The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-06
people will not consent to the reaction-
ary proposal made by the Democratic
marty

| 49, f%SFSStea a@@N'AS ~ SA4S ~-Ss-4SSsNs'N
party.
OUR OCEAN COMMERCE.
Few subjects have ELECTED more dis
cussicn or excited moro general inter
est that that Of u recovery by the Uni
ted States of its appropriate share of
the ocean carrying trade.
This subject touches not only our
pockets, but our national pride. Prac-
tically all the freiGhts for the trans
porting to Europe, tho enormous an
nual supplies oil provisions furnished
by this country, aud for the large re-
turns OF manufactured products have
for many years been paid to foreign
ship owners. Thousands Of immigrants
annually seeking homes under our flag
have been denied the sight OF it until
they entered Sandy Hook, while in
creasing thousands OF American citi-
zens, bent on European travel, have
each year stepped in to foreign juris-
diction at New York docks, The mer-
chandise balance Of trade, which the
treasury books show is largely reduced
by the annual tribute which we pay for
freight and passage moneys, The
great ships-the fastest upon the sea-
which are now in peace, profiting by
our trade, are in secondary sense,
warsbips OF their respective govern
ments, and in the event OF war, would
under existing contracts with their
government speedily take on the guns
for which their decks arc already pre-
prepared and enter with terrible GILL
cheney upon the work OF destroying our
commerce.
The undisputed fact is that the great
steamship lines OF Europe were built
up and arc now in part sustained by
direct or indirect government aid, the
latter taking the form Of liberal pay for
carrying tho mails, or of an annual
bonus given in consideration OF agree
ments to construct ships so as to adapt
them for carrying an armament and to
turn them over to the government on
demand, upon specified terms. 1t was
plain to every intelligent American
that il tho United States would have
such lines similar policy must be
entered upon.
Tho Ffty-frst Congress enacted such
law. aud under its benelicienti influence,
sixteen American steamships oil an az
gregate tonnage OF 81, 400 tones and cost
ing 81, 400, 900 have been built or con.
tracted to be built in American ship
yards. In addition to this, it is now
practically certain that we shall soon
have under the American flag, one OF
the finest steamship lines sailing out OF
Now York for any European port. This
contract will result in the construction
in Americanyards offour new passenger
steamships OF 10000 tons each, costing
about $S0O0000, and will add to our
naval reserve six steamships, the fastest
upon the sea
AFATAL DEMOCRATIC OMISSION.
A special interest has been taken by
Inc in the establishment of lines from
south Atlantic and gulf ports; and,
though my expectations have not yet
been realized, attention has been called
to the advantages possessed by these
reports and when their people are more
fully alive to their interests, do not
doubt that they will be able to secure
the capital needed to enable them to
profit by their great natural advantages.
The Democratic party has found no
place in its platform for any reference
to this subject and has shown its hos
tility to the general policy by refusing
an appropriation made during the last
administration for ocean mail contracts
with American lines That party, or
the people, workmen in our shops, the
CAPITALISTS seeking new enterprises,
must decide whether the great ships
owned by Americans which have sought
American registry shall again humbly
,,laon IN kha Ennliuh naval rns
serve. The great ships now on the de-
signers' tables go to foreign ships for
construction and the United States lose
the new Frightening opportunity Of re-
covering place commensurate with its
wealth, tho skill of its constructors and
the courage OF its sailors, IN the carry
ing trade OF all the seas.
RECIPROCITY.
Another related measure as furnish
ing an increased ocean traffic for our
ships and OF great and permanent bene-
fit to the farmers and manufacturers as
we'll, is the reciprocity policy declared
by section 8 Of the tariff act Of 1890,
aud now in practical operation with
five Of the nations OF Central and South
America, San Domingo, the Spanish
and British West India islands and
with Germany and Austria under special
trade arrangements with each.
The removal OF the duty on sugar and
the continuance OF coffee and ten upon
the free list, while giving great relief to
our own people by cheapening articles
used increasingly in every household.
was also OF such enormous advantage to
countries exporting these articles as to
suggest that in consideration thereof
reciprocal factors should be shown in
their tariffs to articles exported by
us to their markets. Great credit
is due to Mr.. Blaine for
the vigor which he pressed this
view upon the country. We have only
begun to realize the benefit Of these
trade arrangements. The work OF ere
ating new agencies and Of adapting our
goods to new markets has necessarily
taken time; but the results already at
tanned are such, / am sure, as to estab-
lish in popular favor the policy Of re-
ciprocal trade, based upon the FREQ inn
portation OF such articles as do not in
iuriously compete with the products OF
our farms, mines or factories, in e1-
change for the free or favored introduc-
tion OF our products into other coun-
tries. The obvious efficacy OF this pol
icy in increasing the foreign trade Of
the United States at once attracted the
alarmed attention OF European trade
journals and boards OF trade The
British board OF trade has presented
that government memorial asking for