The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-20
The STARS AND STRIPES ARE MISSING
Among the Busy Vessels on the
Highway of the Seas
Because American Ship Owners Do
Not Receive encouragement.
The Decline of American Shipping
Explained by an Authority.

WASHINGTON, August 10. - Charles T.
Hill of this city, secretary of the American
and Industrial League, has prepared reply
to series of questions recently propounded
by some 200 merchants of Boston, and pub
lished in the Herald of that city, relative to
the decline of American shipping. The
questions and Mr. Hills answers are as fol-
lows:
"Has the protective tariff had any effect
in causing or retarding this state of things,
and, if so, in what way?"
No; the tariff has nothing to do with the
question, because we have the raw material
OF best quality at home, and which amounts
to only per cent in shipbuilding cost, the 95
per cent being a question of interest to
American labor of over 300 different indus
tries. Let our workingmen answer whether
they will give up the protection OF their in
terests and yield it to the foreigners.
IF this result has been due to the ravages
OF Confederate cruisers during the civil war,
why has the destruction gone on with in
creased force ever since the war ended?"
Why, as to Confederate cruisers destroy
ing American shipping, it is an insult to the
enterprise of our people to ask our naval Of
ficers if American shipping was knocked out
OF existence by Confederate cruisers. Ask
the American people generally If all enter.
their brain and spirit by Confederate cruis-
ers. 1t is an hypothesis.
why do American ship owners, especially
those sailing steamers of improved types,
prefer to sail under foreign flagg
Because England pays better American
shipowners would, Of course, prefer sailing
under the American flag if it were not for
the fact that the British government gives
by far more pay for carrying the mails, sun
dry perQuisites, emoluments, and thus afford
q living chance. They do not prefer the
flag. 1t is an hypothesis.
why should our ship-builders be protected
to the extent of prohibiting the importation
of foreign built vessels while competing
products in all other departments of industry
may be imported and used upon payment of
dutyp"
They have never been. There is no
protection to building and ship-builderS
have never asked it, but it is protection to
ship-owners that is needed, and protection
to ship-owners. is life to them, life to, ship
builders and life to every industry. in our
country and also prosperity, pride and power
to our people.
Almost every industry has been protected.
Shipping is not and has not been, for even
when a solemn national contract has been
made the United States Government has
really been a defaulter and repudiated such
contract. to the amusement, delight and
benefit of foreign nations. To imply that
shipping has been protected is an hypothesis
ana must De pronounced even WorSe-lt is
false.
''As few modern iron or steel ships are
built in this country, or sailed under our flag,
what class of our people wonld be injured by
allowing American owners of foreign-built
vessels Of this kind to take out American
registers?"
Every man, woman and child. By allow
ing foreign-built ships to take out an Ameri-
can registry the national government would
be robbed of a vast amount of circulating
currency, of interest paid and of prosperity
to our people. A real panic, indig-
nation. strikes, riots and failures would
result. Farmers, manufacturers and
laboreIs would be robbed, and, worse
than all, our national honor would be
disgraced. Who or where is the Ameri-
can who wants to see the Stars and Stripes
floating over foreign industries as If in ac-
that American genius, Amer
ican enterprise and American glory were
dead?
Furl the noble banner before disgracing it
before the world,
Mr., Hill closes his letter with the assur-
ance that it will give him pleasure to reply
more specifically TO any further points in the
condition of American shipping.