Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-06-02
THE SUBSIDY GRANT.
Oisgracerul Attitude of the Republica
Party Regarding 1t.

Oisgracerul Attitude of the Republican
Party Regarding 1t.
The Joy of the republican protection
organs over the action of congress in
the matter of allowing a change of
register for the steamers of the Inman
line is one of the most amusing things
of the time. For if there ever was a
distinct condemnation of two of the pet
theories of a party this action of con-
gress bears that relation to republican
pets. 1t condemns in the first place the
system of navigation laws on the main
tenance of which the republicans have
particularly prided themselves as pro-
tective measures for American shipping
and shipbuilders. And it contradicts
emphatically the whole theory on which
the subsidy system of the last repub-
lican congress was founded and for
which republicans have had but one
criticism since-that the subsidy grant
was not big enough.
Under our system of navigation laws,
the pride and boast of the republican
party. the carrying trade of the world,
including our own, has been given to
ships of foreign build. These laws
Americans were permitted to buy ships
abroad the shipbuilders of this country
would be at hopeless disadvantage be-
cause of the higher price of labor in
this country. It has been shown. over
and over again. and on the testimony
of American shipbuilders themselves,
that with free raw materials the build
ers here could compete with the build
ers anywhere; but the great party of
protection and restriction has stuck to
the tariff and insisted that the Ameri-
can flag should be confined TO our coast
ing trade. 1t is exceedingly funny,
therefore, to see this restrictive party
clapping its hands over the practical
repeal of the antIquated and oppre ssive
navigation laws, notwithstanding the
repeal originated with democratic and
tariff reform congress. Had the house
of representatives done what it did in
the matter of its own motion without
any request from vessel owners the 2.
o. p, we venture to say, would have
hOwled itself hoarse in denunciation of
the act and demanded its defeat in the
senate. But because it was asked for
by leading men of the very class in
whose interest it has been pretended
the laws were maintained, the hypocrit-
zeal old party has to approve of the ac-
ton of the democracy.
The party of restriction and repres-
sion was, if possible, more ardent in
support of the subsidy act than of the
navigation laws, and the chief ground
of its support was that England and
France and other countries of the old
world were granting subsidies. 1t was
for this reason, they commended, and
not because of the navigation laws and
the prOhibitive duties on raw materials
that England retained the carrying
trade and that the American who
wished for a share therein was COM
PEELED to bny British ship with Brit
ish register. And since the subsidy
was granted they have rejoiced over it
as the salvation of the American carry
ing trade, regretting only that the sub
sidy was not larger, so as to allow of
competition on better terms with Great
Britain. And.now come the vessel own
ers, who ought to be good judges, if
anybody is good judge of the subsid-
those MISUNDERSTANDING British
subsidies are not as attractive as the
American subsidies which have been
sneered at as altogether too low.
If the party which got the reputation
at one time of being the party of great
moral ideas had any such thing in it's
outfit as shame it would blush at the
exposure it is making of itself in it's re-
joicing over the bill in the Inman line
ase.-Detroit Free Press.