The record-union., 1896-08-08
REPUBLICANISM AND AMERICAN
SHIPPING.

The Republican party is sound in
every declaration concerning our ship
ping interests. Take the expression in
the Massachusetts platform for this
year, for instance:
We have always given protection to
our shipbuilders. In late years we have
neglected to protect our shipowners. We
believe the time has come to return to
the policy Of Washington and Hamil-
ton, which, by discriminating duties in
favor of American bottoms, secured 80
per cent Of our carrying trade to Amer
lean ships, and which, if now restored,
would again revive our shipping and
cause American freights to be paid to
Americans.
Under the Administrations of Garfield
and Arthur the tonnage we built in the
United States was 1,053,672. Under the
first term Of Mr.. Cleveland all the tom
mage we built aggregated but 623, 046, a
falling off of Al per cent. Under the
Administration of General Harrison the
tonnage built rose to 1904, 1872, or an
Increase over the tonnage built under
Democratic Administration of "a per
cent.
Under the present Democratic Admin
istration our new tonnage turned out
has been 454, 436, compared with a ton
mage of 1914, $50 for the first three years
of General Harrison's Administration
SO under Democratic rule we have al
ready fallen off in tonnage about 40
per cent.
Is there not every reason why ship
ping interests should turn to the Repub-
lcan party for conservation? Toward
the close of the last century % per cent
of the foreign commerce of this country
was carried on American bottoms, but
by wise legislation protecting American
shipping interests and laying a duty
upon foreign commerce in foreign bot
toms we raised the percentage to 90
Then came the repeal of the protective
laws by piecemeal until about 1928 the
last of them was wiped out and Ameri-
can shipping interests began to decline.
A correspondent having asked for in
formation upon these points has led US
to make some research into the matter,
and the result is not complimentary to
the party that is opposing the election of
Mr.. Mckinley. The Republicans are
now proposing return to the policy of
1859, under which a preference was
created for American bottoms, and
higher impost was laid upon foreign
commence i'm allan bottoms than ny,
carried in American ships. The Republi-
can Conventions of Massachusetts, Ore
gon, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsyl-
vania, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan,
Delaware, West Virginia, North Caro-
lima, Washington, Colorado and Maine
have spoken strongly in favor of
more generous protective policy in en-
couragement of American tonnage than
has yet obtained.
Finally the National Convention of the
Republican party assembled at St Louis
spoke for the whole party. as follows:
We favor restoring the early Ameri-
can policy of discriminating duties for
the upbuilding of our merchant ma
rlne and the protection of our shipping
in the foreign carrying trade, so that
American ships-the product of Amer
lean labor, employed in American ship
yards, sailing under the stars and
stripes and manned, differed and owned
by Americans-may regain the carrying
of our foreign commerce.
Here, then. is specific protection pro-
posed for one of the most important Of
cur commercial factors, and the deca-
oence of which has caused every Amer
lean cheek to burn with shame at some
time. The policy will add to the nation
al Treasury instead of taking from it
to pay bounties and subsidies; the ere,
alton Of preference for American ships
will stimulate their building and the
carriage Of our foreign commerce In
American built holds. We tried the plan
for forty years just preceding 1923 and
1t was abandoned only because 1t was
thought to be no longer necessary, a
mistake that has cost tie country dear
i, until to-day but II ITO per cent. Of
American commerce Is carried in Amer
lean ships, and while 100000 tons of
ships are employed in carrying Ameri-
can commerce, less than three-quarters
of one million tons are American.
Republicans have already introduced
bills in Congress to return to the policy
that so well served us for more than
forty years, and to a Republican Admin
istration we must look for the successful
restoration of that policy, under which
we viii not only restore commerce to
American bottoms. but cultivate class
OF American sailors from which our new
navy may draw its supplies of blue
Jackets instead, as now, making up the
crews by pickings from all manner of
tongues and nationalities.
Mayor Hubbard has inquired dill
gently into the whole scheme of the
proposed drainage outfall line on which
the citizens are to vote at the special
election on Tuesday next He said yes
terday that he is convinced first that