The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-03-24
THE AMERICAN SHIPPING INTEREST.
1 nnsst,on Of H..ai rrisnart.

Snaai 1uaAo OcSiuntilS, tuOuSn al MS
q slow one. in the work of regaining
lost ground; and Until we do this no
healthy or permanent progress is pos
sble. The higher rate of wages paid
to men employed in the yards of Ameri-
can ship builders is not matter that
calls for the least consideration. Que
of the largest ship-builders on the Clyde
sad to the WI ter five 5ears ago that a
number of American mechanics whom
lie had brought ACROSS from the United
States to work id his yard. lit mere
than current American wages, were
The cheapest men id lis employ: The
labor cost Of repairing a VESSEL in. ahi
American port is ordinarily less than
the labor cost of similar repairs in the
ports of Europe. We pay higher wages
but we exact more than the equivalent
in faithful, constants and intelligent
service. The question hinges wholly
on the cost of materials So long as
our ship builders have to pay for the
iron. steel, copper. wood, and hemp
they require for their work much high
CT prices titan English hip-bulders
pay for These SAME materials, competi-
ton on the part Of tile former is litter;
rly hopeless. The surest means OF re-
lief would be a radical revision of the
tariff placing all these articles, in
their raw, manufactured, and
wholly manufactured condition. on the
free list Such an act would quickly
place our ship-bu lding interest upon
its feet. This may be called free
trade proposition; but it must DO re-
membercd that these who provide the
ships OF own tile Ships Engaged hi
foreign commerce should be, from Tie
very nature Of their business, opposed
to the advocates of natufal protection
system. Tho greater the volume of
exports and imports, the larger will be
tho business opportunities of the form
Ell. while every stccess scored by the
lattef implies Il lessened demand for
the facilities whisli tie f5rfiier have to
offer. Besides this, the experience III
the last quarter of a century shows
that while protection may have been of
advantage to certain favored interests
in this country. il has simply extin-
gtiished the American ocean MARINE,
A radical revision 81 the tariff Id
the manner suggested involves the
overthrow;ng of SO many strongly in
trenched interests that as an immediate
measure Of relief it is perhaps imprac-
titai. ailh3tigii it Is the only certainly
efiicacious means Of arriving at the
desired end. One other method has
been suggested, which has in it the
substance Of equity. In that it recog-
niaes that tho downfall Of the Anief.-
can merchant marine has been due 10
tho adverse influence of the protec-
ton tariff, and to that cause alone.
This is the bill reported in 1882 by the
Congressional comm ttee on American
shipping!
"When any vessel. steam 81 saii,
shall be constructed and equ pped in
the United States for foreign trade.
including the trade between the Allan
tic and Pacific ports of the United
States IN whole or in part of materials
of the productioR Of tile United States;
The owner or owners of such vessels
shall be entitled 10 receive and collect
from the United States q drawback or
sum equal in amount to the duty
VIII oh would have been collected on
imported materials OF like description
and Of equal duality With the Ametl-
can materials used in the construction,
equipment, engines, Boilers, and other
appurtenances OF such steam or sail
vessel. Provided that in ascertaining
such drawback the duties on such iron
or steel materials shall be computed
on iron anil steel advanced in manu-
facture not beyond the point of plates,
angles, bars, and rods. And provided.
further, that this section shall apply
only 10 vessels commenced after the
passage OF this act.''
An objection that might be raised to
this proposal is that it assumes that
drawback eqnal to the amount of duty
that would be paid upon imported
articles of the character described
would be equivalent to the difference
in the selling prices of these articles
i'll the English and American markets.
when, as y matter of fact, it would In
many instances he more than an Offset.
for the American selling price of iron
and steel plates, for example. is rarely
as high as the English selling price
plus the duty. However. there seems
to be no other way of arriving at an
adjustment of the loss which protection
occasions the American ship-builder,
and the additional gain. when there
was any, would be but slight compen-
sation on tile part of the government
for the injury which the adoption by 1t
of protective policy has caused the
owners and builders of American-shps.
But if tho drawback plan were to be
adopted. it would be far better to en-
large its scope so rs to include all
American vessels engaged either in
foreign or coastw;so trade, and to fur
Their supplement it by repeal of the
registration law and all other national
statutes which now attempt to regulate.
but which obstruct the development
of the American shipping interest II
our merchant marine is to be encour-
aged. if our government Is in some
way to make good to the ship-bullders
and ship-owners the losses they have
endured and are still enduring by the
maintenance of the system of indus
trial protection, then not only should
vessels now engaged in foreign
voyages receive the benefit of the
draw back. but all American merchant