New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-07

| tonnage of 57iOO, as the direct result OF the
shipping legislation of the List Congress.
| Moreover. in consequence of the authority gwen
| 70 the Postof1ce Department for making mail
contracts, the Inman line has been encouraged
to ask for American registry for two of its best
sbips with the understanding that four new
steamships will be built in American yards for
| the Transatlantic trade. These results are GER
| family remarkable The restoration OF the
| merchant marine has been at least begun, and
the foundations laid for powerful auxiliary
navy.
| The President refers to the Significant TACT
that the Democratic party has found no place
| in its platfolm for any reference to TINS SUD
ect. but has shown its hostility to the RepuD-
lean shipping policy by the refusal OF the
Cleveland Administration to eXpcnd an appro-
priation made for ocean mail contracts with
American lines. lie might have added another
and even more startling evidence OF the Dem
ocratc partys antagonism. During the last
session of Congress the shipping policy OF the
party in control of the House was disclosed
in the Fithian Free-Ship bill. 1t was reported
! to the House with the approval OF the Demo
cratic members of the Committee or CONNER
| cial Marine and Fisheries, and while 1t was not
forced to a vote it undoubtedly embodles the
policy of the leaders of the party. 1t Is
measure enabling Americans to buy foreign
ships to obtain registry for them and to SAL
them under the flag If that policy prevails
| the oreat coasting marine now under the flag
with the magnificent fleet in the lakes and IN
other internal waters, will be brought into di-
| rect connection with foreign-built ships. At
the same time, the shipbuilding industry both
ON the coast and on the lakes will be destroyed.
The attitudes of the two parties toward this
| shining question are characteristic. Inc he-
publican party, recognizing the 1act thao inc
| carving trade on the ocean was destroyed by
free trade in freighting, and that the CONNER
c;al marine has not received protection our
ing the last forty years-and only protection
in a steadily diminishing degree since 1910
aims 70 restore its prosperity through the same
;nstrumcntaltics employed by England and
every other maritime nation in Europe. That
is bv liberal payments for mail service, or by
navigation bounties or by subventiOns Tor Z
naval reserve The Democratic party has no
remedy to propose except the repeal OF the
statute relating to American registry, adopted
n century ago, for the protection OF shpoulid-
ing. Its plan of restoring the merchant Meet
ON the high seas, which has not been protected
in any respect since $50 is to destroy another
allied industrv-Amercan shipbuilding-and to
open the coaSting and lake trades, which nave
had continuous protection and have pr0spered
or account of it, to foreign-built ships. These
shipping policies are directly antagonlStic. One
is American and the other is anti American
1t is needless To enlarge upon the fact that the
President desires an Amercan-bult CONNER
cia marine. and that except in such an instance
as that of the Inman line he has no sympathy
with the free-ship movement.