Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-23

As TO FREE rORTS.
Tho question of establishing free ports
in the United states, as proposed In II
bill some time ago introduced into con
gross. will probably receive considcra.
tion at the present session. The advo-
Gates of the policy are very earnest in
their belief jhat II would be found
highly beneficial and will continue to
urge IL until decisive action by con
grcss can be had 1t appears that the
plan of Mr. Austin Corbh. who is the
most active champion OF tlI" free port
idea. of establishing such port at Fort
Pond Bay. Long Island, Is meeting with
strong opposition from manufacturers
in Brooklyn and other parts of Long
Island. The main purpose of Mr.. Cor
bins proposed free port is the accom-
modutOn of manufacturers who desire
To manufacture in bond for export, with
the privilege of selling their products
in the United States upon payment OF
duties. so that they will have the op-
ton of both markets. 1t is an cXten-
sion of the existing bonded warehouse
system already applied to certain man
ufacturcrS. but under restrictions that
are a greater expense and inconven-
ieucc than those that would be eX-
pcricnccd in Il free port. 1t is stated
that it is specifically on this question
Of accommodating manufacturers for
export that objection is made to the
free port some Long Island manu-
facturcrs not wishing to move to Fort
Pond Bay. or TO have their competitors
enjoy better facilities there. This op-
position, however. should not count for
much if it can be demonstrated that
free port would have results generally
beneficial.
Those who would acuuaint themselves
with the nature and operation of the
free port system will find the desired
information i'm the volume of consular
reports for February, just issued. This
contains reports from American con-
suls at the free ports of Hamburg.
Bremen and Copenhagen, that of the
consul at Hamburg being Il very thor
ough statement of the conditions there.
In regard to the benefits to the com
merce of Hamburg from its free port,
the consul says that from the begin
ming of its existence up to 1SSS its trade
and population steadily Increased and
it had grown to be one of the most i'm
portant of the worlds ports. "rhat
the value and Importance of its trade"
says the report. sis largely due to its
r;. nj f.
fractions there is scarcely Il doubt.
The very fact that it was one of Il
limited number of free ports in the
world gained for it Il special notoriety
as such. and, besides attracting i'm
ports for consumption, 1t attracted those
for storage. The tide of trade may be
said to have turned naturally in this
from the very first by reason
Of the absence of artificial hindrances.'
The report further says that Hamburg |
has become the great door through |
which the German export is finding it's |
way to the worlds markets. There is |
no important manufacturer of Ger
many who has not representative in |
and the same may he said of |
Bohemia and other Industrial provinces |
of Austria and to some extent of Rus |
sia. The report from Bremen shows |
no less satisfactory results, while the |
free port Of Copenhagen, opened less
than two years ago, promises well.
OF course the conditions hero. apart
from the constitutional question as to
free ports can be established
in the United States, are in some inn
portant respects different from those
abroad, but with the constitutional OBJ
lection out of the way it does not ap
pear that there would be any serious
obstacle to the establishment of one
Of more American free ports, and we
have no doubt that such Il policy
would be justified by the results.