The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-03-08

cannot be long delayed, all damages can b
repaired and general prosperity secured
This legislation will be found in removing
from the tariff everything that stands IN the
way Of international trade and the adoption
OF the needful means for the restoration Of
our merchant marine.
With what Mr.. Blaine says about the ship
ping interest of the United States ! am IN
hearty accord. Mr., Blaine says:
The failure Of the United States TO encourage
and establish commercial lines Of American ships
Is In strange contrast with the jealous efforts
made TO extend lines Of railway inside the coun-
try, even to the point Of anticipating the real
needs of many sections II all the advances 70
railway companies, together with the outright
gifts by towns. cities counties states and nation,
be added together, the money value would not
fall short of thousand millions Of dollars No
effort seems too great for our people when the In
terror Of the country Is to be connected with the
seaboard but when the suggestion Is made 10
connect our seaboard with commercial cities OF
other countries by lines Of steamships the public
mind Is ut once disturbed by the cry OF sub
sidy." We really feel as much afraid OF protec-
ton at sea as Mr.. Gladstone Is OF protection on
land. The positions Of the American congress
and the English parliament on this subject are
precisely reversed England has never been af-
frighted by the word subsidy, and while We have
stood still in impotent fear she has taken posses
sion Of the seas by the judicious and even lavish
interposiion Of pecuniary aid. have already
said that the interest on the amount which Eng
land has paid for this object since she began It
with great energy fifty years ago wcuh give al
the stimulus needed for the rapid expansion OF
our commerce. Let it be added that II the gov
eminent of the United States will for twenty years
to come give merely the interest upon the inter
est, at the rate Of per cent, on the amount
which has been free gift to railroads, every
steamship line needed on the Atlantic, the Pacific
and the Gulf will spring into existence within two
years from the passage Of the act 1t is but a few
years since congress twice refused to give even
SIPS 900 per annum to secure admirable line OF
steamers from New York To the four largest ports
of Brazil and the sum of Sl25, COZ is but the inter
est upon the interest," at per cent, of the gross
amount freely given to the construction OF rail
roads within the Union. Is it any wonder that we
have lost all prestige on the scar
THE SHIPPING INTEREST
This failure has been the result Of want
Of comprehensive craftsmanship in congress.
Fifty years ago the United States was second
only to Great Britain as a maritime nation
now she is outstripped by nations that were
then quite unknown as maritime powers The
deadlest blow to the shipping of the United
States was in the substitution of iron for
wood in the construction of ships. What was
left of her foreign shipping was destroyed in
the last civil war. Now, as no nation can be
really great that is dependent upon other ma
lions for the ships to carry on its foreign
trade, one would suppose that the restoration
of our foreign shipping which had been thus
destroyed would long since have received the
earnest attention Of congress. But session
after session has passed away, and nothing
| has been accomplished in this direction, while
the difficulties to be overcome have been
steadily increasing. 1t is true that subsidies
were few years ago granted to American
| lines which failed to accomplish the expected
results, but this should only make it certain
that what may be done hereafter shall be
done with more circumspectinn. The United
States can certainly do what other nations
have successfully accomplished in n matter of
great national Importance.
The indifference with which western con-
gressmen and western journals regard our
| foreign shipping interest may not be surpris-
ing, as they are mainly interested in the de-
velopment of their own section; but it is sur
prising that so little interest in it is felt by
representatives from the seaboard states, and
by the journals which are published in our
|
Post is a journal of large circulation and in
fuence. No man knows better than its lead
ing editor that the carrying trade between
! this country and Europe is in the hands OF
| foreigners who are enriched by it. No one
| knows better than he ought to know that
| capitalists in the United States will not put
their money into ships to compete with long
established and subsidized steamship lines by
| 49, . Ii ii
| ment aid.
No man knows better than he ought to
know that the restoration of our foreign
shipping is a matter of great national con.
Germ, and yet in reply to an inquiry that
made Of him he replied that "the restoration
of our merchant marine is a matter of i'm
portance to the country, but only on condi-
ton that it pays its own way; that the public
might as well be taxed to revive the agri-
cultural interests of Vermont as to restore
our merchant marine" Here is an editor OF
great newspaper in a great commercial
| city of the Union who thinks that the gov
eminent might as well be taxed to improve
the agricultural interests of Vermont as to be
taxed to revive our foreign merchant marine,
the revival of which would add largely to
the national wealth, and Is essential to the
well being of the country, who thinks that
the restoration of our merchant marine is OF
Importance to the country, but only on the
condition that it pays its own way, its inn
portance to the country being dependent upon
| its profitableness to those who are directly
interested in it.
Not SO have thought the great English
statesmen by whose influence enormous sub
sides were granted, and are still continued,
to steamship lines between England and the
| United States. Not so have thought the
statesmen of other countries through whose
influence steamship lines have been estab-
lished. The editor Of The Post seems to think
that because the Norwegians, who man their
own ships, and, consequently, run them at
little expense, can find profitable employ
ment as ocean tramps, capitalists in the
United States will run tilt with the Euro
pean steamship lines that now monopolize the
carrying trade between the two hemispheres.
In the face of existing facts it is strange, in
deed, that such an opinion should be enter
tanned by an intelligent journalist
There are very few enlightened men in the
United States who have carefully considered
the subject who do not consider the restora-
ton Of our foreign shipping matter of great
public Importance, and who do not believe
$50 powerful are the combinations against it,
that IL will not he restored without povarn-