Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-11
TO BUILD Up OUR SHIPPING.


We too mourn the decadenca Of the
American Merchant Marine. We too
deplore the almost total disappearance
OF the American flag from the high
seas. But we most emphatically disa-
gree with Every Evening when it
ascribes this dscline TO the agency Of
the protective tariff. The two hava
not the slightest connection, and
il is not true to assert that they DO.
The repui alton of Every Evening 8
assertion is found in the fact that en-
thusiastic fro trad r are found among
prominent members Of the American
Shipping and Industrial League, which
organization has for its object the re-
Mobilization Of our Merchant Marine. Al
number Of free traders are supporting
Amos Cummings's tonnage bill, which
advocates the paying Of so cente per
Thousand miles for each ton, to vessels
engaged in the foreign carrying trade.
Since 1860 this country has lost GO
per centum of the carrying trade OF
the world. This 60 per cent. has gone
to the vessels OF foreign countries, OF
by reason Of any peculiarities in their
laws regarding tariff and free trade,
but simply because they have sup
ported their vessels in the same man
ner that the tonnage bill proposes.
The bubble argument that the decline
of our Merchant Marine is due to the
protective tariff is exploded by the
mere assertion that the trade that we
have lost has been taken by
free trade aud tariff countries alike,
The laws affecting the cargo Of the
vessel should not enter the discus
sion at all. The plain reason that
other counteies now carry our mer
ehandise is because they are enabled to
offer the exporter aid the importer
much lower "a e. of freight. Why is
this y Il Is simply due to the fact that
foreign eover mants give money 10
their vessel owners to enable them 10
bid lower than American vessel owners,
without suffering losa. They have
the huoaluY 70 TAIL back on.
Take a familiar illustration. SIM
pose grocery store is established
upon the south side Of street. 1t soon
secures profitable custom. lin a short
time, rival store is established upon
the north side Of the street. COMPETE
ton begins. The merchant on the
south side has a rich uncle who is in
terested in his nephew's success. He
is informed that the other merchant
has set mp a rival store on the north
side and Immediately determines that
his nephew 3 business shall thrive at
the expense Of the north side merchant.
he then guarantees his nephew Is per
centum profit on his sales. The
nephew Immediately lowers his prices
to cost, having this 10 per centuun as
clear profit. The north side merchans
cannot sell at cost ard is compelled Of
course to quit business or else find
rich uncle to guarantee him 10 per
centum.
The governments Of the foreign
countries that have absorbed our car
rying trade bear the same relation TO
the foreign vessel owners that the rich
uncle did to the south side grocer, his
nephew. The only resort left TO the
United States then is a similar policy,
that is, 10 grant to American vessel
owners money enough TO enable them
TO compete in the carriage Of
freights, on an equal footing with
foreign vessel owners. This means
the passage Of the Tonnage bill. Then
and not till then will we be able once
more to control two.thirds OF the
worlds commerce. Such was once
our boast and such should now be our
boast.