New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-12
AMERICA AND HER SHIPPING
EN- COMMIssroNER BATES on THE MFR
CHANT MARINE.

ADDRESS BEFORE THE FARMERS NATIONAL Gun
GREss-pLANs PROPOSED FOR RENEWING
THIS CoUNTRYs OCEAN SERVICE.
Atlanta. oct. 1.-THE Farmers National Congress
daveloped into a financial debating club to-day Tx
Controller William Lawrence OF ono prec'p'a'er
the discussion by an address on bimetaalsm ana
ho, % s.cnra II He took the free silver side
4 resolution favoring the free coinage OF silver
ord gold and the calling OF monetary conference
Of nations favoring silver was offered by Judse
J. C. Ramsde.l. of Michigan; judge william La"
renee OF OHIO and j. B. Hunnicutt. OF Georgia
Aftsr discussion the resolution referred 10 the
Committee on Resolutions.
W. w Bates OF Chicago, ex-Commlssoner Oh
Navgatlon. spoke on The American Marine lie
said
MIR. BATES's SPEECH.
Mr. President and Gentlemen: To think awhiIe OF
the ocean and its navigation, OF the SHIPS ana sea-
men carrying the commerce OF the wofid, shou''
bring delight and stir our pride; for many puhders
Of reputation, many famous shpmasters ana some
OF the most successful merchants began careers
OF honor as farmer boys. once our laws encouraged
enterprise land and sea. and our people SUI
ceeded The four pillars OF our ana nav
CATION. American ships and American trade weht
everywhe.e and the American nag at sea au o ..e
No call to the sounds now for Young, AnerIea'
rne in foreign trade has wholly neglected It's pres.
ervation and IT has been swept by rivals so Clearly
carriase. in What is called American commerce, Is
now but half .arge as In 1888
When We had shipping of our own and merchants
OF our own people to carry our trade. we had
no fears OF adverse balances and the export OF
gold There was then no nation, rival or enemy.
that bat could strip us of our wealth. Now there IS.
and the world knows that Foreign marine rs. IS
stripping machine No marser wI the Work Of the
down this maxim for his country's guidance: who
whatsoever commands the trade OF the world com
mands the riches Of the word ana, consequent
ly, the world itself"
COMMERCIAL FUNCTION OF SHIPPING
II Is the function Of shipping to create and dis
charge trade balances Freghtage is. virtually,
product marketed: debt to be settled the same as
a bill OF goods. BY ships Of our own to foreign
countries frelghtage is an export; from foreish
countries 1t saves an import Thus ships earn
and save for their flag when employer In 1ore's,t
trade. And. consequently. there Is balance OF
transportation. as well as balance OF trace;
isga were valued at ts57 O6G7s Taking z per cent
Of value for freightage, we have SVo5S SZ ADVERSE
valued at $751; sG7 At per cent for freighage.
we 81, 2S5 as adverse balance on imp9[ or
carriage; and for the total against US SlizIozoM'
And this estimate is low: II Is easily seen, now
that We cannot AFFORD to nave an a tein
shipping creates adverse balances OF transporta-
ton. Trade and transportation being cornpeietius
Guides cI aSH them foth For the year ended May 81 s
there was reported an adverse DildHcf % Nap
amounting to ssS SAP To this should De auded
an adverse balance OF transportaon no. iess ,nan
which we sh pped Of gold and silver con and bullion
Gin excess Of Imports. slssos76t Apparently slo5-
S56 of debt remained. II we had carried 70 per
cent. instead of Y only the adverse balance re-
naming would have been-not one cent
HOME AND FOREIGN TRADE
Farmers are said to be "tax-fghters." They are
called upon frequently to down this party or that
for wasting public funds. But there are taxes ana
taxes A distinction should be made between nome
and foreign. Taxes paid to foreign shipping We
should fight with all might. Tariff taxes
support Government They are disoursed az
home while the foreign shipping tax goes aorodI
To support foreign governments. on an average.
the shipping exceeds the tariff ADDING iaFes
To freghts our shipping tax TO Europe may pe
stated at s2o0c0O0, the British share at sli0VnWO
our foreign tax is twice as great ior shipping
service as for interest and investment account
To secure financial safety alone. TO say nothing or
industrial. commercial and political independence.
the restoration OF marine In foreign trade Is an
absolute necessity Exporting too little ana import
ing TOO much. as are now doing, would ma
remedy in American shipping and American mer-
chants Had we kept the sea and retained con-
troll OF trade we should not have had a silver
question.