The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1896-11-21
AMERICAN SHIPPING.
One OF the great questions wb,cl

next congress Is o restoration to O
condition worthy Of this great COM
mercial nation in the worlds great
est commercial age, of America s
mercantile shipping,
There was time when the Ameri-
can mercantile marine was the won
der Of the world aud the glory and
pride Of the American people. To-
day the foreign commerce OF the I'm.
tied State is virtually all carried ia
foreign ships under foreign flags.
Practically there are now no Amer
ioan ships engaged In any trans
oceanic trade, and in. many of the
worlds great commercial port the
American flag on an American ship is
rarity. and in many others such a
sight is not seen IN an entire year.
The result is that not only the
United States government loses en-
ormously in prestige, but the Ameri-
can people lose every year vast
sum, amounting to between $780,
100000 and 5000, 100000 In gold,
paid to foreign shipowners for carry
ing American freights.
The statement is made from Off.
cial data that as early as 1928, OIL
per cent of American foreign COM
merce was carried in American ships /;
in 1860 there was still 66 per cent,
or two-thirds Of the whole, carried
In American bottoms. Today, un-
der an almost constant succession of
republican administrations, the
amount has dwlndlcd to the pitiful
proportions Of IL per cent.
~.
The real practical remedy is 10
give a rebate in the tariff on all for
eien goods imported In American
ships sailed under the American flag.
Such rule was IN force from 1870
to 1928, and IL had immense infu.
ence In encouraging the growth Of
an American commercial marine, and
IL took money out Of nobody's pock-
ct. 1t enabled the American ship
owners to earn larger freight on
the foreign goods they brought into
this country, because the importers,
having TO pay lower duty than was
exacted from those importing in for
eign ships, could afford 10 pay high
er rates Of freight and then have an
advantage.
| II the cost Of operating American
steamships be greater on account Of
the higher wages raid to American
seamen, which is their Just due, it
could be fully and successfully offset
by the discriminating duty In favor
Of foreign goods imported in Ameri-
can bottoms.
But, take IL for granted that the
American ship-builder cannot turn
out iron and steel steamers as cheap.
lv as can be done abroad, what then
The natural and proper remedy is TO
let Americans buy their ships in the
best markets available and sail them
under the American flag.
| -.
| II must he kept in mind that for
eign vessels are strictly excluded by
law from the domestic American in
terror or coastwise trade. This is abb
solutely reserved for home-built and
home-owned vessels. and this trade
will always furnish work to tn, Am
erican ship-builders; hut H. is be-
coming all the more doubtful II for
eian shlp-bnilders can underworld the
American craftsmen.
The increasing chenpness OF iron
and steel in the United Stae,, and
the yearly growing magnitude OF the
output of iron and coal, the mex
haustible supply Of those In lispensa.
bles, and the large number OF skilled
workers, combine to give the Ameri-
can ship-bullders advantages and fac
ili,ies which they did not have even
dozen years ago.
e."
This would also greatl v stimulate
the American ship-building indus
tries, while 1t would operate to leave
in the pockets of the American peo-
pie more than 00,000,00O year,
which vast amount Is now paid to
foreign shlp-owners for carrying the
foreign trade of the United States. -
Picayune.