The San Francisco call., 1895-10-11
THE SHIP-owNERs' ASSOCIATION OF THE PACI-
FIC COAST, 42-44 STEUART STREET.

FIG COAST 42-44 STEUART STREET.
SAN FRANCISCO, october 10, 1895.
Dear Sir: The Ship-owners' Association of
the Pacific Coast requests you TO appoint q
committee OF ten from your association to meet
organizations and the members OF this associa-
tlon TO devise ways and means to educate the
people of this State to afull appreciation OF the
necessity for the removal by legislation of the
heavy burdens which are now unnecessarily
borne by the shipping belonging to and trad
ing with the citizens of this State. The time
and place of the meeting in question will be
announced in the immediate future.
The pilots collect annually about $3.50. 600
from vessels passing in and out the Golden
Gate. For all the actual practical good re-
ceived from this ex penditure the money might
nearly as we'll be dumped into the sea. In
point OF fact, there is no need for pilots in the
pilots once when the harbor was less known,
when the vessels had to sail in and out, when
there were no tugs, no soundings, no buoys
and no charts. To-day nearly every vessel
passing through the Golden Gate does so in the
tow OF a tug. The vessel has to pay the tug in
any case; why should it pay the pilot besides?
The sum paid for pilotage is simply an addi-
tional burden laid on commerce.
The contention that pilots are necessary to
the vessels safety is not founded on fact. The
best pilot in the harbor cannot take a vessel
through the heads as safely as can a tug. The
tugs cruise continually outside the heads, and
seldom does vessel sail in without one.
The State of California is many years behind
the times respecting the taxation OF shipping
Ships are floating property; they cannot be
imprisoned in one place. Ii there be unneces-
sary burdens upon shipping in one country
they will disappear from that country and re-
appear in another where the burdens are
lighter. The process may be slow, but it is
nevertheless absolutely sure. 1t has been a
matter of much speculation as to why the
shipping of the United States has declined
while the shipping of European countries has
increased. One reason, at least, is very plain.
Great Britain has no direct taxes on her ships
Germany has direct taxes on her ships.
France has no direct taxes on her ships Aus
tro-Hungary has no direct taxes on her ships.
Italy has no. direct taxes on her ships. The
Netherlands have no direct taxes on their
ships. Even China and Japan exempt vessels
from taxation. In the United States alone
ing how rapidly it can drive its shipping out
OF existence by heavy taxation.
It is true that some States are awakening to
a realization of their folly. New York has ex-
empted from taxation all vessels engaged in
the foreign trade. Delaware exempts from
has no direct taxes upon vessels, but derives
small indirect revenue from them. Massa-
chusetts taxes some vessels less than others.
connecticut taxes some vessels less than others.
Alabama exempts vessels engaged in the
foreign trade. The other States tax everything
So long as Californta taxes its shipping we
cannot hope to develop a ship-building in
duStry. vessel built to trade between here
and New York can afford to pay the New York
shipbuildcr 20 per cent more upon its purchase
price than can be paid in San Francisco,
simply because of the difference in taxation.
We beg that you Will appoint the committee
asked for at as early a date as possible, and
that you will transmit to us the names and
addresses OF its members. With great respect,
we remain, yours, etc.,
.SHIP-owNERs' ASSOCIATION OF THE PACIFIC COAST.