The record-union., 1896-10-25
A NEGLECTED INTEREST.


All the people are deeply interested
IN the prosperity of American shipping
interests. There is not one citizen, no
matter how far inland his residence and
property, that has not direct interest
in the conservation of the American
merchant marine.
That interest the Republican party
embraces in its general protective policy.
But it goes beyond that and demands.
that there be set UP for it special and
ancient protective system, namely that
the old law be restored discriminatory
favoring imports brought in on Ameri-
can bottoms as against those brought
in on foreign ship bottoms.
That system gave us for forty-fve
years an increasing volume of shipping,
until we had in 1888, 80 per cent. of all
our foreign commerce on American bot
toms. Then the law was repealed on the
ground that the country could stand
alone. From that hour the interest de-
clined until we now have but between
& and IL per cent of our foreign COM
merce carried in American ships.
Foreign bottoms are doing our work
for us and we are paying their owners
S300,000,0 900 a year, every cent Of which
should go into American pockets to be
again disbursed among American pro-
ducers and workers What will such
protection as the Republican party pro-
poses, and as the Bryan conglomerate
opposes and explicitly denounces do?
1t will not take one dollar out of the
nations treasury; on the contrary 1t
will put money into it. 1t will conserve
every interest related to shipping. Now
what are those interests? Woolen in
dustry that must furnish clothing for
the American sailor; cotton industry
that equips the ships with sails. The
ship carpentering and joining industry
that ought to employ 100000 men, but
does not. Iron industry that furnishes
ship machinery and hardware. Tool in
dustry that supplies the ships with tool
implements. Wood working and lum-
bering industry that furnishes the chief
material for ship building. Iron plate,
steel and coke industries that forge the
cordage industry that furnish the ma
terial for rigging.
The brass casting and brass making
industry that supplies the finish work
for ships. Tin industry that fits out the
galleys of the ships along with kitchen
hardware Copper industry that sup
plies the exterior sheathing. The nail
and bolt industry that fits the ship with
all her fastenings. Paint industry that
supplies the paint for protecting the
ships exterior works and finishing her
interior. Silver producing industry that
supplies the cabin plate, the plated parts
and the other things needing to be sill
ver-plated or to be made of silver.
The mathematical instrument indus
try that furnishes the navigation in
struments The food industry that
stores the ships larder The canning
industry that puts up the long voyage
supplies of food, meats, vegetables,
fruits, etc. The coal industry that fills
the ships bunkers for her boilers and
stoves. The cooperage industry that
supplies the ship with casks, barrels ana
tanks Chemical industry that furnishes
the ships medicine chests. Oil indus
try that gives the vessel means to light
her lamps, preserve her wood work and
to answer to a number of other uses.
The boot and shoe industry that fur
nishes the men with footwear and the
oil clothing industry that fits the ship
nritb hard-weather clothing, tarpaulins
hatch-covers, norwester hats and jack
cts. etc., and SO on down a still longer
line of things that enter into a ships
outfit
Now all foreign ships fit out at home
10 the fullest possible extent. 1t Is rule.
and a wise one, to procure as little
abroad as is possible. The foreign skip
per who comes back to the home port
with the smallest expense bill stands