The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-01-14
$lOO,OOO,OOO A YEAR
Is WHAT THE SHIPPING SUBSIDY BILL
WOULD COST THE PEOPLE,


Science He Ii an Expert-A Similar
Bill Would Cost England $500, 900, 600.
General Wheeler of Alabama is a most
determined opponent Of the Shipping
Subsidy bill, now before the House. The
bill has already passed the Senate, but
the measure being discussed in the House
is an amendment in the nature of sub
stitute. II Is of the latter the General
spoke to CRITIC reporter, giving his
reasons for antagonizing the measure.
"The objections to the bill, said the
General, "are: First. That our experience
and that of all other nations is that subsi-
dizing ships does not attain the object
contended for by the advocates Of certain
measures.
Secondly. II would derange all our
system of internal traffic. II would dis
criminate against all Atlantic ports in
favor of Pacific ports. II would discrim-
ton, in favor of Philadelphia against both
New York and Boston and in favor of
Baltimore against all three of the afore-
mentioned cities. Under this law the
Government would pay bounty on iron
ores and coal far exceeding the duty, and
this would destroy many of our iron in
dustries now located in the interior"
ment," asked the reporter.
"The cost of the bill TO the Govern
ment,'" replied the General, would ex-
coed the estimates ten or twenty fold.
1.-THE Commissioner of Navigation esti-
mates that this cost can in no event ex-
coed S5O00,000 or S6,000,000 year.
Estimating that the steamships we
have now which would draw bounty
amount to 1876, 2sB tons, sailing on an aver
m fnttr mad tlr, G. I'D. l..
hour, they would draw 81 ,006, 5S1 per year.
The advocates Of the bill contend that IL
Will restore to American bottoms all the
imports and exports passing between this
and foreign countries, which will require
about eight times the tonnage we now
have, because the result of Republican
legislation has been to reduce that portion
OF our imports and exports which goes in
American bottoms to about one-eighth of
the whole amount
"Our total tonnage, steam and sail, en-
gagged in foreign trade is 02S,062. Eight
times this amount, or 1924 ,496 tons, trav-
cling at an average rate of but AZ miles an
hour, would subject us to an annual tax
of s103, SGG, 18i.S9. II is simple question
of mathematics.
"Of course the new vessels would be
steamers, with the bill discriminating so
much in favor of vessels making the
greater speed"
what tonnage would be required to
carry all of our imports and exports?'
IF the anticipations of the advocates of
the Tonnage bill should be realized, and
its effect should be, really, to give to
American built ships the carrying of all
OF our exports and imports, we should re-
quire tonnage nearly equal to that of
the United Kingdom and its colonies.
The total marine tonnage of Great Britain
and her dependencies is now II ,597, 25o
tons, Of which S,235S5i tons are steam
vessels. Assuming that these vessels
would attain an average speed of but four
and thrce-fourths miles an hour, and the
bounty of 30 cents per ton for each thou
sand miles Travelled, the English Govern
ment would be called on to pay to their
owners of steam vessels the enormous
bonus OF sll5,216,S0S.56 per annum. It
follows CT necessity, therefore, that if we
have, or should secure, an equal aggregate
OF steam tonnage, we will, under this bill,
be cal led upon to pay out to favored
class in the community bounty that
would be equal to nearly 81 per capita of
our total population. And this estimate as
sumes that steamers will make an average
speed of only four and threc-fourths miles
an hour"
steamer"
ut is, 1t is well known" continued
the General, that steamships are at sea
at least three-fourths of the time, and
their speed is nearly 20 miles an hour.
Suppose the rate were but 10 miles and
they were at sea three-fourths of the
time, it would be ~ miles an hour and
the cost would be at least doubled, and if
the rate should reach 20 miles an hour
with these vessels at sea three-fourths of
the time, the expense to the Government
would be S345, 100000 or S350,000000 u
year. This bill passed andput into opera
ton for ten years would probably run up
expenses into these enormous figures"
How does the estimated and actual
cost Of similar measures compare?'
1.-THE difference" replied the General,
between the estimated and the actual re-
suits Is always great, and in this case
would really be no greater than the diff
ference between estimated and actual cost
of Pension bills of similar character
which have been brought to our at
tention."
How about England's paying sub
sidies?''
ut is represented that England has
adopted similar policy. This is mis-
take. Were this bill in operation in Great
Britain she would he compelled to pay
about 1900, 0OO, 900 in bounties where she
now pays to her 8, 235, S54 tons of steamers,
but 81, 1874 ,435 year"
The General has strong hopes of defeat
ing the bill on the final vote.