The herald., 1896-12-20
Local, Eastern AMI Foreign
Commercial Dealings
WALL STREET SPECULATION
History Of Legislation Touching Amerl.
can Shipping
Laws by Which the Merchant Marine
Was Swept From the Seas--Relief
Proposed in New Legislation.


merchant marine is interesting:
I'm 1889 only 23 per cent of the foreign
commerce of the United States was car
ried in American ships, although Ameri-
can ships were built from 80 to so per
cent cheaper and better and lasted long
er than foreign ships. The first act of
the first congress, and subsequent acts
of that and other congresses during ME
latter part of the last century, created
preference for American ships in the
carriage of American foreign commerce
by taxing imports in foreign ships more
than were taxed in American ships.
That policy, during the nearly forty
years 1t was in force, enabled American
ships to carry 80 per cent Of American
foreign commerce.
In the mistaken belief that American
ships could therefore carry all of our
foreign commerce, without any statut-
ory preference, the legislation that had
created that preference was partly re-
pealed in 1876 still more repealed in 1877,
and in 1928 was wholly and finally re-
pealed. From that time American ships
carried less and less of American COM
merce, and at the beginning of the civil
war they carried but 66 per cent, which
had fallen at the close of the war to but
2s per cent, and is today but II per cent
of our foreign commerce.
IN 1892 an act was passed which con-
fined our coastwise and inland COM
merce to vessels of the United States. an
act that has never been disturbed and
which has given to the United States the
finest inland shipping in the world. In
l192 American registry was denied to
foreign vessels. which act has been con-
I'M 10 HUT In fr.,
of 1928. above referred to, nevertheless
permits foreign ships to freely compete
with American ships in the carriage of
American commerce.
From time to time attempts have
been made to again give the carrying of
our commerce to our own ships
by bounties and subsidies. In
1S4S subsidies were granted to transat-
lantic American lines and withdrawn in
1859, whereupon the lines failed. The
subsidy act of 1891 has, by the help of
another act, placed four vessels under
the American flag, two of which are of
American construction. That is the sum
total of accomplishment under subsid-
les in the United States. There has never
been bounty act passed for the benefit
OF American ships, although such a bill
has been discussed and advocated.
THE foreign commerce of the United
States usually consists of between one
and half and two billion dollars worth
of imports and exports, and employs
several millinos of tons of foreign ship.
In order that American ships may be re-
stored to the carrying of this commerce
an agitation has been begun for the re-
adoption of the policy of 17S9 to create
preference for American ships by tax
ing imports higher duty when brought
here in foreign ships. Senator S. b.
Elkins of West Virginia and Hon. S. f.
Payne of New York have this year intro
duced in the United States senate and
house. respectively. a joint bill which
provides for d dmty of 10 per cent more
upon imports in foreign ships than .s
levied upon imports in American ships"
CURRENT QUOTATIONS.
EGGS-Caifornia ranch, choice, 21G22;
BuTTER.,Eaarn,cy local creamery. per 2
per 2b squnre soass% dsiry air g9od to
fancy, 2-lb roll. 371aQ04O; dairy. fancy. per
1ss lb. roTl, s21a@S5; tub. choice to fancy, per
lb. 19Q2o.
DO Young t.nerica. 49, do ss-lb. hand. Isl
&c extra per h. when cased for shipment,
NSEt9sEn N%EGEnBhGsaRhsSarb iq fssaR Sc per box.
per dss Sss.I 5oae Celery I VII b Geaso eabbsse
per per G srns Ss 81 I pei & 'hs H. T e1y
per per b., /: cucumbers. per sack -: egg
plant per H., S; garlic do, 4; leeks, per
%: 500 do northern. per loo fbs., is; new
White m nar.nos sosst per 100 ps parsisy s per
pess Sox Io Der Ib s. radishes per doz bunches
i5; spinach, per lb. Is; string beans. per
b., o: tomatoes, per box. Soa60; turnips,
per 100 lbs, IS: watsrcress. per ,1oz. bunch.
es, 40; wax beans, = summer squash, :;
Lima beans. per ID. 2lh; okra, per b.. 10.
GREEN com iss os chece pe ia f.
fancy: pineapples per doz., .50d5.OO; Cen
tra American Soe; bananas E6, per bunch
grapes. per box, =; blackberries, per box,
.: apricots per lb., =; currants per box;
raspberres. per box, -; peaches. per lb.,
rer lRu'ns lb figs, figs per @ lb.. blaeI@ Whte.
=: watermelons. per doz.. =: musk
melons. per doz. s, 9; rsr peas, erss Bartletts.
per lb., =: ounces, per lb =; guavas,
Der box, =; eastern apples. per barrel, $50
GIT @ceYTRus FRu1Ts-oranges, Navels, 2.25
m2.75; seedlings, 1.0o@1 so; lemons, fancy Eu-
reka $50: Eureka and Lisbon, 15O;
unesrsa, 5saso; lines; per 100, 50. Y'
comb. aoiii i1ais per T.; strained lH0s; BEES
wax waPxoLLTRY@a ETH a ems: s.5e@4.5o per dog:
s.0oF;' sF'I old roosters. s.oo@4.oo; ducks. S.5og
$50; turkeys, 14a15 per H..
HAY-Wheat, 1OOOMllO0 barley 9.006e
1000: wheat and oat, u ;009l2.00; alfalfa.
baied, S5O@105o; loose, S.0oqs.5o; oat, 10000
MiLLsTuFFs-F FLOUR; local mills, $40;
ern, 6.25 shorts per ton. local. 1000
northern. -; rolled barley. per ton. 1900;
cracked corn, per 100 lbs, LOO; feed meal,
per H9H bs 1kTilsAbsiss 81 bran 1sSa sun ar.a
SACKS pc, ~ boxes fsnsS S s cS.,cs
10; peaches, fancy, unpeeled. sh; choice.
~ nectarines, fancy, S@9; choice. car;
pears. fancy evaporated. 7@9: plums.
pitted. CHOICE. 7Gs; prunes. choice. boxed,
NUTsMwalnut.. Lo. Angeles, 7@s me-
cy, 14115: almonds. softshell. 10Q12: paper
shell el7; hardshell, 6; pecans. 1SQ15h; Al
efstib5 H4b5Es 1s'sGNltb saNb woo1-New hide list: Dry
sound ,;n IL KIP so q calf s6rin l, bulls s. sheep
infslEIoLEio nTfAELowAssasH. oSwSsssasH
LIVE sToCKNAll per lb-Beeves. 2hm
az calves, 3G4; sheep. 2h@2es; lambs.
DRESSED MEATS-All per lb.-Beee
5@51a; veal, 6q7; mutton, s; lamb, 5h;
p1sGG 1GsGGREb MEATs-skinned hams, II; Rex
hams, u; av, u; selected mild cure, i0is:
speciai plain breakfast bacon. liz:
Diamond c breakfast bacon. backs. I: Rex
homeless hams. sugar cured ~: Rex bone-
less butts, s1s;. Rex dried beef. sets. .1ON,
beef toutsidesS B.: smoked TONGUES. I per 'iha it,.
6Z: dry salt clear bellies. 1890; av., I;
dry salt short clears. 55G40: av.. CH: