New-York tribune., 1890-04-03
TO BUILD UP THE MERCHANT MARINE
WHAT THE FARoUHAR TONNAGE BILL PROPOSES
DO.

Washington, April 2 (speciaD.-The report OIL 'hc
Committee on Merchant Marine and flshercs on INC
Tonnage BILL which submitted TO the House iaVo
this afternoon, accompanied Dy 'Hc Nio"s y. -"
minority is an extremely interesting as wen as
elaborate document ard is supplemented by valuable
appendiy Mr. Cummings, OF New-loTK' was ue OILY
Democrat VINO voted with tie majority OF Tie com
i.+oe I'm favor OF reporting tie bill and II IS regarced
as significant that the names Of the three other Demo
cratic members OF the cOmmittcr-NcSsrs. "h"Ioi VI
Alabama Price Of Louisiana, and wise, OF Nirsnha-
are not appended 10 the views OF inc H'n'"'''''
General Wheeler is the president OF thc American
Shining League, which met il Washington several
months ago and formally adopted resolution III iaVof
of the TONNAGE bill His opposition to H. under Tue
circms anccs therefore. was a. ineXplcaOlc as II was
disappontinc to friends Of the measure ana II mas
provoked much severe criticism among the members
OF the shipping League For months past Messis'
rrica and wise have also been confidently claimed a
among its supporters by the friends OF the DILL ana
thcir ouun,ition to il al,O caused surprise ana disap
noin.mcUt 40 cAp!eua.iOn of the failure OF lhc
tlrec members named TO sign the Views OF t'S
minority. was forthcoming this afternoon. IN pHci'
the report which diawh and ci:ered by Chairm'"
Farquhar states:
Thirty five years ago the merchant marine OF inc
United States was Of our leading Interests d
c,cat source of our prosperity and strong right
arm Of National power Now our shipping III Foreign
trade has sunk almost out OF sight. Inc Na'"h@i
necessity for ships and scanen for an actVc commerce
&, our own vessels has increased with the giving OF
every new subsidy bounty protection that foreign
natfous have rcsortcd TO In the last fifty years 70
cut our merchants and shipping ont OF business
wea.en our defensive power and threaten Oar "a
tional ufcs The report says that one OF the most
uscfuI and certain means Of Government aid I" INC
marine 0. the present day is direct, regular ana
hpecdy postal service by able steamers forming
part of the cruising of the Navy Wherever the
facilities for regular, rapid and cheap communication
cxist business will become established as shown
by the experience of England. which mas speht
enornous sums thus to increase her commerce ana
create employment ior her shipping Tie
ocean tlanspOrtaticn Of the United states averaged
S24O 900 900 annually for the last ten years Taxing
our share Of this trade al 15 per cent, we nave al
smount OF SiSO.O0O,O00. 10 per cent OF wilch i
81 OOo 600 surely ii would not be a bad invest
rnent for the Nation TO pay out Slo ANNUALLY 10
secure an OppOrtunity to earn and save Sl'O lhcfc
arc no apDrOpriatiOns made that would pay so well
AZ this would do. But If this IS thought 100 large
then make Il 3 per cent. That would be double
what the Bounty bill Will call for In ten years 10
come 49,, ,.. l., .,.. ,,aar ,ho
terms OF The bill the payment in b0uncs for the
irst wear would be for sail vessels, ~ .6f4,sls
steam vessels. s1.7I5,922: total, S336oII. The
animal increase would be about per cent. 80 that
II wonld be eight years before the annual bounty
,rou,d amount 10 IS 900 900.
Nr rithian submitted the report OF the minority
which says that the policy Of paying subsidies t.
shps would be creating and fostering a privileged
class at the expense Of The whole people