The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-12-16
MIR. ANDREWS. SHIPPING BILL.

Congressman Andrews of Massachu-
sets has given notice that he will, as
soon as the House of Representatives
settles down to work, introduce bill for
free ships. II should be entitled: "An
act for the aid of British ship builders
and the destruction of the ship building
industry in this country" but Mr..
Andrews will probably label it with
some misnomer that is in accord with
the Democratic idea that foreign manu-
factures should be helped along at the
expense of similar lines of business in
this country.
The great shipping traders of Great
Britain, France and Germany have been
built up by an assiduous application of
the idea that government aid is necess-
sary to successful competition with other
countries equally well equipped in other
respects. The policy of the Republican
party in this country is to aid American
ship builders and owners by liberal pay
ments for carrying the mail to and from
this country, and by bounty paid in
accordance with the tonnage of the
vessel. In that respect the Republicans
would be following in the footsteps of
foreign nations that have fostered ship
building until they are now powerful
upon the seas of the world.
The aid rendered by the Repub-
lican party in the last eight years
and more especially in the two years fol-
lowing 1898, when they came into con-
troll of all the branches of the national
government has been sufficient to give
a great boom to the building of iron and
steel ships on the Atlantic coasts, from
the Kennebec to the Delaware and at
several points on the Pacific. The mail
subsidy bill passed by the last Congress
has laid the ways for the building of
two lines of vessels to run to South
American ports, and it is the belief Of
President Harrison and of Postmaster
General Wanamaker, that when the ad.
vantages of the bill became more
thoroughly understood ships will
be built in this country for
the European trade. To be sure
the subsidy which the United
States Government will be called upon
to pay for carrying the mail will appear
but trife when compared with that
paid record for mail by England, but it
is a beginning. That it is not more pro-
ductive of American shipping lines
is due to the cheese-paring policy of
free traders acting whether Intentionally
or not in the interest of foreign natl ons.
The Andrews bill would be an invita-
tion to American capitalists to buy ships
abroad. 1t would be an invitation for
them to invest their money in
foreign industry in preference to an
American industry. 1t would profit
America or Americans not one whit,
except that people might see the stars
and stripes waving at the stern of some
vessel that now sails under the English
or the German ensign. 1t would give
an American register and guarantee
American protection to ship of foreign
build, the entire benefit obtained from the
building of which would be enjoyed by
foreigners. 1t would admit foreign vessels
free of duty and would bring the labor
of the Clyde into direct competition
with that of the Delaware. With the
immense tonnage bounties that Great
Britain pays the American industry
must fail, and with it would fall the
immense iron and steel rolling mills at
Bethlehem and Pittsburg, with the con-
sequent throwing out of employment of
thousands of mechanics and laborers.
Mr.. Andrews bill is thoroughly Mug
wumpish if for no other reason than that
il is thoroughly un-American.