The Somerset reporter., 1891-03-26
SELECTED.
The s chipping Bill
SPEECH OF Hon. SETH l.. MILt1kEN, OF
MAINE, IN TIE House OF REPREsfN-
TA1IVEs, FRIDAY, FEB. y, 1881.

MAINE. IN TIE House OF REPREsfN-
TA1IVEs, Friday, FEB. ~ lS9l.
Mr.. Chairman, | stated that my vote
was the meanest | ever gave in tins
House, not that it was not well to vote
for the substitute of the gentleman from
Illinois Mr.. Cannon upon its simple
merits; but to set aside the shipping bill
which we passed to third reading, Dill
to revive the entire shipping interests Of
this country, aud supplaut that bill by
this substitute, which helps the steam
vessels alone, Is something which 1t Is
humliating to be compelled to do. and |
consented to do it only because learned
tht. there were those who would desert
us on the final passage of the bill; so that
we must accept this substitute or get
nothing.
But the shipping BILL which provides
| for placing both steam and SAILING vessels
on su equal footing with those OF foreign
powers, should pass. wish to say that
there is certainly nothing in the history
of the worlds progress more marvellous
than the advanced strides made by the
American people within the last thirty
years. In all the great industries upon
/ land. in agriculture manufactures, and
.
to make great, strong, busy, thrifty ma
4 ton, this wonderful people who live Ut
Tween the Canadian and Mexican borders
and between the two oceans, pres
spectacle which challenges the adnlI alton
OF mankind.
While by wise laws, protecting our
industries on land, we have grown TO
gigantic proportions there, by neglect of
our foreign shipping interest We have
shrunk to dwarf upon the oceans and It
requires no very penetrating eye to Sc
that unless We at once change our policy
in respect to our merchant marine that
goes 10 foreign ports our ila@ will be I'M
known away from our own coast.
Oui foreign carrying trade was once
the pride of the nation and source OF
great wealth to our people. While our
foreign commerce has enormously in
creased, we pay 500 900, 900 per year to
bring and carry our commodities SEQ
900 900 which might and ought to be pos
sesstd bv our own people, an addition TO
our wealth and an increase of money
among our people to circulate.
This is surely a great misfortune if not
a national disgrace. 1t should not exist
1t NJ ed not exist. 1t is Only necessary to
protect our foreign commerce as we pro-
tect our home industries upon the land,
to restore it to more than It's ancient
prestige and prosperity; indeed, TO raise
1t to tie same ratio Of prosperity to that
of our industries upon land which it bore
TO them thIty.Gve years ago. Has any
one calculated what it would c then, how
vast it would be in value, how great anG
imposing it would be upon every ocean
and in every port Of the world!
What an arm of strength it might be
made in case of Il foreign war; what num-
Der Of sailors il would give Us to furnish
navy; what employment 1t wouli give
in our sAipyards; and what room ii would
afford TO other overcrowded vacations.
Indeed, there Is no pursuit but would
profit by it in many ways; not State
nor county in the land, however far in
the interior, but would be made richer by
the rebuilding aud prosperous employ
nrnt of our merchant marine. How shall
it be stored?
In the first place, we must build our
own ships. VIII ther they he of wood or
iron we have all the advantages in the
possession of the raw material for the
construction of vessels that are possessed
by the most favored nations on the globe
And We have the native skill, too. once
when wooden ships, almost, alone wee
known, we were proud OF our superiority
upon the ocean. No liner or swifter YES
sells sailed the seas than were constructed
in Americ N shipyards and carried the
American flag. Indeed, our superiority
in shipbuilding was universally conceded,
And now it is beginning to be learned
that American mechanics ATE dlspaylng
no less skill, no less Zest for improve
mcnt, snd no less activity in invention in
1t i..e.,. l.. Ian 1
those in which they became so eminent
in constructing of wood.
And besides, the fact that WE csn and
do construct the best iron vessels made,
besides the advantage to us Of en- plOying
thousands Of workmen in our shipyardS,
we want to build our own vessels, that in
this pursuit, as in our avocatiuns upon
the land, we should be independent of
other nations. In case of war we want
the plant, the appliances, and the skilled
men To furnish navy a. rapidly as 1t
was done in the commencement of our
late civil war. No great maritime nation
ever existed which relied upon others to
build its vessels, and certainly no nation
can be truthfLlly called independent
which relies upon another people, peo-
pie which may at any time become an cue
my, to furnish it with its power upon the
sea.
In this view the measure before the
House becomes Of great national impor-
lance. II, indeed, the purpose were
simply to protect great lnuu try the
industry of shipbu.l ling, in which many
thousands of our people might be proht-
ably employed. TINS taking so many com
pettors from among our farmers and
Merchants and miners, ard making
nome market for their products; and also.
The industry of carry ing our imports and
exports, for which we now pay TO for
eigners nearly 500 coo 600 annually,
hen, indeed, We SHOULD be warranted in
rxtenolng to cur foreign merchant marine
all the aid which the bill before the House
pro,id Then it would be hut the truth
10 say that every industry in the land
would reap an advantage from 1t.
With our harbors along our coast, our
lakes, and rivers swarmipg with employed
and well paid shipWrights, our farmers
and merchants and manufacturers and
our citizens of all pursuits, who have
their labor or its products to sell, can not
but be very materially benefited; and for
his reason alone our shipbuilding aud
carrying trade deserves no less to be pro-
,ected than any of our most important
Industries on the land.
But as a means of national defense,
economical and at the same time effective,
the fostering of our merchant marine
should be of paramount consideration.
Our forefathers acted upon this principle
when they gave bounty to American
fishermen. They saw in them the last
nursery from which to man an American
navy. In this they were not disappoint-
ed, and in the unparalleled achievements
of our Navy In the wars of the Republic,
New England fishermen have shown
bravery and efficiency which has shed un-
dying lustre upon the American name.
| Our shipyards must be depended upon
to furnish the plant and skilled workmen
always available to construct vessels of
war, and our merchantmen, both foreign
and coastwise, will furnish, when needed
the experienced sailors to man them He
who would pass a fIee-ship bill would
deprive us Of the one, and he who would
not restore our merchant marine by sutii-
cient encouragement would prevent us
from obtaining the other, and without
either shipyards or American ships we
certainly can not hope to make q formid-
able stand III any contest upon the ocean.
But will 1t not be much cheaper for the
nation to pay the bounties provided by
the bill under consideration, and so secure
the construction of . class of vess els
built to admiralty requirements which
could upon occasion DO utilized as vessels
Of the Navy. as ia now being done BY
other countries, than to use the same
| Amount of money In building shjps OF