Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-24
SHIPBUlLDING MATERIALS
eEEAT0R GRAZ ON EXEMPTION
From DUrY.
Plain Example of How IRON shin.
building in Amorica Is Grippleh ,y
she Present TarirK--PrOlectionis isis
Afraid 10 be Just.

under discussion, Senator Gray of D,la.
ware proposed an amendment to The ta,.
tion q 5lO) providing for the exempciou
from taxation OF imported materials for
Dhipbuilding. He pointed out that this
section waa nearly identical with that Of
the revised statutes, enacted in 1883. Sin
pursuance of the policy that then seemed
TO receive tho assent OF all parliag.n IN
order TO "anable the builders OF yessels
Eor foreign trade TO receive their material
OF q rate that would ALLOW them to CON.
pete upon more just and equal terms
with foreign builders OF tho seme class Of
vessels." This provision WAS no framed
that 1t could be Of service only to the
builders OF wooden vessels. The Senate
committee had added "plateB, angles and
beams" senator Gray proposed to ex-
empt the following:
I. "Deck and bulb beams, together with
I all structural shapes Of iron or 6teel and
copper and composition metal iorgings OF
iron or steel, castings of iron, sieel, or
composition, hncs and tubes OF iron, steel
or composition, machinery and parts of
machines, aud all other articles o. foreign
production necessary fos the construction
and equipment of steamers or other yeg-
sells built in the United States for foreign
account and ownership, or for the pur-
pose OF being employed in the foreign
trade"
Mr.. Gray explained that his object was
to place iron shipbuiiding upon the same
footing as the building of wooden ships.
IL this project should suoceed, II itBhouid
be found that with free imported ma,
terials for building aud fitting iron or
steel vessels for the foreign trade or for
foreign account suoh vessels could be
built in this country in composition with
foreign builders, then the Senate would
have the satisfaction of having aided ia
practically establishing new industry,
since nothing Of the sort was now done
or could be done within the limits OF the
United States, not a blow was struck by
an American mechanic In the corstrua-
tion OF steamers for the foreign trade
either on our own or foreign account, not
q dollar OF American capital was devoted
TO such enterprises or to the wages of
map employed In them, One would he
inclined TO say that this was rs perfect,
complete, and logical o proteclionips prop,
ositinn, az protection 10 defined by its own
supporters az could be imagined. II was
promptly ohleeted to by Mr.. Sherman on
the ground that free machinery was in.
cluded, NWhen you nalne maehinery,n
said tho astuts Ohio statesman. .'you in.
clude too much and deprive American
citizens Of the manufacturing of these
nrticleHn Mr.. Gray might have replied
that II would still be open TO "American
citizens to manufacture these articies,1
aud to sell them, IL they could, or would,
do so cheaply enough to leave my profit
for the ship-builders or any chance for
the ship owners to compete with The own.
ers Of foreign built ships. But Mr.. Gray
ssemed determined to be very gentle with
his opponents, and he pointed out simply
that he proposed to do for the buildevs
of iron ships only what had already been
done for tho builders of wooden ships.
70 the former machinery was as neoes-
Hary as sails to the latter.
Moreover, by the next section e ,511)
of the Senate bill all materials for the re-
pair Of American vessels in the foreign
trade were admitted free. The principle
was the same, and he would be quite
willing TO place his amendment on that
section and admit free oil materials for
the repair or construction and fitting Of
such vessels. But this explanation did
not satisfy Mr.. Chace OF Rhode leland
nor his colleague, Mr.. Aldtich. They
wished to know why shipbuilding should
be selected for encouragement; would
the senator from Delaware stop at that
industry Plainly they thought that this
was only the entering wedge. II the
Senate were TO indulge in being reason.
able and logical who could say when the
end would come 10 these rumors MIR.
Gray replied in the following candid and
manly fashion:
"If We can we should relieve at any
point an industry that suffers from this
protective legislation. Here Is one that
manifestly does. 1t is conceded on all
hands that your protection has 80 shut
In and closed the avenues Of profitable
enterprise that this great enterprise, to
wit, the iron shipbuilding industry for
foreign account and to engage in foreign
commerce, is absolutely extinct in this
country. Why should We not all join
hands, whether we be high protectlonists
or those who do not believe in the pro.
teetive theory as advocated on that side,
In order that We may uplift this Ameri-
oan enterprise and again put ON its fent
American shipbnilding in condition to
compete with rival industries in foreign
countries? We need not hntsgonizs ench
other upon the theories of protection and
tariff reform in order TO do this. We
see that the protective tariff, which is ad-
vocated Oh the ground that it is useful to
All the industries Of this country, that it
promotes the prosperity of all the people
OF this country, in this one instance 10
orowding down and pressing out OF ex-
istenoe an industry as important as any
In this country. Why should not we, If
we can, lift the bars at one point without
assailing the protective tariff at any other,
and give chance FOR thiB industry to
get upon its feet; not only that it may
encourage that much of American labor
engaged in the construction of the hulls
and machinery of ships, but to send our
nag oil over the wOrld and encourage tine
ownership of American vessels engaged |
In foreign trade, and make new avenue |
for American capital and American enter
prise not now possessed by US.
"There are no industries such as those
that provide plates and angle bars
machinery, propeller wheels, and iron or
steel castings, which are now rendered |
possible as an adjunct to that branch OF
Bhipbuilding. There is NO iron or steel
forging now made anywhere in the United
States for vessel to be engaged in the
foreign trade because no such vessel can
be built in this country. Therefore il
We allow American shipbuilders by this
concession in our tariff laws TO build
vessel for the foreign trade we have not
hurt any American industry, but we have
greatly helped most important one
That seems to me to be plain. We are
making no assault upon any industry.
We are seeking to take the profit ftcm no
capitalist, TO diminish the labor of no
workman, but only to add to the sum OF
American industries this industry Of con-