Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-09-10

ocean carrying trade This subject
touches not only our pockets, but our
national pride Practically all freights
for transporting to Europe enormous
annual supplies Of provisions furnished
by this country and for the large return
Of manufactured products have for
many years been paid to foreign ship
owners. Thousands Of immigrants an
nuaily seeking homes under our flag
have been denied the sight If 1t until
they entered Sandy Hook. while In
croasing thousands Of American ciu-
zcns bent on European travel, have
each year stepped into foreign jurs-
diction at the New York docks The
merchandise balance Of trade, which
the treasury books show, Is largely re-
duced by the annual tribute which we
pay for freight and passage money
Great ships the fastest upon the sea
which now In peace or profitlng by our
trade, are in secondary sense, war ships
Of their respective governments, aud in
a time Of war would, under existing
contracts with those governments.
speedily take on guns for which their
decks are already prepared and enter
with terrible efficiency upon the work
Of destroying our commerce. The UNI
disputed fact is that the great steam
ship lines Of Europe We're built up and
are now In part sustained by direct or
Indirect governmental aid, the latter
taking the form Of liberal pay for car
ryiug the mails or an annual bonus
given in consideration Of agreements 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. il was plain TO
every intelligent American that If the
United States would have such lines
similar policy must be entered upon.
The tifty-lirst congress enacted such
law, and under its benehcent influence
sixteen American steamships of an ag-
srcg9te tonnage of 81 100 tons and cost
Ing 81 1000 have been built or CON
tracted to be built in American ship
yards. in addition to this, il is now prac-
ticaliy certain that we shall soon have.
under an American flag, one OF the
finest steamship lines sailing out of New
York for any European port This con-
tract viii result IN the construction in
American yards of four new passenger
steamships Of 10000 tons each, costing
about SS,OOOoOO, ana viii ada TO our
naval reserve six steamships, the fast
est upon the sea,
Sp, al interest is taken by me In
the establishment of lines from our
south Atlantic and Gulf ports; and
though my expectations are not yet
realized attention has been called TO
their advantages The democratic
party found no place in It's platform for
any reference TO This subject, and has
shown hostility 10 the general policy
by refusing 20 extend an appropriation
made during the last administration
for ocean maii contracts with Amer
lean lines Patriotic people, worlmcn
in our shops, capitalists seeking new en-
tcrprises must decide whether the
great ships owned by Americans which
have sought American registry shall
again humhly ask for "a place In the
English naval reserve, whether the
great ships now on the designers table
win 20 to foreign workshops for con
struction and the United States lose
the Frightening opportunity of recover
ing a place in tie carrying trade Of
the seas.
Hrciproolt, Does Wonders.
Another related measure is the RE-
ciprocity policy declared by an act OF
$500 and now i'm practical operation
with live nations
The removal Of the duty on sugar
and the continuance of coffee and tea
ON the free list, while giving great re-
lief 10 our own people is also of enor.
n GUS advantage to the countries eN-
porting these articles. Great credit
Is due Mr. Blaine for the yigor with
which ne presented this view Tie
work OF creating new agencies and
adapting our goods 10 new markets
has necessarily taken time, but the re-
Suits already attained are such, / ann
sure as to establish in popular favor
the policy of reciprocal trade based up
on the free importation of such articles
MS DO not iuiuriously compete with our
products. I'm exchange for the free or
favored Introduction Of our products
Into other countries.
The obvious efficacy OF this policy
mt once attracted the alarmed attention
If European journals and boards of
trade. Tie British board of trade pro
POSED that the government issue a
memorial asking for the appointment
Of 81 commission to consider the best
means Of counteructing the commercial
crusade OF the United States
At meeting Of the associated cham
beers Of commerce Of Great Britain, ina
March. it was reported thar the exports
from Great Britain 10 Latin-AmcricI
during the past year had decreased
So 10000, and This is due directly
10 the reciprocity policy Of the United
states. Germany and France also
showed their startled appreciation
81 the fact Tint a rev and vigorous
contestant had appeared i'm the battles
OF the markets The most convincing
evidence of the tremendous CONNER