That is the only restriction put upon foreign
ships by our laws" He cited cases where
English ships come into free competition with
ours, and he had no doubt that in the cases he
alluded to the English ship owners had in
their hands the subsidy paid them by the
English government whilo ours received
none.
The revival of American marine depends
on the registration laws and such protection
as will enable our manufacturers to compete
with the shipbuilders on the Clyde and else
where; and secondly, or such assistance from
the government as will enable the native ship
owners and seamen to compete with foreign
and seamen. Englands policy
has been first to discover n market, and sec
ondly to fill that market with every thing that
the people needed; and then taking one step
further to provide the ships to carry those
articles. While doing that she was building
up great shipbuilding industry that ena-
bled her to triumph over other nations.
He alluded to the contract between Mr..
Roach and Dom Pedro, emperor Of Brazil, pro-
viding for line of steamers from New York
to Brazil Brazil was to pay yearly COM
provided the United States govern
ment would. Prior to that time there was no
trade, no financial intercourse between the
United States and Brazil except by way of
Europe. But the house of representatives re-
fused to indorse the contract, and, under tho
English system of warfare, on everything
foreign, the American line ceased. In its
stead Canada line subsidized by the Eng
lish government, is getting the benefits we
would and should have had.
The protection of American shipbuilding in
with American labor was another
point he elaborated. OF tho total cost of
merchant ship built in this country
fully 30 per cent. was for labor.> Why does
this labor need protection? 1t has been DEM
onstrated by the shipping committee Of our
congress that the labor in building ships on
The Delaware is paid go per cent more wages
than labor in the shipyards on the Clyde and
the Tyne He was glad of it, and believed
The ship laborers on the Delaware were 100
per cent. better Off than their brethren on the
Clyde. He alluded to the fact that in the city
Of Chester these workmen in the shipyards
fill most important positions in the COM
nunity where they live. An industry that
IAN so elevate the workingman should be fos-
tered, protected, and extended.
DIR. YOUNG
here stated that in Elders great shipyard on
he Clyde the average weekly wages were in
1874, $6.0S; in the shops of Cramp & Son,
philadelphia, $l2,32. The best machinest in
he Clyde shipyard received weekly, $3.50;
he same class in Philadelphia, $1S. In 1882
jhe wages Of the best machnists in Elders
hipyard had been raised TO $5.0i, but the
number of hours Of work per week had been
increased also.
GOV. DINGLEY, OF MAINE,
aid he felt deep interest in this matter of
He desired TO call the atten-
ion of the association to the fact that every
industry in this country that is protected en-
oys greater prosperity than any similar in
lustry elsewhere. There is one industry not
'rotected-the foreign carrying trade; and
because it is not protected it has declined and
anguishes. In 1910 s2l per cent. of the
yero carried under the American
lag. In 1882, Notwithstanding the almost
abulous increase in our exports and imports,
he proportion carried under the American
lag was only 15i per cent. When we go
lpon the ocean we cannot apply the princi-
Die of direct protection as in other industries,
tut we can apply the principle of compensa-
ory protection. We have not, however, and
inless it be done soon in ten years the
american flag will have been banished from
ho ocean. The speaker pointed out the
allacy of the idea that England had'nothing
% protect her marine. Had our Marine he
aid, received one-tenth of the compensatory
protection that the English carrying trade
has received its prosperity would have left
nothing to be desired.
For example, ship on the Clyde worth
Il 100000 makes profit of 8 per cent, and
IN that profit pays n tax of per cent, or
II 800. In this country similar ship would
lave paid $4,000. Then as to the amount of
ubsidy paid by the English government, it
las been said that England does not give sub
idies. She does. She calls it pay for carry
ng her mail, but it is subsidy nevertheless.
What does she do when foreign competitor
ppearsp She increases the amount of mail
,ay" until the competitor is driven Off the
leld. England is the most protective nation
IN the face of the earth.
The building up of our merchant marine
s more than of business Importance.
Z is a national question, which goes
lome to every heart No nation
AN be a self-sustaining one unless it can do
Is own carrying trade. To-day 55 per cent
If our productions are carried in foreign bot |
oms. Suppose England should get into
var with nation strong enough to put pri-
'ateers ON the ocean to prey on British COM
nerce, we should suffer worse than the En-
dish. A merchant marine is the militia of
he seas, and no nation can have a navy that