The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-02-05

nag has almost disappeared from the hlSn seas
The relative decline in our foreign shipping ha:
been constant and alarming until in 1889 only
l24 per cent. of our imports and exports wa!
carried in American bottoms, being the smalles
percentage in any year since the formation o
the Government, Time will not permit me tx
trace the rise and fall Of this industry. or Z
point out in detail the causes which have result
cd iii our present Illuminating and Improbable
condition. Suffice it to say, that the fault wa
fully appreciated the value and the necessity Q
ii strong and healthy merchant marine, and lief
on record no DOUBT If their purpose to protec
the interests of the Republic On the water a
well as OH the land.
The second act passed by the First Congress
July 4. Disappointed for the protection Q
American shipping by the imposition of dis
eliminating duty in favor or teas brought il
American vessels. thereby signalzing the frs
ton Of commercial Independence, as a supple
Ineilt to the declaration of political independ
enee, made thirteen years before.
The third act OF Congress, passed sixteen day
later, imposed tonnage duty as follows:
American vessels, per tom. .C6 cent
American7huilt vessels, belonging to for.
All other vessels, per ton. 80 cent
On the lst OF September of the same year Con
gfess prohibited any but American vessels from
carrying the American flag.
BY the tariff OF 1874 an additional discriminate
ing duty.cf 10 per cent. was levied on all good
imported III vessels not OF the United States
And in all changes of the tariff prior to the va
OF 1872 this discriminating duty OF 10 per cent
was re- enacted. SO great was the development
Of our shipbniIding ard shipping interests unde
the fostering influences of these acts that we solt
ships amounting to hundreds OF thousands 9
tons to foreigners, and soon took front RAM
anong maritime nations.
.ofinel ational pride in 1926, Daniel Webs
saie:. ;,ave a commerce which leaves NJ
unexp I.-.i; navies which take TO law from
superior force How like better irony thes'
ords woui.i sound in 1891 The brilliancy of ou
achievements on the ocean begat over cOnfid
ence, and listening to the siren voice or fret
trade, we gradually yielded to tie seductive
phrase, reciprocal liberty OF commerce. which
q hal hG1f
Congress SWEET away all protection to our for
eign shipping interest, and orened our ports TX
the ships OF ali nations. on the same terms as tt
our own. SO strong had our position become
under tie protective policy OF the first twent.
FIVE years OF national life, that our lnerchan
marine continued to be prosperous so long a.
wooden vessels were the only vehicles OF ocea1
commerce. and other nations refrained iron
heavy subsidies to their ships But when woOder
vessels began to be supplanted by iron steamers
and European governments poured their contri
buttons into the treasures of their steamship
companies the decadence OF American shipping
began and has continued ever since.
How can it be otherwise? The American peO
pie ask no odds against any in the world. Glvt
them an even chance and they will distance al
competitors, but how can they be expected tl
compete uIaided against foreign ship yards and
ship owners backed by the power ana the trea
sIIries OF their GOV ernments? The amount which
has been thus contributed to sweep our com
merce from the seas cannot be accurately stated
but it is known to have reached hundreds OF
millions of dollars.
The mischief and it's cause are both apparent
" Is Ihe ~ IS ,.oo noeau rns
treaties stand in the way, and 1t would not now
be eapedent even If there were no treaties on
the subject. IN my Judgment, the remedy Is
plain and easily applied. II we would regain
our lost prestige, reinstate our flag upon the
ocean, and open the markets OF tlie woriu It
American producers, we lnusG MAKE the contesl
With the same weapons which have proved Sc
successful In the hands OF our rivals. NO nation
can better afford this kind OF contest than our
selves. Surely no ooJect IS OF gfeaIef iihpofI-
ance than the enlargement OF our foreign mar.
kets ana nothing SO duci 70 taat
end as the command or airecs anu ample iaclii.
ties for reaching them. inc IoIiy anu uaDser ol
depending upon our cohpetlIoIs ioi Cile iuesaLis
of reaching competitive markets cannot be ex,
TO class but TO the Whole people-to Ihe iaiiheI.
the merchant, ana the manuIacIurer, quiIe as
But it Will cost money WIN itpay? yes, an
hundred fold Ihe agsfegaIe q 9a Ignn.n ii
iying trade for the past twengy-ve years; ne
nevertheless. reached the enormous sum or x.u,-
4d3. 2t.!gO. Estimating the cos1of transportatlon
at 10 per ceT. OF the value OF Ine SoouS, We Hs w
expendii are of about So Ut0, at least ~
per cent. OF Whlcii-$2, 4lOUU0 CtC-naS peeii paiu
To- forein si.ipoW'ners. II we auu 10 siS
grand total Of S2,sCo00,sV pald 60 foreisn labor
and capital during the last Quarter OF century.
sum larger by nearly x2c0Ctu,UOu IMAM the
maximum OF our bonded debt growing out OF
fhelatc wer. Are Eot the Denents'"hlch wnuid
accrue from paying these sums to orr own peo-
PIE worth saving luring fhaf peIipu we nave
eXported Of gold and silver tp iAY balances OF
trade against lis, an excess nf Eia'1 t0o!sU more
than ,Ye nave impaired. HAD Ne carried a Ialr
sil.,re Of orr osFn foreign commerce IN American
ships. owned by American cltiZehS anu manned
by American seamen, this vast sum, ana mtie u
more, might have been retained at nome TO en-
rich our own people.
