The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-22
The Free ship RilI.

WASHINGTON, April 2l.--The Dunn free
ship bill, as reported to the House today by
the committee on merchant marine and fish
cries, is identical with the bin reported to
the last Congress, with the exception OF
two amendments limiting the business OF
the foreign built vessels admitted to Ameri-
can registry TO the foreign trade and ex.
pressly prohibiting them from engaging in
the coastwise trade OF the United States.
The majority report is also similar to that
which accompanied the bill when il was
reported during the last Congress with the
addition OF few tables from the report OF
the commissioners OF navigation, and the
statement that to longer retain in force the
superannuated law OF so-caled protection
to our merchants marine and the ship.
building interests OF our country, which
have produced the present disastrous and
Illuminating conditions, would seem to be
worse than ordinary folly, and would be
protection run mad" \ minority report
is signed by Messrs. Dingloy, Farquhar,
Hopkins, FELTON,, Cummings and Clark.
IL says the bill originates in q remarkable
manner, for aside from the bare majority
OF the members of the committee who
voted TO report the bill iayorably to
the House, and the individual who
advocated the conclusion Of our coast
wise tonnage in the provisions of the
bill not person nor company, nor q
maritime association, nor board OF trade,
nor trades guild or union OF working
men, nor a single knight OF Labor, Moran
American sailor nor an American mer-
chant, nor an American shipper, has by
personal appeal or petition, asked for the
enactment OF the bill into law. In this
respect the free ship policy Of reviving and
restoring the American merchant marine
is unique 10 say the least. Ii is a serious
Injustice TO the ship building interest in
that IL proposes TO place on the free list q
completed manufacture OF the most COM
plicatcd character, while every other com
plotted manufacture imported from n for
eign country is left with a duty OF at least
30 per cent. II is true that n section Of
the bill allows the importation Of ship
building materials free Of duty. But this
Is ogly mockery, for the reason that the
materials OF even an iron vessel consti-
tutc but small part of her cost. A free
ship policy looks 10 the purchase abroad
OF the vessels we may want for the foreign
trade, aud may result in the
destruction Of the ship building in
dusiry Of this country. The average wages
paid in IN American shipyard are at least
30 per cent. higher than IN an English
shipyard with this advantage, no capitalist
would invest the money required 20 estab-
lish extensive shipyards in this country
with the knowledge that he must
compete with English builders In the COM
mon market While the bill on its face
limits the free importation and registry Of
foreign built vessels To such ~ are intended
for the foreign trade, yet every one pac.
tically acquainted with the subject under
stands that no one would import and reg
istOr q foreign built vessel unless lac be
lievcd that the law would be ultimately so
modified as 10 allow him 20 use the vessel
in tire coastwisc rs well as the foreign
trade. IL would be impossible 10 resist the
appeal that would come from every man
who imported and registered such vessel
to allow him 10 use the vessel In all trades.
Good lawyers maintain that when vessel
il granted an American register she cannot
be denied all the privileges which the laws
grant to other American vessels and that
the law IN this respect would be void
Therefore the passage Of the bill would be
Justly regarded a. the entering wedge for
the admission Of foreign built vessels 10
our coasiwise rs well ~ foreign trade.