New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-21
IN FAVOR OF SUBSIDIES.
ACTION BY MERCANTILE COMMITTEES.

ALMOST UNANIMOUS FOR THE FRENCH MILEA"H
sYsTRM-JoHN RoACn's SPEECH.
An adjourned meeting of the committees
from the various mercantile associations mteresteu "
the revival OF American commerce was heid IeS'oi!
mt the Chamber of Commerce. Representatives, VIZ
present from the Chamber OF Commerce the Nat'on"
BOARD OF Steamship Owners Produce Exchange boaru
of Trade and Transportation, ana Tue ""'I'''
Metal and Mercantile Exchanges. captain Snow
chairman OF the Special Committee or the Marlu"o hA
change presided. circular was placed oeIOIo quo
mittees showing the decrease In American sniPpi"H
since 1863 and advocating the French system oi hie
ace winch allows 80 cents ton for every ono hundred
miles sailed by any vessel whether under san OF Stea
snbsidy to he continued for ten years Captain snow
then stated that the majority Of merchants we're In aVor
OF the subsidy Of 80 cents ton with the further SUI
laon that after ten years cents ton be pad ny no
Government for every i,G3o miles sailed. 49,
Isaac Phillips did think thai this sStem "ouu W
OF any benefit to the present generation
William Chase said that the only objection tna' ne iu
70 the subsidy system was that 1t taxed the people too
much. -. 49,.
Dwight Townsend suggested that the United states
Government might build ships and eharter 'ne'n 10
American owners, the parties TO whom the ShPs "o'
chartered to man them and gradually pay lhe uo'o'"
ment for Them 1--WE must have cheap snps ana one"P
lohor he said In order compete with the pauper
labor of Europe" The speaker said that the "es'
wouId not be IN its present prosperous condluoh ~
were not for the system of help given 1t by he o'or
ment III,
doo,,dpa which some of the gentlemen present
were approaching that II America could BUY shpS OF
manufactured goods cheaper abroad than AT none ~
shond do So lie said that the value OF manntctures
'n ib;s CITY last wear was 1922 100000. If the people
OF the country bought foreign manufactures Iot
6 900 900 of cotton sold abroad last year ire oaance
81 trsGc wonId he against the county by $59,O00O0O
The timber coal the iron ana everything n,
nst Inc added TO that Mr. Roach said that The people
OF ali nations invited to come here ana WIFI tu
came they ,.xpeci cd "A days pay Tor Iair uS :
work lie sho if that labor was injured an tna
a1 SoT b nndone lie thought that gentlemen
present should ask the Chamber OF Commerce 10 up
sk that $50 900 900 granted for the purpose OF run
ming ships every part of the globe ana to secure VI.
MIR Roach said he had made study OF tue ihatgI
ana understood 1t as ihorCug6y as amy man smap
pinn and was now paying her leading shipping INES
per year for twenty years. ,., ovorts tn Ans
traa and south America He sara that tnese iiT
Go KAY t a. IL cost 81 Ia cents in silver before pound
of this wool could he placed sNew,Engiand sphe IT,
commerce with these countries was virtually dead tn
was I'M consequence OF the tariff placed on he ~
urers' commodities lie advocated no SUBSIDY ou' "o
Joseph Gaines said that he ship-owner and
free-rader. He thought that shPro"hSG no"id
S be them Cheapest whether in country some
other end a. the Government subsidized railways nc
did not see why 1t should not substitute SHIPS ,,h
General Negley said that tins was question Hnh
rhallnuE eu
lam OF the country He described the policy OF Ehgahu
in giving $2.2o0.o00 as free eiit 10 supporI
her mercantile marine when thls country
was i'm difficulty The inland postal system dld hot pay
as vet; tue Government suppOredu ana II bhouAu "o
the same with American ships. ,..... ,od
William ii. Webb said that the shipping business hiu
passed INTO the hands of those who were aDlc 10 nOi H.
III left America she could not take care OF H. an
unless support obtained from the Government thTe
would soon the country competent 70 puIu
a shin No apprentices were taken anu az
ressni the Goyernment was suffering from the want OF
shtpbuilders Something must be zone OF the A"40ii
ceas u
o. b. Potter in favor OF taking AT leaS olo Iih
nortant step in the interest OF the American mai anu
Wished 10 have American ships get the benefit oi me
Profits OF the mail service by means OF substitutes
lie sid that he hoped to such Dll passed ~.
Mr. LOrillard said that be was director IN me lnos'
foolish company in the world, the Pachc MAI otoah
shin Company, which tries to run twentyOhe sIedl
ships ~ bon the Atlantic and Pacific ocean. ne sPokc
OF the Wav in which the steamships had 10 wait iOF t
mails and also land them and take them 10 me pos
office without any compensation. ana eau una NV
Canadian Pacific Railroad would subsdHt me ol
steamers to Au .tralla ana China ana thit lhe
Mail Steams ship Company might as well go OUT Oh
business. 49,, ,y, b..
A resolution favorng the French mileage system was
then carried with only one dissenting vote.