Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-02-12


ships only. Since the use OF steam ha'
been made one Of the vital factors Of oon
meroe, aud the major part Of the tran.
sportation Of mercb sndise ia inde bted tc
II for a means OF accomplishment, tht
same Glasses OF hinderanoes that have
practically driven onr sailing ships from
the seas have addressed Themselves 10
AmerioAn steemehipB in even greater
degree, and to-day, with the exception Of
few vessels running from the United
States to West Indian or South American
ports, four or Eve lines In all, and two
others from San Francisco to Pacific ports,
the American people are without repre-
sanitation in the foreign carrying trade,
so far as steamships relate. Twelve years
ago, line oonsisti Of four large and
costly steamships under American registry
engaged in the transatlantic trade.
From the first voyage made until the last
their story bas been only one OF loss Of
| dividends and disgust OF shareholders,
who have little expectation Of ever seeing
any part Of their Investment agaiu. OF
the class Of steamships known as rowing
cargo vessels, those which have no fixed
route, but carry freiahts to any part Of
the world where 1t may be their good
| fortune to ortain them, and Of which the
English rs we'll as the continental nations
Of Europe own many hundreds, these
have to great degree taken the place OF
the sailing ships OF 80 years ago. Not
one Of the class is to day under an Amer
loan registry, and, II any intetests are
owned In them BY American citizens, they
are held under the kindly Bzis Of some
foreign flag.
have spoken Of the destructive effect
Of the protective system upon those OF
our oountrymen who essay to share in the
carrying trade Of the world. There ia
another class upon whom the blight has
fallen, with equal powers to wither,
namely, those who build ships, and
though It has been the policy OF the ad-
vooates Of "proteotion, in all Of the
past years through which the system has
existed, to give to this important interest
its more than full share, in that all men
who would have their ships enjoy the
covering Of an American register, and
thereby have the protection Of itt
flag, must, as Q condition preos-
dent, have them built In the
United States; nevertheless, the fact that
AmerIcRn vessels can not be proitsbly
employed in foreign trade, except under
peculiar conditions, which rarely occur,
is an explanation why few or none are
wanted, and, con ,equently, none built.
Hence the few shipbuilding establish
ments that remain are In the main em
ployed upon river boats and vessels 70.
ooastwise service In the United States.
II may be asked here what the American
people gain by continuing policy so sub
80 .1 al Ii
terests have referred to. 1t is hard 1,
deed, to point 10 9 single result OF tt
system that at present ia in practice this
commends itself as possessing an 40
vantage that would not be attained
equal or fuller degree, by tn.
aorogation Of all import taxes, ex
uspting only those that woulo
be necessary to supply sufficient revenu,
to furnish means to discharge the ex
penses OF the government, limiting taxa
tion to the iewet possible items, and
those only which would supply the
needed revenue at the least practicable
trouble and cost. That which certainly
has been accom- plished is the almost com.
plete destruction Of once great and
prosperous mercantile marine the prao
tioal isolation Of our manufactures,
in so far as the markets OF the world are
concerned the dwindling into insignifi
canoe OF the important shipbuilding In
dustry; all following In the logical
sequence Of the attempt to maintain
high taxation, standard OF values
far above the level OF that OF
otler civilized nations in short, dimin
ishing the purchasing power OF money
az in this las, particular creating q bar,
a hindraLc ce, and an almost ihsurmount
Ebie obstruction, to the sale Of msuuiac-
suIod &stIst.s - Ss-sty- ----.-s-
this all. The high tariff system present
Constant temptation to the integrity Of sll
those engaged in importing goods Tn
opportunity to falsiiy invoices Al under
value msrch sndlse that is subj-ct to
ad valorem duties, to the end that cust m
house exactions may thereby bs av ide1,
is frequent and prevsiog. No govern,
meut oan afford to hold out indirect in-
duoements to its citissns TO commit per-
Jury. The evils which follow in the train
Of the existing system Of colleoting
import duties are having q greater infiu
anoe toward the destruction Of integrity,
1 publ as we'll as private oapaoity ,thaD
all other causes combined This may
seem to those whose everyday oocupa-
tions carry them far away from such
association as q broad statement. can
only appeal TOR its verifestion to those
who are familiar with the subject. II ia
often stated by the advooEtes OF the
protective system that we are rs
pei pie rich aud prosperous, that
no country in the world affords its oiti-
zens 30 excellent an opportunity TO rise
above the woes Of poverty as does this Of
ours, and immt distely claim conclusion
that 1t ia all due to its beneiosnt plan Of
high taxation Of imports. But let us
examine. The Middle States, or better
said, the district lying between north lat
itude $40 and 43o, and stretching from
thI Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, is rich
In immense deposits OF coal, iron, pc.
troll .um, mineral and metallic ores, all
Of which are more cessible-that is to
say, within easier reach-than are those
possessed by any other civilized people,
| while great forests OF oak, pine, hemloob,
spl nee and other valuable woods abourd
| throughout Its whole extent. The soil Il
fertile, producing excellent crops Of all
the cereals and grasses; abundant
streams furnish water power throughout
the major part. All Of these constitute
elements Of wealth which no other people
possess on the same, or even ap
proaohing, degree. To the north
| the same conditions obtain, with perhaps
less sbundant crops Of grain and
grass, ana In addition are found deposits
Of copper, the huest an richest in the
world. To the south ia the great cotton
belt, that seems to have been the area
specially selected by nature to produce
the one plant that all the world needs for
its supply Of clothing. Over this district
during the spring and summer months,
the south and southeast winds come laden
with moisture from the Atlantic and
Gulf OF Mexico, and warmed by recent
contact with the heated water, supply
precisely the nourishment needed by the
plant to sustain its most Luxurious
growth, conditions that exist nowhere
Else in the world, for nowhere else car
cotton be cultivated with the SAINT
measure OF success. With surrounding
such as these, and Sources Of real wealth
in unmeAsured quantity, at the doors
our people, and with population at onc'
intelligent, industrious and energetic
skilled in engineering, mechanic art
knowledge OF mining and agriculture
is 1t strange that they are prosper'Ds
But how much more rich and great nigh
they have been had . system obtained
under which all Glasses Of Manufactured
/ goods could have been freely sold abroad
/ instead Of confning exports to raw an'
uuworked materials and few specialize
OF manufacturef Whether the greatnes
) OF the United States ia q result OF tn
. natural conditions referred, Supplemental
by the skill, industry and ability of thei
/ people, or because OF the influence 0