The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-09
sEATrLE. TRIDAI: OCT: 2:
sxvrvAL OF OUR MERCHANT MA
RINE.


On Wednesday last . meeting was held
4 r. Bath, Me-. of the representatives OF the
ihipping industry in Maine and other
3ktates 10 take action for the preservation
81 our shipping. These New England
5hipbuilders and shipowners viii present
y the next congress petition signed by
I've million citizens, asking for the passage
ka tonnage bounty bill which would in
4 olve the expenditure BY the government
" not over 100000 annually. small
INN, surely, compared with the $25o, ooo,-
~ paid every rear by Americans to
)oreign capitalists In passenger and freight
kharres. These Maine shipbnilders allege
hist foreign ships are now frauduiently
but under American registry. In May,
fsDo, Senator Frye, Of Maine. reported two
hills. both of which passed the Senate. OF
sne Of these bills, the Postal Subsidy bill,
tslating only to steamships carrying the
United States mails, Senator Frye said:
Pr this bill becomes law. line Of the
best ships in the whole world will be put
N within thres years between New York
nd Llverpool-American built ships flying
bar dag. =
The other bill, known as the Shipping
feaeue's Tonnage Bounty bill. pro-
flded bounty Of thirty cents ton
br every one thousand miles sailed
II steamed n voyages of foreign
eade. This applied to all voyages of
rom seventy miles to seven thousand,
Ind 10 I'll vessels, steam or sailing, of over
I've hundred tons. The bounty period
Has fixed at ten years, with an extension
II nine years thereafter under slightly re-
puced rates. The probable government
Expenditures in bounties under this legis-
lntion would be from s.. Ooo, 900 to s.. SOC, 900
for the first year, increasing in five or six
bears to perhaps 5000, 900 or 100000
annually,
Both Of the bills passed the Senate, but
n the House the Tonnage Bounty bill was
Defeated by q very few votes. the Postal
Subsidy Bill alone becoming law. This
postal subsidy law benefits American
pecan steamship lines Alone, and the meet
ing st Bath, Me-, on Wednesday last
Ras the beginning of new effort
pm part Of the Shipping League for the
promotion Of the larger and more extern
live prospective interests of American
Pcmmerce represented by the builders and
owners Of American sailing ships. This
Shipping League has q membership of
over 10000 citizens, Republicans and
Democrats. Its pet measure. the Tonnage
Bounty bill. was beaten in the Fifty-frst
congress by the influence of q few sand
blind Democrats, who, while insisting that
pur government shall adopt free trade,
Which We do not want, refuse to enact
England's wise policy of protection to the
merchant marine, and this stupid policy
pf refusal of support to all efforts to renew
pur ancient grip upon the carrying trade
bf the world was among the democratic
principles" that were advocated by the
Democratic missionaries at Spokane and
Endorsed by the resolutions of the conyen-
ton.
In 1853 our foreign trade was $500, 900 900
Ind 10 per cent Of it was carried in Ameri-
Fan bottoms Today in Maine but a sim
gle ship yard on the Kennebec continues
20 build American ships for the foreign
$rade, and but half dozen ship yards re-
main OF the hundreds that once existed
elong the New England coast, and these
40 little beyond building vessels OCCASION
lily for the coasting trade. The vast ma
Jority OF American ship yards are idle for
y good part of the year. 1t ought to be
clear to California, Oregon and Washing
ton that they are deeply interested in the
passage OF this Tonnage Bounty bill. To-
day foreign bottoms load with grain at
Ban Francisco, Portland and Seattle
aor Liverpool, when with the enact
nent of the Tonnage Bounty bin it would
pay to build wooden ships on this coast
nor the foreign trade. The wooden ship
better than the iron ship TO carry
wheat or corn. because it keeps the
eargo dryer. The Atlantic seaboard
sends today to Puget Sound for the great
epars for its shipping, which the forests OF
Maine no longer furnish. Under the Ton
mage Bounty bill we could build ships as
eneap certainly as they could on the coast
q Maine. We have the best of ship tim.
ber; we have excellent harbors, and choice
locations Tor ship yards on the waters OF
she Sound, and there is no reason why
wheat OF Washington, Oregon and Cali
sornia could not be carried to Liverpool in
American ships built in American yards
ION this Coast, save the fact that the
leeupid, obstructive Democratic lower
house OF congress contains an over.
Nheiming majority of creatures. like the
recent Democratic missionaries, who wei.
come English free trade" while they re,
pudiate Engiands policy of protection tc
the merchant marine. Surely neither the
farmers, nor merchants who desire "a
zee San Francisco, Portland and Seattle
once more send their exports 10 foreign
lands chiefly in American bottoms. will
be disposed TO elect Democratic ad.
ministration in 1892.
The New York Saa. an able Democratic
paper that believes in the protection to
American interests which was ALWAYS AL.
vocated by Samuel ]. Tilden and Samuel
3. Randall, says:
The wonderful harvests of the wear worla
furnish employment 10 vast feet OF sAenan
loahs and susouehsnnss, II they were ready a,