Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-01-23
FOR THE AMERICAN MARINE.

York Morning Advertiser, in recent
issue discussed the proposed plan OF
discriminating duties and the subsidy
idea. The statement is made that
among Republican ship builders and
owners there is a difference of opinion
and that many prefer subsidies. II
has been stated before the Senate
Commerce committee that SIS 900, 600
per year in bounties would soon build
up our marine and unable it to rival
our chief competitor. The argument
offered is that the other nations with
whom we must compete expend $751;
600, 900 per year and that One-seventh
that amount is very small sum to
pay for the privilege of doing our own
carrying on the ocean. The late
Secretary Window is quoted as fol-
lows:
"For the past twenty-five years the
aggregate of our foreign carrying
trade reached the enormous sum cf
S2o, 46s, I24. o2o. If we estimate the
cost of transportation at 10 per cent
Of this we have an expenditure of
about So, 600, 900, 600, at least so per
cent Of which has been paid to foreign
ship owners in freigbts-S2, 400, ooo,-
ooo Adding $4,000, 900 per year
for passage money, we have grand
total of So, goo, 900, 900 paid to foreign
labor and capital in twenty-five years.
The Advertiser adds:
IF by the payment OF $4,000, 900
per year by the Government our ships
could win back $I2o, 900, 900 a year
in freight and passenger money,
would not this be good investment
Let the American snip builders get
together for bounties at once. =
If such a grand result can be &C
complished by means of subsidies,
and we believe it can, why not resort
to discriminating duties' There
would be no cash outlay. The Gov
eminent, instead OF expending SIS, ooo
600 year would be the recipient of
vast sums, estimated at thirty to fifty
millions a year for decade.
The American people are opposed
to bounties. The great danger of the
subsidy plan is the frequent change
of administrations and the ease with
which laws can be repealed or nullif
ed. There are a thousand arguments
which can be adduced against sub
sides, one that is always patent
being shortage Of revenue. An at
tack o. that character is always sue
cessful.
On the other hand a law that is
aff5rding revenue without expressing
or burdening the people is always
popular. The people can readily see
the two-fold utility of discriminating
duties. Revenue would be derived
and the protection and upbuilding of
our marine would be accomplished,
without the expenditure of dollar.
The argument that to impose dis
eliminating duties would interfere
with and abrogate treaties and induce
reprisals is not good. If, when we
are absolutely passive, when we are
allowing other nations to grow rich
carrying their products and OURS, If
under such circumstances they pay
in bounties SIS, 900, 900 a year, how
much more ready would they be to
double or treble the amount, were we
to enter into competition with them
on their chosen plan Suppose trea-
ties should be affected There is a
remedy. Let the nations affected re-
sort to reprisals. We can live with
out them. They are not phllanthro-
pists. They compel us to pay for
everything we buy of them, and no
matter which method is adopted, rest
assured there will be vigorous eff
fort on their part to force us to the
wall Therefore it is the part Of pru-
dence and wise craftsmanship to enact
laws that will commend themselves to
the best judgment of the American
people, and place our merchant marine
where it was when we unwisely re-
pealed a.statute which gave to Ameri-
can vessels 90 per cent of our carry
ing trade.
When Capt. Shaffer got his name
and that of Junior" Brown on the
National Democratic ticket in this and
Jefferson counties, by reason of the
fact that in both counties there were
Democratic clerks of the Circuit Court,
he was reminded that the trick would
not avail. The properly constituted
National Democratic Committee had
refused to indorse their candidacy, as