Arizona weekly citizen., 1896-07-04
AMERICAN sH1PBUuDERs.

The Masssch usetts republican stat
platform, adopted March q, 1896, con
tanned the following plank relative L
the American shipping interests:
"We have always given protection t.
our shipbuildere. In late yesrs We hsv'
neglected to protect our shipowners. W.
believe the time has come to return II
the policy OF Washington and Hamilton
which, by discriminating duties IN fevo
OK American bottoms, secured 80 pei
cent OF our carrying trade to American
ships, and which, il now restored, woull
again revive our shipping and csue,
American freights to be paid to Ameri
cans"
Reasons are not wanting to show VIII,
such plank lie extremely beneficial t.
the United States. A brief argument il
all that 10 necessary to prove It's useful
ness and value to the industries OF Am
erica.
It is sound republican protective doc
trins. 1t puts money into the national
treasury, instead OF taking money out,
Is bounties and subsidies do.
1t creates preference for American
ships in the carrying of American COM
merce.
IL was in force for nearly forty years
from the beginning OF our govern
ment down to 1923, during all of which
time an average Of 80 per cent Of Amer
lean foreign commerce was carried in
American ships.
The first act of the fret congress in
in 1889. provided, in part, for this form
OF ship protection. Subsequent acts
eff that and succeeding congresses
strengthened and extended the policy.
Ship protection was abandoned. be-
cause it was no longer thought neces-
ssry, and from that time the proportion
of carriage of American commerce in
American ships has declined, until to-
day but III 40 per cent of American
commerce is carried foreign in Ameri-
can ships.
100000 tous OF ships are employed
in carrying American foreign commerce,
less than three quarters OF million of
which are. American.
100000, 900 would be spent in Ameri-
can shipyards building the ships necee-
ssfy to carry American commerce il the
policy advocated in Massachusetts, lie
adopted by the United States.
100000, 900 now annually sent abroad
to pay for the carriage Of American
commerce, passengers and mails, would
be retained in the United States il AM
erican ships did the work.
"a. 800. 100000, it has been estimated
By the most competent experts, have
been sent abroad during the past thirty
years to pay for the carriage of Ameri-
can commerce. passenger, mails. etc.
The weakness of the United States is
only apparent upon the seas OF the
world; the adoption OF this policy would
strengthen the nation where Its own
weakness at present exists.
Senator Elkins, of West Virginia, has
introduced bill IN the senate. and Mr..
Payne, of New York, in the house, pro-
posing to tax imports IN foreign ships
ten per cent more than imports in Am
ericsn ships are taxed.
1t is policy that provides for the
same protection for American ships that
is now provided for American msDufsc-
lures, to wit: discrimination against for
elgn ships. just as We discriminate |
against foreign manufactures, by high
or duty upon the foreign articles, be
they ships or products of foreign ma
tions.
The United States navy is weak, be-
cause Americans are not to be had to /
man Our warships. The adoption OF this
policy would provide q resource for the
of the navy, sufficient to pro-
vide the men for the rstion's protection,
il ever assailed by foreign power.
The democratic commissioner of navi-
CATIONS last report, that for the fiscal
year ending in 1895, shows come rather
figures of shipbuildipg copdi-
lions under democratic and republican
rule, which it is worth while heie re
cording.
During the administration of Garfield
and Arthur, preceding the fret admin
OF Grover Cleveland, the total
tonnage of all vessels built in the Unit
I'D States amounted to LOSS, 672. Dur
ing Mr.. Cleveland's first term the top
mage Of all vessels built aggregated but
Sc, DAG tone, decrease Of Al per cent.
During the administration OF Benjamin
the tonnage OF all vessels built
in the United States rose again to l.
O94, 1872, being 40 Increase in the amount
Of construction over that built under
Grover Clevelsnd's administration OF
Just "a per cent. During the first three
years of Grover Cleveland's second ad-
the vessels built in the
United States aggregated 454, 436 tone,
rs compared with a constru otion of 1884,
$50 under the first three years of Ben
jsmin Harrison's administrator, or q
fall since the epublicans lost contro, of
the government, OF 49 per cent.
1t ia not difficult to understand, from
ihase figures, why it is that large ma
tority. in fact about all, Of the chip
builders and shipowners Of the country
are strongly republican.
THERE'S q budding poet ~ named
Ashurst, up around Flagstaff, who had
better look out. We have inside
OF reliable nature
that the fool-killer will spend the sum-