Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-10-31
CLEVELAND'S VIEWS
Fully CO1Cured in by
His Running Mate.
Mr.. STEVENS0N'S LETTER.
Declares That the Question of Taxa
tion is the Foremost Issue.

wAsHINcroN. Oct BE c. ONricn.
Commissioner OF navigation, has just sub
mittcl advance copies Of his annual ne.
port Co the secretary Of the treasury
After tracing the history Of the pgo.
tectlye policy adopted during the admin
traton OF President Washington, ne dis
cribes the f.marl1pble change which was
consummated by the act Of May 2i, 1874,
under the provisions Of which statute
foreign vessels are admitted at United
States ports upon the same terms which
apply 10 American vesa Ia. This attempt
at free trade in shipping was inspired. he
says, 10y our early maritime successes, but,
under the new conditions as TO the ma
terial OF shipbuilling, iron or wood, and
the gradual appreciation OF WAGES In the
United States, the greater relative cost Of
building and operating seagoing vessels
has thrown the advantages largely on the
side Of the nations of Europe.
The commissioner says that all that has
remained TO us In shipbuilding and in the
carrying trade is due 90 the fact that we
have rgi1ly adhered to the protective act
Of Feb. Is. | iJ3, under the provisions of
which statute the domestic trade Of the
United States is confined TO American
vessels. Upon this subject he says:
The exclusion OF FOREIGN vessels from par
ticpstion alone in our domestic or coastwise
commerce has alone saved our shipbulding
and shipping interests from ruin. In this alb
solutely protected branch of our merchant
marine We have attained 20 successes in nauti-
cal affairs which far surpass those OF any
other nation ON the globe. The American
built ocean steamers plying between New
York and Savannah, between New York and
Galveston, between New York and New Or
leans on the Panama route. and on other
Coastwise lines, are unsurpassed in cOnstruC-
tion and efficiency 10y steamers Of the same
class In any other part Of the globe, and are
the admiration Of the shipbuilders and ship
owners of tue world.
The high att9iuucnts Of American naval
architecture and shipbui'ding is also splrn-
didly eXcup'ifeI in the American yacht
clubs, which ia point OF beauty and speed, and
In the general qualities of.na1ticu e'nnancy.
are unequalled by the pleasure vessels Of any
other nation.
The commissioner has this &c say about
Our shipping on the Great Lakes.
This branch OF our merchant marine. In so
far as relates 20 trade between American
ports, is absolutely protected against foreign
competition. For this cause and the fact that
our domestic trade between lake ports con-ti-
or the great lakes, our shipping 80 cmpOred
Is enjoying n high degree of prosperity. Our
lake tonnage increased from sll,3D tons IN
1882 to l,lS),j'3 tons in 1902. IL now embraces
fleet Of large steam vessels, models of
beauty and nautical efficiency, which offer 10
shippers and passengers An unsurpassed trans
portation service.
In referring to tho Pacific coast the
commissioner calls attention TO n threat
ening danger on the Pacific, TO wit: The
fact that the Dominion government has,
at an outlay Of about s2l0. 100000. enabled
the Canadian Pacific Railroad company TO
construct its line across the contjuentaud
to place on the Pacific ocean, between
British Columbia and China. "A line
of steamers which receive from the
Canadian and British governments
an annual subsidy of 100000 year,
which is about five times the amount
paid annually To American steamers car
rying To and from Asia mails which sew
eral times exceed in magnitude the mails
carried by the Canadian line The total
annual subvcution to this combined ca
madam and British government line of
railroad and steam navigation amounts
to about SO, O,OO). 900 year.
Besides, the Dominion government has
passed n statute in terms allowing the
Canadian Pacific to discriminate uuius,ly
against American transportation lines,
and, in oder 60 make sure Of securing tne
Asiatic trade, that government las inn
posed discriminating duty on ten and
coffee when imported into Canada from
the United States Commissioner Ohren
regards all this as an
Assault Upon the Dignity
as well as upon the commer"..l and ship
ping interests Of the United States. and.
as protective movsure, rccpmmeu IS
the imposition OF discriminating duties
upon Asiatic and Australian goods when
imported into the United States from
Canada.
The commissioner next presents some
statistics showing that while the TONNAGE
OF American built vessels employed in the
protected domestic trade of the country
had advanced, the unprotected or forei IN
commerce branch Of our merchant marine
has declined from ~ rer cent OF the total
early in the century to - per cent at
present lie also shows by other st5tistics
that the measures 4 relief adopted are
not adequate 10 the restoration Of Ampri-
can shipping engaged in foreign COM
merce.
In speaking Of the bill now pending in
the house ut representatives,, which was
reported favOrahly tO the house hv the
committee on merchant marine and fish
cries admitting foreign vrs~ Is 90 both our
domestic and foreign ira lie, the commits
sionPr says:
In the light OF all tho lessons Of experience,
which show that the mcH. urc of success which
we have attained in maritime affairs is abso-
lutely duo to ;hc protection which Is accorded
to our shipping ENGAGED in domestic CONF
merce, the adoption ot such a policy as that
proposed by the house committee on merchant
marine and fisheries would, iu ny opinion. in
nict upon the shiubuldiug ana shipuwning
interests Of this country moro severe blow
even than that which they received from tho
depreciation Of Confederate cruisers during
the late war. The great ships now on the de.
signers' tables ia this country would so Q
foreign .hipyards for construction, and tho
United States would lose the now Frightening
opportunity % recovering place iu foreign
commerce cJmmou .urite with It's wealth, tho
skill OF its contractor, aud the courage and
enterprise Of is sgJmcl.
Runaway Iouugster Captured.
NEW YORK.. Oct. 3l.-Charles L. N-nzy,