Suppose that for twenty-fi years we had
given 5,0eO,tUO year in ala or our foreign snip
ping, and reduced by that amount the pre- pay
ments of our bonded debt should we not nave
been faf better or IMAM we are now
Is it not high time these vast interests receive
attention. HaYe we nor Jneu tne ao,notllnS
policy long entlugs! Snait We give that pfoIec-
ton and support to our foreign merchant marine
that ether nations give to theirs, and which we
freely give to all our other great INTERESTS, or
shall we accept as inevitable our preseht shame
ful positions? regret to say thaJ the UNIFORM
record OF indifference, If not actual hostiilty,
during the last hfty years, afores nItie reason
flf encouragement In faet, the Lenuency OF
late has been to surrender to foreigners even our
domestic so:nmerce rather glian 20 assert OUT
selves UPON the cceai: D,scrlmlnaglons OF the
most astonishing characfsr nave peem lnaue'
both By ca,9ress ana by treasury Iesuiations,
IN favor OF canadian falitoad lliles anu stean-
ships against our own.
One instance OF this KIND may serve 20 mus
trate the nature snd extent OF inanV otner uls
criminations OF Ike CHARACTER. = Asiatic mer-
cnaHttiSe deStlneu iof rev oIk, Ii tIouSut III
American vessels to San Francisco, must I'M
derSo all the forms anu aelayS 81 eitry, u!iuer
Ge Sle5 Sf u, ., honded for @
ton through our own country to New lork
While the same merenaflase, II nrougiit III IAN
adian 2E bE.tissi Speahiit siipS e ta.cuMvet, IS
1id.sfeirsa as tsIi.ss aiid WShous any sunsSan
tial sarVeliiance. 20 .anauai lai,W ~ >, "iaion
ORR or otset Eastern POI rs III ~ Sy ~
rue has - exsted For
~ s.s.ss 80 y $500 ',,.i,., NJ MnnrreaI
t't taepf g. iest'uea aauss "a LEU az ~ NJ
stlsu tft ~ is' % 49, =, ap ~, ~, 1ss
81. MI, " s a,a'.ts ~
stH ~ \. lsiSct a,a pvi'si la.Si ~, 10 ~
70 ~ y eiisusit WI y" a,'It
y t!etr Mts.erti unstat'oM, tiS asaa.s ot
tiiosc uhia'f anu ui.JG'c ~
our e"n pst'pio a'ti oti o"iI =! st'sl,oi o.a1o
tes ,.aS peeii; ~ 10. Df ,;'n ny soo,n tra,S
.e ,tarSts at tpa exnanea Of orr own
pc. eaeo, thnav az .ninn,a,e ;s hia
liz ; ~ , -. h,t .ia t;nd oe III,
sothuiilss, Pr ssso nuo .I n.u ~
ciIy o,i W Niippliis 'ei eao i.a uIos a.
io oiie tanp - X - . ~ "y1no
un.cI u'i.,sg s t VI e0 ,.s,;0
Mus 'l eS onao fsas,,tins s s1 tie ,,ttar
mesieeb a1,u w., u ,oost vaeha
iieric. @ ~ t , s 70 +t ht %
.hing, KEPT IL. tiie mes % proeSe.on , nus 70
cirIociIy " ".cn vs. , sus emuui , oua NE
Hae " I1 4 y, to nS ia.
~, & ~ r az. ,nnd II, tha vain
a. bi.s .l..t 7, Biz eFu. ~ t1 ,,coaI
ttte.lpI ~ :sf'sp si1 lily, Eaa .t nv
~ :. iioii's iieish'su "i''i s''..isasu a'o 'i''
vi, az ~, Irn,tod statas have ranoat
Presldents 2. t sne unisea taneS na"e repeae
rapidly vanishing merchant ll, marine, but thus
iat uilsil tt iasu uom @ DIT
Lev " IN e1 ~ , t .a f,it =;
usne itts ~. on VIZ Wy rs. nv III ~
sohie wen devlsea hieaaqre 81 peo1ectioli anu
ehcoHraseiheht
MONEY
Pardon fey words With reference to the In
strulDent by WHICH commodities exchange
rl, In