The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-05-24
XLIXth CONGRESS- FIRST SESSION.
HOUSE

WASHINGTON, May %.
In the House, to-day, Mr. Dunn of Arkan-
sas submitted an argument in support of the
free ship bill, which would repeal restricted
law which worked a great injury to the peo-
pie of the country 1t had been reacting dis
astrously to the general public good, and es-
pecially to the shipping of the United States
engaged in the foreign carrying trade Citi-
zens of the United States had passed out of
the competition because they of all nations
were denied by their own laws the privilege
of purchasing ships where they could buy
them the cheapest, and having them register
ed as vessels Of their own country. While
wooden sailing ships did the ocean carrying
trade of the world, and these ships could be
built cheaper in the United States than else
where, we took and steadily maintained a
leading position in the worlds ocean carrying
trade, but about the year 1856 England COM
menced to build iron and steel steamships,
and as fast as they were built and equipped
the commerce of the world was transferred
to them because of their superior speed and
supposed safety. There was but one hope
left to us for further effort at maintaining our
position and interests in the carrying trade,
and that was to do what all other countries
wished did, repeal our antiquated navigation
laws, and allow our people to buy iron and
steel steamers.where we could get them as
cheaply as our foreign competitors, and reg
lister them as vessels of the United States.
Mr.. Dingley of Maine deprecated such a
radical change in the policy of the govern
ment as was contemplated in the pending
bill The policy which it was proposed to
overthrow had been adopted by the founders
of the government, and had continued for a
hundred years without criticism until very re-
Gently. TO pass this bill would be to dis
crsminate unjustly against the shipbuilding
interest. Should it become a law, and should
the Morrison tariff bill be passed, the only
complete manufactured product which would
be placed on the free list would be a fully
equipped vessel, so per. cent. of which would
be labor The trouble in competing on the
sea with Great Britain didnot arise from the
first cost of the vessel. A vessel built on the
Clyde was 10 or - per cent. cheaper than
that built in America, which distributed over
the life of an iron ship was a small consider
alton. The great difference arose in the cost
Of sailing the vessel, growing entirely out of
the higher wages and better food demanded
on American vessels A free ship policy was
an invitation not only to buy foreign ships,
but also to sail Under a British register after
they were bought Such policy would serve
to extinguish the commendable and indispen-
sable patriotic instinct which led Americans
to look upon American built and registered
ships as representing the power, the ambition,
the wealth, the prestige, the prosperity and
the civilization of the United States.
Pending further debate the committee rose
and on motion of Mr.. Randall of Pennsylva-
mia the Senate amendments to the urgent de-
ficiency bill were concurred in and then at
$40 the House adjourned.