The record-union., 1896-10-04
WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSEs

The Bryan party refuses explicitly to
indorse and approve the proposition to
foster the American Merchant Marine.
MIR. Bryan pronounces it vicious pro-
lection" Tom Watson says it is in the
interest only of the Yankee ship builders
who ought to receive no encouragement.
What are the facts? Formerly 80 per
cent. of our foreign commerce was car
ried on American bottoms; to-day only
from to IL per cent. is so carried. The
Republican party proposes to return to
the ancient system, What Is that? It
is set forth in platform, namely to re-
ceive foreign goods brought on Ameri-
can bottoms at a lower duty rate than
charged on foreign goods carried on
foreign bottoms. This takes no money
out Of the treasury, but puts money into
it, whereas a bounty system operates in
directly an opposite manner. Governor
Mckinley says on this subject:
The declaration Of the Republican
platform in favor Of the unbuilding of
our merchant marine has my hearty ap-
proval. The policy Of discriminating
duties in favor of our shipping, which
prevailed in the early years Of our his
tory, should be again promptly adopted
by Congress and vigorously supported
until our prestige and supremacy on the
seas is fully attained.
We should no longer contribute di-
recfly or indirectly TO the maintenance
Of the colossal marine Of foreign coun-
tries, but provide an efficient and COM
oy~ir7 of IA he
American navy is assuming a position
commensurate with our Importance as
a nation, a policy l am glad to observe
the Republican platform strongly in
dorSes, we must supplement it with q
merchant marine that will give us the
advantage in both our coastwise and
foreign trade that we ought naturally
and properly to enjoy 1t should be at
once a matter Of public policy and ma
tional pride to repossess this immense
and prosperous trade
OF the worlds ocean shipping the
England has SO per cent. Our exports
and imports aggregate from a billion
and a half TO two billions Of dollars
value each year. OF all this commerce
we carry about per cent.
George Washington signed the first
Act favoring and protecting American
shipping in the foreign trade. We were
then building better ships at less cost,
of better timber. and admittedly better
sailers by far, but we had less than 33
per cent Of our own carrying business.
In the first year under the new law Of
as1tsa W.. Oa icH
cent of the trade, in the second %, in
the third 64, in the fourth 20, in the
fifth year IS and thereafter for thirty
nine years we had 80 per cent. of the
carrying business, except of course
while the war Of 1912 interrupted COM
merce.
In 1928 the law was repealed on the
gupposition that we could stand alone,
but Immediately we began to lose
ground, until now we have run down TO
the 8 per cent. figure, SO that to-day II
one peeps into an American harbor like
that of New York, or San Francisco, of
all deep water carriers (not coasters
merely he will find 92 per cent OF the
tonnage under foreign flags. Even the
larger portion of American mails Is car
ried on foreign bottoms, while our mer-
chant marine cannot begin to furnish us
with blue jackets enough for our small
navy.
Now what will the carrying trade
that under william Mckinley win be
restored by wise protection amount to?
What will that amount to which W. j.
Bryan denounces as a cheat q fraud
and a crime, as he did in Congress and
out of it, and has done in the present
campaign? What is that TO amount 70
which Tom Watson, the second taii %
the Bryan kite, says is in the interest
of Yankee ship-yards only?
The lowest estimates place tnis cur
rying trade at S3OO.oOo,0OO Of saving
alone for that which now annually goes
to pay foreign bottoms for doing wna'
we ought to do for ourselves. iha'
sa0o. .o00, 900 ought to be spent as nome