The San Francisco call., 1896-07-23
Discriminating Duties Declared
to Be Necessary to the
Industry.
FACTS TO INTEREST VOTERS.
An Appeal by the Merchant Marine
Association, Of Which He Is
President.

Vice President, of Maine is president and
A. r. Smith of New York is secretary:
The Republican National Convention adopt
ed plank on the 18th ult. copy inclosed),
the principles of which had received the In
dorsement of fourteen Republican State con-
ventions. and the object OF which is 10 restore
to American built ships the carrying Of COM
merce that employs millions OF tons OF ships
and pays about $3.50, o0O, 600 annually to the
carriers. ! feel sure that your league will be
in full accord with the objects OF this associa-
ton, as is the. great party for which you
labor. / trust that you may be dis
posed TO place the matter 1nclosed and this
letter before your league at its next meeting,
and If you will advise me OF any action taken
or suggest anything that may do to further
the fuller understanding of your people as to
the necessities of ship protection l shall be
obliged.
IncIosed with this letter is a copy of the
following:
Ship protection plank in the Massachuset
Republican State platform, adopted March n,
We have always given protection to our ship
builders. In late years we have neglected TO
protect our ship-owners. We believe the time
has come TO return to the policy OF Washing
ton and Hamilton, which, by discriminating
duties in favor of American bottoms, secured
80 per cent of our carrying trade to American
ships, and which, if now restored, would again
revive our shipping and cause American
freights to be paid to Americans.
In favor of which the Marine Associa-
tion, of which Mr.. Sewall is president,
makes the following brief argument:
1t is sound Republican protective doctrine
It puts money into the National Treasury, in
stead of taking money out, as bounties and
subsidies do. 1t creates a preference for Amer
lcan ships In the carrying OF American COM
merce. 1t was in force for nearly forty years
from the beginning of our Government down
to 182S-during all of which time an average
OF 80 per cent OF American foreign commerce
m IN n
The first act OF the First Congress in 1889
provided in part, for this form of ship protec-
ton Subsequent acts OF that and succeeding
Congresses strengthened and extended the
policy. Ship protection was abandoned, be-
cause it was no longer thought necessary, and
from that time the proportion of carriage of
American commerce in American ships has
declined, until to-day but IL 7-10 per cent of
American commerce is carried in American
ships.
Five million tons of ships are employed in
carrying American foreign commerce, less
than 10000 tons of which are American.
Four hundred million dollars would be spent
In American shipyards building the ships
necessary to carry American commerce If the
policy advocated in the Massachusetts-New
Jersey plank is adopted by the United States.
Three hundred million dollars now annu-
ally sent abroad to pay for the carriage of
American commerce, passengers and mails
would be retained IN the United States if
FIVE hundred million dollars, it has been esti-
mated by the most competent experts, has
been sent abroad during the past thirty years
to pay for the carriage of American commerce,
passengers, mail, etc. The weakness of the
United States is only apparent upon the seas OF
the world; the adoption of this policy would
strengthen the Nation where its one weakness
at present exists.
Senator Elkins of West Virginia has intro
duced bill in the Senate and Mr.. Payne of
New York in the House proposing to tax Inn
ports in foreign ships 10 per cent more than
imports in American ships are taxed.
1t is policy that provides for the same pro-
lection for American ships that is now pro-
vtded for American manufactures, to wit:
Discrimination against foreign ships, Just as
We discriminate against foreign manufactures
by higher duty upon the foreign articles, be
they ships or products of foreign nations.
The United States navy is weak because
Americans are not to be had to man our
warships. The adoption of this policy
would provide resource for the manning
of the navy sufficient TO provide the men
for the Nations protection, If ever assailed
by a foreign power.
Accompanying this is copy OF the fol-
lowing:
Ship protection plank adopted by the Repub-
llean National Convention at ST. Louis, No.,
June 1S, 1896:
We favor restoring the early American policy
of discriminating duties for the upbuilding of
our merchant marine and the projection of our
American ships-the product of the American
labor employed in American shipyards sailing
under the stars and stripes. and manned, Off
cered AMI owned by Americans-may regain
the carrying of our foreign commerce.
Explanatory of this strong and patriotic
statement is the following bit of history
Circulated by Mr.. Sewalps organization:
ship-building under Democraticgand Repub-
ncan rule: The Democratic Commissioner OF
Navfgat1on's last report-that for the fiscal
year ending in 1S95-shows some rather start
ling hgures of ship-building conditions un der
Democratic and Republican rule, which it is
worth while here recording.
During the administration of Garfield and
Artnur, preceding the first admins tration OF
Grover Cleveland, the total tonnage of all YES
sells built in the United States amounted to
1,Oo3,672. During Mr.. Cleveland's first term
the tonnage OF all vessels built aggregated but
6Z3,O tons, a decrease of IL per cent
During tho administration of BENJAMIN
harrison the tonnage Of all vessels built in the
united states rose again to 1,094 1872 being an
increase In the amount of cons truction over
that built under Grover Cleyeland's admins
tration OF "a per cent. During the first three
years OF Grover Cleyeland's second adminis
tration the vessels built in the United states
aggregated 454 436 tons, as compared with a
construction OF s94 $50 under the first three
years o. benlamin Harrison's admins tration.
or fall since the Republicans lost control OF
the Government of 10 per cent.
1t is not difficult 10 understand from these
ngu,es ng Mhy Il It's IS tnat isrgs majority, in fact
OF the country, are strongly Republican.
Thus it is that the ablest and mort lucid
arguments for our cause come from the
leaders of the opposition. Subioined 10
this history of American shipping is this
bit of patriotic speculation. which. as
later eventa have shown, is most pre-
sumptive considering the subject referred
to-:
Whether the Democratic party can be In.
duced TO favor the policy which Thomas Jef
ferson was particularly influential in havinc q
frst established, and which is the only pollcS
that has ever been successful in giving te
American ships the carriage of America 4
commerce, IS not at present known If the
Democrats would join the Republicans and re.
store and maintain that policy. in the sam ms
non-partisan and unanimous manner that Il
was a hundred years ago, it's permanencs
would be assured, il would continuously en-
ploy hundreds of thousands OF skilled WORK
mel II American shtpyards and would cans.
the retention in the United States of hun dred,
OF millions of dollars annually sent abroad n
gold TO pay foreign ships for carrying Ameri
can commerce.