The record-union., 1896-08-17
OF OVERSHADOwINGI IMPORTANCE

The Commissioner of Navigation
under the Democratic Administration,
in his report for the fiscal year 1893,
presented some facts which illustrate ef-
fects, or call them conditions, under
Republican and Democratic policies.
Under Garfield and Arthur the tonnage
of ships built in the United States
amounted to ], ,053, ,672. Under Mr.. Cleve-
lands first term there was decrease of
Il per cent, the aggregate output of the
yards being but 623,046 tons. Then
came the administration of General Har-
rison and the tonnage rose to !, ,U94, ,l92,
an increase of IA per cent. For the
first three years of the second term Of
Mr.. Cleveland the aggregate tonnage
built fell to 454, ,436, as compared with
S94, $50 tons constructed in the first
three years of General Harrison's term.
This was falling off by reason Of the
change of Administrations of no less
than 40 per cent. Why? Because the
builders of ships look always to the Re-
publican party for that policy Of protec-
ton and promotion that makes ship
building profitable. These facts account
for another fact; that most ship builders
and owners favor Mckinley and Hobart
rather than Bryan and Sewall-Watson,
or Watson -Sewall-as you choose to put
it The facts are as the American Mer-
chant Marine Association states them,
in 1TQO mix O2
of the foreign commerce Of the United
States was carried in American ships.
although American ships were built
from 33 to 80 per cent. cheaper, and bet
ter, and lasted longer than foreign ships.
The first Act of Congress, and subse-
quent Acts of that and other Congresses
during the latter part of the century,
created preference for American ships
in the carriage of American foreign
commerce, by taxing imports in foreign
ships more than they were taxed in
American ships. That policy, during the
nearly forty years 1t was In force, en-
abled American ships to carry 80 per
cent. of American foreign commerce.
Ia the mistaken belief that American
ships could thereafter carry all of our
foreign commerce, without any statutory
preference, the legislation that had Gre
ated that preference was partly repealed
in 1915, still more was repealed in 1917,
and in 1928 was wholly and finally re-
pealed.
Now the Republican party specifically
and unmistakably stands pledged, and
by its history, platform and protective
doctrine, to do all that may be done to
restore the conditions that gave us 80
per cent of American foreign commerce
upon American bottoms.
The Republican party proposes to pro-
tect American ship bottoms as well as
other American industries and business,
that our sailors may multiply and tread
American decks, and that we shall no
longer be driven to foreign registers in
order to do our own marine business.
The Democratic party has been be-
sought to adopt the policy of discrimi-
mating ship bottom duties that prevailed
up to 1928, but it has refused to do SO,
whereas the Republican party has made
that method one of its chief interests;
in the platforms of many States has ar
gued and announced it, and at st. Louis
when the recent nationel convention as
sembled the following open declaration
was put into the platform.
I'VE favor restoring the early Ameri
can policy of discriminating duties for
the upbuilding of our merchant marine
and the protection Of our shipping in the
foreign carrying trade, so that Ameri-
can ships-the product of American
labor, employed in American shipyards,
sailing under the stars and stripes, and
manned, officered and owned by Ameri-
cans-may regain the carrying Of our
foreign commerce"
Be it noted here by every voter. that
this is a protection that cheapens the
goods carried, while at the same time it
advances an industry that has made
England what she Is, mistress Of the