New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-05

ference now In session.
ORR MERCHANT MARINE
,,, hut a ,er wears since W. stood first among 'hc
nations in shpburdlng, and were e1csin ons -
-, y,A,.t, :, tbe amount OF our ocean tohnaSe'
~. 81, ,ar a. foreign trade Is concerned, our sup
yards are comparatively SILENT t an o Ia one
ahos. t ~ onr tonnage was carried IN our own
80 per now 81 per cent is carried IN foreign BOTTOMS
Olce ont n,r immense tonnage of exports and i'm,
rnrtss ~ivrs employment mainly TO AMEN lapoI anu
allen capital leye g GI6 COO S or frght ami fares
Nor is This trbIte the only, or even ny WI :,
of the case, for our farmers anu 81 ,hs World sx
cent as they may be rcachcl ny INC SlIcliopuf -
bed for their own advantage ana convenient, w
our great competitors In these markets. Az W. "
whemlng public sentiment demands that ts ,I mn
initiation and loss shall cease. II our innusii h
sustained. extended and increased. we mus ceSs,
10 be dependent upon any other nation or PcoPio i
Doubtless there arc serious obstacles in the way,
and they greater than they weIH nc" 80 ~
ago. on account OF the immense capIai ihNcs'ou hi,
foreign steamship companies. with which We shal
have compete These Obstacles WIN cos.I ,I , W.
Invested Whatever is to be done must be done
promptly. We have tried the do-noInhs pU'oS nnf
enough Its results before u, ana lhey se aV
present humiliang ard Improbable po,l'lon o and
we use means at command to regain our o. po%c a
prestige on Tie ocesnl shall give that protection
and encouragement 10 orr shipping nelcs,s i. =" All
nations give to theirs an vc zen we vc by continued
neglect suffer them to he utterly destroyed Cavern
The lessons taught 10y the iou In,J inst now with
great profit The second act pass~l Dn IN 81 Amer.
tcan sSjrIing by the imposition of Discriminating
duty Of more than 100 per ccnt on As'"'' ia'''
notably on teas brought IN iors st Corrre.s July 90
ESQ n,uozcd discriminating tonnage duties on ior'is"
vessels entering our p"''' ''''' Cents
ms.can ysi r.i pGT Belonging to foreigners per 30
other Ves.cls per ton ---'''-
The .ame Congress on The 1st Of september, l.7,:
prohibited any but American Ncss3iS Io'" "'"@
me Tic t mem who had achieved the independence CT
The Republic left no doubt OF their pulPosc 20 Pr"
Ia -" So Tpat was the development of Our ship
a Rmdns an tbonc sc tRat W sod ships amounting
IN Hundreds OF thousand, OF tons - iorcsl'iS ana
merchant marine soon became Inc pr''' u o''
VG.clng the National sentiment IN i52oi p c,1,c
webster said We have eQmmf ere whGa law 'ch ron,
superior force" How Ike bitter irony ine'@ Wofa
would sound in 1850 inc bnn ct our and III w
NO 70 The voice Of fee trade. Congress ON inc
2lth Of MAY las psS,ed az Sci nI orc%ng oar an
ports TO the hips OF all nations u?on NC same 'as
as 10 own. Notwithstahdlng ms our n'.l.
wooden vessels were the only vehicles OF c0min'f,'
and Other nation RETAINED from peyhg nav SUI SUI
The place Of wooden sail-vcsscS. AMI European Coy
crnncnts began 10 pour their contnl htons mo IN
cadence of American skipping began and Ia con
timed ever since. No other result was possible
InG,r the Circumstances. When Open'1 our ports
TO the els Of the world. upon me boalest pm;
cIples OF equality and free trade, other nations sze
the advantages thus offered, aud at once began the
system OF liberal subsidies, while this naion leit
h,r citizen TO compete unaided against f0rc On ship
owners backed by the power ami financial AID OF
their Governments The total amount which has
thus been contributed to aid in sweeping our com
mcrce from the ocean Is not accurately known. but
the following cons 'rvative statement VIII give some
idea OF what ou2 people have had 10 contcnd with
in their heroic bat vain efforts TO maintain respect
From 1890 10 1855 Great Britain paid Out OF her
treasury 10 steamship COMPANIES for mail contracts
and subsidies over S25oO00o0o. and slnc. 80? she
has paid annually average Of $4,000.
