The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-08-03

an equality with that of other nations has passed
the Senate and will soon come up In the House.
Notwithstanding the able efforts of statesmen
the great problem of revival Of our commerce
has not yet found Legislative solution The
problem is most difficult one, and involves
the restoration and maintenance of CONNER
cial marine adequate to the shipping interests
of this country. At present our mails, our
freights, and our passengers cross the ocean
under foreign flags at an annual cost of more
than two hundred millions of dollars that goes
to enrich our rivals; whereas this country has
a vital interest in the carrying trade, and every
dollar paid for freight imported or exported
should accrue to American labor and capital.
During the first twenty-five years of our exist
ence the United States successfully competed
with Great Britain for the carrying trade, and
that too at period of discriminating duties on
the part of England and when most European
powers forbade the naturalization of vessels
built outside of their own dominions. The ter
mination of the War of 1912 brought a treaty
by which our direct trade with Great Britain
was established on principles of reciprocity and
our shipping increased with wonderful rapidty.
Then our vessels made quicker passages and
delivered their goods in better condition than
their rivals. With the introduction and devel-
opment of steam freight carriers the navigation
of sailing ships ceased to be profitable Amer
lea was slow IN beginning to build ocean steam
of construction and propulsion The Collins
line came into the field years later than the
Cunard line, and though stimulated by a high
subsidy they did not secure increased freight
capacity or marine economy, failed to carry out
the mail contract, and abandoned the business
The protection and subsidiZing of the foreign
trade, as an experiment in political economy
commenced in 1S45 by an appropriation that was
divided between several lines of steamers under
varying conditions and with unceasing demands
These bounties were continued until 1855 and
then ceased, not to appear again until 1865,
when Congress subsidized Garrson's line to
Brazil and later the Pacific Mail and Roach's
Brazil line. In nearly every case protected
lines have failed, and in the past the Collins
the Transatlantic, and the Brazilian companies
were beaten by unsubsidized foreign steamers.
treights were not rendered cheaper, no for
eign trade was developed, but instead new bur-
dens were placed upon the producer and con-
sumer for the benefit of privileged distribu-
ting agent, besides making the nation itself a
competitor with the greater number of ship
owners, whose contributions to the revenues
were turned against themselves 1t is a matter
OF history that the first actual decline in Ameri-
can shipping dates from before the War of the
Rebellion, in time of fair interest, no debts, and
when money was stable the Civil War doing
much to accelerate it. Our merchant marine
reached the elimination of its progress in 1856,
when, it can be said the ships of the United
States carried three-fourths of her exports and
imports and held the first place in the general
carrying trade.
This downfall was not due to lack of subsidy,
but to consular fees, compulsory pilotage, State
and local taxation, determination of tonnage
capacity, shipping and discharge of seamea, and
the navigation laws. The system of consular
appointments, by which men utterly untitled
for such duties, and the taxation by which they
are supported, are an oppression to the ship
owners. The consular fees for foreign ship
are but small percentage of those paid by
an American vessel under similar circum-
stances.
The compulsory pilotage in this country is
twice what it is in England, and is frequentlyas
much as the pay of captain for a round voyage
to a foreign port. The State and local taxation
has grown with the decline of our merchant ma
rine, and the fees to supervising inspectors quar-
artine visits, and functionaries for performing
the duties of their positions are too numerous
and too large, and rarely benefit the persons who
are required to pay them In measuring the
tonnage of our ships much space is included
that is not counted in British vessels. This in
creased tonnage entails corresponding increase
in the tonnage tax collected annually from all
vessels American or foreign, entering our ports
from foreign countries. Thus if an American
and British vessel should come into a United
States port loaded with the same kind of cargo
the American ship would have to pay more than
the British vessel for the privilege of unloading
in an American port Of entry The fees paid to
shipping commissioners and the extra three
months wages for each seaman discharged
abroad are severe drain upon the profits of an
American ship-owner The navigation laws
originated in a compromise between the slave
supplying and the slave-holding sections of the
country, and their final enactment was retalia-
tory upon the illiberal policy which England
pursued for the destruction of our trade with
the West Indies, and they have since been added
TO with destructive effects. Under their prov-
sions an American is not permitted to import a
foreign-built vessel, acquire a register, or use
her as his property, thus classifying these arti-
cles with counterfeit money and obscene goods
the only other articles subjected to this restric-
ton. An American vessel ceases TO be such if
her owner, be he an American or naturalZed cit
izen of America, without the expectation of re-
lnquishng his citizenship resides in any for
eign country, except as "a United States official
or partner in an exclusively American mercan-
tile house. For those vessels built within the
United States, before an American can obtain a
register he must make oath that no foreigner is
directly or indirectly interested In the profits,
whether as owner, commander, officer An
American vessel once sold or transferred to a
foreigner can never again become American
property, even if the transfer had been the re-
suit OF capture by foreign power in times of
war.
We have turned our seaboard cities into pro-
tective stations for foreigners TO loot our pro-
ducers, made them safe anchorages, buoyed the
channels, and light our coasts that these favored
strangers may come and go in safety. No Won
der they assume such airs of arrogance and dis
regard Tor our customs laws as were witnessed
in New York the other day when a British yes
sci refused TO return unlawful emigrants.
To regain our place then in the carving trade
we should not depend upon subsidies but
abolish the consular fees and place our consular
system upon a footing with that of any other
country We should modify the taxes so as to
depend upon the net earnings and not upon the
assessed value Of the vessel. All pilots should
he (fnVprnmpnf apd h.