, 1891-01-08

inere%as.56Ess ion hi SSI q 1i ssyshRfHy i yass SUI RI
uer VI arfhy uIncrr5 WIN may pc uetanSu
to military colleges passed.
The house then vent into committee of
the whole on the shipping bill. Herbert
o. Alabama opposed the measure because
it proposed an in6iscriminate subsidy to
vessels OF every character in foreign trade.
1t was the natural result of the Mckinley
bill.
Dingicy Of Maine, reviewing the de
cadence of American shipping interests,
said that in such a condition as the coun-
try now found itself, with only l29 per
cent of the foreign carrying trade, with
Great Britain entrenched on every ocean
route, it was obvious that 1t was utterly
out of the power of private individuals,
without assistance in some direction, to
dislodge the shipping of Great Britain.
1t was said the bill would not do for
our merchant marine what was
claimed for it. We could Judge
of that By what n similar
policy had done for France with less mari
time people than the United States.
Within five years from the establishment
of the subsidy system the steam tonnage
of France had doubled. With the widest
extent of coast known to any nation, the
United States could reap a benefit from
subsidies far greater than any other
nation. Italy adopted the subsidy policy
in 1885, and In four years her steam
marine increased 40 per cent. The maxi
mum expense of the bill for the first year
would be 49, 900. 900. of which all but
about $500, 900 or $400, 900 would come
from postage and tonnage dues. Taking
the highest rate of increase in the tom
mage, he intimated that as the result OF
the provisions of the bill. the greatest
amount of expenditure that would be
in one year would be $780, 0U. after
which the rate of payments would steadily
diminish.
Dockery of Missouri said three causes
constituted an effectual barrier against
any attempt to restore the American car
rying trade. The first was the difference
of cost between American and foreign
vessels; second, the running expenses the
American vessels were under, and, third,
the harsh and restrictive features of oul
navigation laws IN exacting heavy tonnage
dues. consular fees and other dues. Fur
the-more. the Republican policy of ex
clusion of imports was at war with the
interest of the American carrying trade
He opposed subsidies and all other pro
lection to special industries, and asked
Farquhar, chairman of the committee,
how much the Pacific Mail Steamship
company, which, at one session. he said,
corrupted an emplOye OF the house, would
get.
Farauhar replied that it would get the
same as all other steamship companies.
DockerY said that was no answer, and
asked if the Pacific Mail stock had no
risen on the probability of the passage O
the bill.
Farauhar wacmly replied that if it wer'
80 he was glad of it, and hoped that tn,
stock of every American company woulC
increase in value.
Dockery, retortiug, said he wanted Il
take the fact home to the farmers OF thu
West that 5000, 900 were being takeI
from the treasury to sustain and supper
New England ship owners. George Gould
he understood, was one OF the "laborint
men" to be benefited. Dockery theI
invited attention to the restrictive Scoop
of reciprocity advocated By Secretar!
Blaine. So far as the farmer was con
cerned. the defect that was fatal to tn
subsidy was alike fatal TO reciprocity
The farmer could derive no benefit from
reciprocity because the South American
countries had almost every articl
necessary for their own consumption. Tn
country must return to that propitiou
policy under which it explored every Sc
and cast anchor in every harbor. Diveste'
OF artificial restrictions. our commercis
marine could renew and assert its I'm
portance upon the deep. Pending turtle
debate the committee rose and the hous
! adjourned.