New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-08
FOM AMERICAN SHIPPING.
MR. DINGLEY,S STRONG SPEECH IN FAVOR
OF THE TONNAGE BILL.


Washington. Jan. THE debate in the House TO-
ssy was one Of unusual interest and 1t was marheo
nv one of the most complete ard exhaustive arguments
On favor of American commerce under the AmeriTin
flag which has ever submitted In either bfanch
OF the American Congress. General depa'c III ,no
House usually holds only small attendance anu SUI"
smaller degree of attention, but for more Una" WV
hours today a larger number than usuai OF inc mem
bers were in aher seats. and they actually is'ehcu
With annareni Interest while Mr. Dingey poured forth
his stores Of information in support OF ms po"erlu
argument in favor Of the bill. lie Is moso u"
dustrouS and painstang student as well as Ieglsia"
and he is skilful master OF 1.-THE ART I" putting
things as his speech to-day showed IL II was open
to criticism ii was because il occupied too much
time. and vet not minute was waSted nor ola ohe
seem 10 be i'll employed. Mr.. Dingley is not an
orator. in the popular sense, but he Is man WHO
commands tie respect Of both SIDES OF the House
for his sincerity Of Thought ana edrncstnesS OF pur
pose as well as because he never speaks unless ne
has something to say pertinent to the subject under
consideration.
II was a positive relief 10 hear him today. after try
ing to follow the bewdering mazcs Of Wheeler and
Herbert If Alabama. The latter seemed to think it
all-sufcient if he marked every period with the word
subsidy" word which he seems TO regard as hateful
enough in suggestion excite the detesaton and hor
ror Of every patriot. OF course Colonel Herbert hke
Mr. Docery who closed the days debate did not for
get TO utter dark and mysterious suggestions about
q the lobby" which favOrs the bill. Both OF them
sternly demanded To know whether the securities OF
American steamship companies had not appreciated III
value in expectation IF the passage OF the BILL ana inc
latter was taken aback when Chairman Farquhar re-
pled that he hoped that all American steamship prop
ery would advance in value and more American steam
ships be built under the stimulus OF the new pohcy
which lie hoped 10 soc adopted 1t Is strange 10 see
with what COMMUNITY free-slver" Democrats witness
an advance Of silver shares and silver bulIlOh on ac
count Of legislation proposed legislation by 'on-
gress and with what horror they view every mdlcauon
of the revival of maritime prosperity in consequence OF
legislation proposed legislation The logic OF thelr
position is that they friendly TO the one and hostile
10 the other American industry.
Now a. for the lobby according to the Demo
cratic ethics as illustrated and eXpounded by Herbert
Dockcry and their free ship colleagues, 1t Is all wrong
for any friend American shipping To show his face
in Washington while that subject is under consider7l
ton, but il all right for John Goldman and other I'M
selfish patriots who want a foreign flag to hoat over
every cargo which leaves our shores for foreign
pOIt-unlesS said be carried IN BRUSH bottom
under the American faS-tO come 10 Washington,
camp on the trail Of every senator and Representa-
tive who dares to stand up for his own country as
against foreign influences and interests and use tongue
and pen to SANDER him and defeat his efforts. The
American friend advocate of American interests is
lobbyist" fOrsOoh, and the emssary OF foreign snip
builders and shipOwncrs is patriot. who Is un'
selfshly seeking TO prevent Congress from committing
a grievous mistake. Probably it will be wiser for
these brevet British patriots" to cultivate the virtue
Of modesy and for some of their mouthpeces to abate
something Of their zeal. They OVERRIDING the
thing in fact. they are almost bold the self
sacrificing patriots who flock to Washington in the
interest OF foreign importers and manufacturers when
ever proposition is pending to change a tarin ratio
for the benefit of American labor and industries.
good deal Of Mr. DockeryS speech was devoted 10
- tha Ib.-ie md he oil
nouncing them well subsidies"
Mr. Dingey in beginning his speech said that unless
some such step that proposed by the bill wee
taken by the Government, almost every vessel en-
gagged in the foreign trade and flying the American
flag would be driven from the ocean. for with only
IL IL per cent of the foreign carrying trade, and
with Great Britain entrenched every ocean route
was obvious that II utterly out Of the power Of
private individuals. without assistance, TO dislOdge the
shipping Of Great Britain Mr.. Dingey then examined
the policy OF Great Britain in substituting steamships.
In 1850, he said, Great Britain started out scale
never before known establishing steamship lines
the great routes OF commerce. In 1908 she had
actually entered into a limited partnership with
English steamship company, guaranteeing the com
pany interest its investment in order 10 meet
French competition. But gentlemen had said that ii
did not matter what Great Britain did thirty years
ago much what she is doing now. The reason
why Great Britain not spending much
lished her Commercial supremacy. Having enrenched
them, they did not need much encouragement.
Only two years ago when her China mail was being
carried by the Pacific Mail steamship Company for
less than 100000 Great Britain. in connection with
the Canadian Government. subsidized British line
at 100000 year. If the policy of Great Britain
had been postal merely, this would not have been
done, for her mails were being carried cxpeditiousy
and cheaply. IL to maintain supremacy the
ocean that This Canadian line was established. Eng
lands policy had been really economical for II had
secured commercial supremacy for Great Britain a,
lass than one tenth the expense for which it could
have been secured in any other way. Compare, he
sad. the Great Britain aid the United States
respectively spent last year. Great Britain spent
IS, 30 900, while the United States paid the
ptsnce of 100000 for carrying the mails. Yet
some wondered why the American merchant
marine in the foreign carrying trade disap-
pearng from the ocean.
II was said that The bill would not do for ner
chant marine what claimed for it, We could
Judge Of that by what similar policy had done for
France with less maritime people than those of the
United States. within five years from the establish
meDt OF subsidy system the steam tonnage Of France
was doubled. With the widest extent Of coast known
% any natOn the United states could reap benefit
from subsidies far greater then amy otller nation.
years her steam marine had increased 40 per cent
Mr. Dngley then, examined and defended the pro
visions Of the BILL dwelling especially upon the pro
vision including sailing vessels within the benefits
ferred II was on sailing vessels he said that the
seamen had been trained who won for the United
States such glorious victories in the War OF 1872 Gen
tenen talked about vessels running all over the sea
just for the purpose Of getting bOuntes II they
examke the cost Of running vessel they would find
the bounty amounted 10 only eleven per cent OF the
cost of running vesseljust about the difference be.
tween the Of running a British and an American
vessel or course no vessel would spend a
thousand dollars 10 receive hundred The sub
sdy provided for would merely put the American
and foreign vessels on an even keel and nothing
The people would reap the benefit when the American
vessels competed with foreign vessels in lower freight
rates
The maximum expense Of the bill the frat year
would be 81 OOOO 900 Of which all but about 100000
or S4OO 900 would come from postage and tonnage
dues Taking the highest rate Of increase In tonnage
estimated "a result Of the BIN the greatest amount
OF expenditure that would be needed in year
would BE- 81 600 600; after which the rate Of pay
mcnts would steadily diminish. Would any gentle
man that through such expenditure the United
states secured million tons Of new shipping built on
naval models and suitable TO be used for naval purposes