The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-30
HISTORY or AMERICAS SHIPPING

HISTORY or AMERICAN SHIPPING
In 1883 only 20 per cent OF the for
eign commerce OF the United States
was carried in American ships. al
though American ships were built from
80 70 80 per cent cheaper. and better.
and lasted longer. than foreign ships.
The frst act OK the first congress, and
subsequent acts Of that and other con-
crosses during the latter part Of the
last century, created a preference for
American ships in the carriage Of
American commerce. by taxing imports
In foreign ships more than they were
taxed in American ships. That policy.
during the nearly forty years that 1t
was in force, enabled American ships
to carry 90 per cent Of American foreign
commerce.
In the mistaken belief that American
ships could thereafter carry all OF our
foreign commerce. without any stat
utory preference, the legislation that
had created that preference was partly
repealed In 1915. still more was re-
peaied in 1917. and in 1928 was wholly
and finally repealed. From that time
American ships carried less and less Of
American commerce. and at the begin
ming Of the civil war they carried but
66 per cent. which had fallen at the
close ofthe war to but 2s per cent. and
is today but II per cent Of our foreign
commerce.
In 1872 an act was passed which con-
fined our coastwlse and inland com
merce to vessels Of the United States.
an act that has never been disturbed.
and which has given to the Unitea
States the finest inland shipping In the
world. In 1892 American registry was
denied TO foreign vessels, which act
has been continually in force ever
since But the act OF 1898, above re-
ferred to. nevertheless permits foreign
ships to freely compete with American
ships in the carriage OF American for
eign commerce.
From time to time attempts have
been male to again give the carrying
of our commerce to our own ships. by
bounties and subsidies. In 1s4s subsidies
were granted to two transatlantic
American lines and withdrawn in 1850.
whereupon the lines failed. The sub
sidy act Of 1891 has. by the help Of an
other act, placed four vessels under the
American flag. two Of which are of
American construction That is the
um total OF accomplishment under sub
sides in the United States. There has
never been a bounty act passed for the
benefit Of American ships, although
such bill has been discussed and ad-
vocated.
The foreign commerce of the United
States annually consists Of between one
and half and two billions of dollars
worth of imports and exports, and en-
ploys several millions Of tons of foreign
ships In order that American ships
may be restored to the carrying Of this
commerce. an agitation has been be-
gun for the readoption of the policy of
1883, to create a preference for Ameri-
can ships by taxing 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 introduced in the
United States senate and house. re-
spectively, joint bill which provides
for duty Of ten per cent more upon
imports in foreign ships than is levied |
upon imports in American ships. This
policy has this year been indorsed by |
Republican conventions held in the fol- |
lowing states: Massachusetts,, Oregon, |
New Jersey, Connecticut. Pennsylvania,
Alab1ma, Georgia, Michigan, Delaware.
West Virginia, North Carolina, Wash
ington, Colorado and Maine. The Ohio
Republican platform favored the use of !.
American ships for the carriage of
American commerce without specifying
any policy. 1t is expected that the Re
publican national platform will also en-
dorse the policy of 1889.
Whether the Democratic party can be
induced to favor this policy. which
Thomas Jefferson was particularly in
tluential in having first established, and
which is the only policy that has ever
been successful in giving to American
ships the carriage of American COM
merce, is not at present known. If the
Democrats would join the Republicans
and restore and maintain that policy
in the same non-partisan and unani-
nous manner that it was hundred
years ago, its permanence would be as
sured it would continuously employ
of thousands of skilled work
men in American shipyards. and would
cause the retention in the United States
of the hundreds of millions of dollars
annually sent abroad in gold to pay I
foreign ships for carrying American
q u
IJ.-L. sf-yY .A- :. !. ~