The Italian Government pays an annual subsidy Of
France PAYS graduated bounty for &c, con;tE4cti}n
of vessels, from - to Sl2 ef ton and also bounty
per mile run. The asked for in the French
budgets Of 1883 and 1850 undor these heads amounted
to about ~ $50 coo; the annual ohtlay from 1881 TO
1856 Is stated at about $500 coo.
Germany contributes largely to the support Of her
steamships, paying as has been ,e Sated nearly
planted an unsubsidlzed American line, formerly
running between Ncw-York and Bremcn.
that country IN with the s
iafons and provides rebate of duties articles
imported tho construction OF vessels Her annual
compensation for ocean mails Is said to be over
81 100000.
The United states alone Of the great commercial
nations while encouraging railroads by liberal grants
and subsidies and protecting her coastwiSe and in
iernal commerce ard all her home industries has
utterly neglected and abandoned her great foreign
maritime Interests. oven declining 10 pay lar rates
for services rendered by vessels 0f the United states
although Congress had approx rlated money for the
American merchants. ship-buders. and ship owners
ask no spccial advantages Give them an equal
chance ard they will hold their against all
competitors But they cannot be eXr ectcd long
to maintain the unequal contest against foreign
capital. backed by foreign tre9slIies some Of our
hroad minded and patr1tic citizens are still struggling
is kept open. notably with South America. the West
Indies. and China and Japan Inc line 10 Brazil has
viii nj
and It,iy. all OF which are heavily subsidized for
eneciveP couDtrieS lie lines 10 me West Indies
come I'm direct competition with spanish ships running
between Havana Ncw-YOrk Boston. and Quebec and
Giving governmental bOuntics amounting TO S2O3OI
American Vessels r7inning between San Francisco
and Asatic ports and receiving mall compensation OF
only S14 446 81. year. have to compete with Tbs sub
ldized ships OF England ami other countri.s. aud
especially with the new line recently cs; absho1 for
tho express puIpOse of prcying upon our commerce.
both on land and Thi; aiest and boldcsi attach
upon our spOrtaiiOn interests i backed by sub
sides OF $500, 900 per annum, on the line between
Port Moody, in British Columbia, and China and Japan
and $500 600 per annum on the Atlantic line between
Liverpool and ST. Johns, New Brunswick. Tho rail
road which forms the connecting link between these
two steamer Ines. and thus gives a through route
rom Liverpool to China has been aided tho extent
$1G5 54e 900. stated In the annual report Of the
Pacific Railway COMPANY During tg as o ya
1896, $50 81, and 10 our own steamers only SlO0
Can there be any doubt how these unequal contests
will end 4 our Government maintains its position OF
supine Indifference -
Tie cvil and It's cause are both apparent. What
Is the remedy II cannot be found in Il resenacmen
of The legislation OF 1850, because treaes stand IN
the way and il would not now be eNIcdicnt' even II
we had no treaties on tho subject.
Granting American registers 10 foreignbnit ships
for foreign trade. would have but little effect and be
Lac r. would moi be I'm harmony with the principe
Of protection 10 American industries ~
The difficulty IS not much in the cost OF 1uihlns
sbinS ae in running them in competition with cheap
foreign labor supplemented bv immense foreign bour-
tics 50 far as materials for shipoulidng are con
has natural auNAnl1E'H over
ms our iron coal and timber are as cheap abundant
and accessible as In any other country our mechanic.
aro ursurnasscd I'm Skill and the matches genius OF
orr inventors Is the admia alton OF the world II II
costs somewhat more TO build ship In ths country
han r., FlIrnDr because American labor better pad,
led housed and clothed. IL Is cause Tor rejoicing
rather than regret; II shipbuNdlng Will NOT command
because that industry being wholly unprotected has
gone INTO foreign hands while the beneiicen American