Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-03-26


q small pittance, abandon the realm of the
ocean, that great field where the future
strength of nations is to be tested, to 9TH
| ers more enterprising and patriotic than
ourselves.
/ have been amused while l have been
not little disgusted to observe how un-
| fairly this bill has been antagOniZed, and
how every other industry than that which
| it proposes to protect has been endeavored
to be arrayed against it.
The gentleman from Missouri Mr..
| BLAND says, II will take it home to the
| farmers Of the West" when it was stated
| that the bill was not expected so much to
cheaper freights as to place the American
| marine upon an equal footing with the
merchant marine of other nations. aud to
cause its restoration. The gentleman need
not have so plainly indicated that his re-
marks were for home consumption; they
carried all the necessary evidences of that
| fact before.
Let him carry it to the farmers if he
will. | know that the farmers of my own
state. as intelligent a class of people as
anywhere live, are as anxious to see the
| American merchant marine rebuilt and
again assume commanding place upon
the ocean as any class Of people among US.
within the borders of our land and no
body would feel a more earnest pride in the
| predominance of their country's nag upon
the ocean than they. No one would be
more gladdened to hear again the click of
| the calker's hammer and see the swinging
broadax in the snipyards than they. They
realize as viydly as any one that every keel
that is laid and every mast that goes up
and every spar that is rigged and every
| sail that Is bent on, means employment
for their sons, employment for thousands
| consumers of their products, who to day,
for lack of this employment, are com
| petitors with them in their own vocation.
Yes, carry it to the farmers that 90 900
men. many of whom now compete with
| them, are going to occupy the shipyards
| and sai-lofts of the country. and that
| they, together with thousands of others
who cut and get out ship timber, furnish
| the iron and wood and the multitude of
materials of ship, are going to become
their customers while they build up the
commerce of the country, and just tell the
| truth about it, and do not fear their re-
| ply. The farmers know that no new in
| du>try can be created in this country
without beneiiting their own. and | should
| be glad to refer this bill To the farmers of
Maine. confident that they would give 1t
their earnest and nearly unanimous sup
| port.
was not little amazed to hear my
| friend MIR. HERBERT from Alabama de-
nonnce the shipping league as nothing
more than an organized lobby with its
agents here to urge the passage of this
bill. Has it come to this that those en-
gagged in the manifold industries of this
cuuutry shall not organize if they please.
and present to Congress q statement of
their grievances and wishes? Why have
the Knights of Labor organized except to
protect themselves and secure TO them
selves their rights in the pursuit of their
avocaton? For what else have the Broth
erhood of Engineers, the labor unions,
an even the farmers organized?
Would the gentleman dare say in this
House that because the farmers had come
up here, Deen before committees and urged
the enactment OF laws for what they be-
lieve to be their benefit, that they were
only an organized lobby for the purpose
of efiecting legislation for their own par
ticular interests!
He would no more do it than be would
cut his own head OF, for he knows that
such statement would cost him his po-
ltical head at the next Congressional cleo
ton. He lives where farmers live and
vote.
But will this experienced inland sailor
tell me why the men who 90 down to the
sea in ships, they who brave the perils of
the ocean with their lives and their mer-
chandise, who carry the American flag
wherever it floats in foreign seas, may not
organize, discuss their interests. and come
to Congress with a statement of the con-
dtion of their industry, an industry of
worldwide importance, and urge lcgisla-
ton to place it on an equal footing with
the same kind of industry pursued by for
eign nations.
A better and more patriotic class of
American citizens never lived under the
blue skies than they. and think this Con-
gress will not brand their league as lobby,
while the right of petition, in the defense
of which John Quincy Adams immortalzed
himself, is recognized, and the American
people. whether ship-owners, manufactur-
ers, laborers or farmers, claim the right
to organize for the protection of their
several interests, and believe that as Amer
lean citizens they may command the ear Of
Congress of their own creation.
Why, my friend, SO familiar with the
briny deep, from Missouri Mr.. BLAND
even tauntcd us with the amount that is
paid for lighthouse service. Does the
gentleman feel that the cost OF the light
houses Is for the benefit of the coast and
lakes alone? Did it never occur to him that
they are for the protection of the corn and
wheat and beef of Missouri that are shipped
abroad, and the lives of her people who
travel the sea, as well as for the vessels
that carry them, and their officers and
crews.
This bill is to restore an industry that
will help every other industry in the land.
There is not a county, even the most in
land, which will not reap vastly more ben
efit from restoration Of our foreign car
rying trade, and the revival Of our ship
yards, than all the little pittance it will
cost.
Briefly stated, it Is bill to injure no in
dustry. but to benefit all. 1t is to save
and revive our Ocean-caIrying trade, to
create an economical means of national de-
fense, to employ thousands of our people,
to extend the market for our producers,
to send the American flag to every port
and upon every sea, and these objects are
worthy of the earnest approval and best
efforts of the wisest craftsmanship and
purest patriotism of our people.
Marking of Vessels Names and Draught.