The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-06

States desires 70 regain even q por-
ton Of its supremacy on tho seas It
must bo by the method prepared by
senator ElkIns, Other plans have been
advanced, such as subsidies and free
shipping, but the first would be too ex-
penslye and unsatisfactory and the
other Is as fallaclous as free trade In
building up American Industries. II
there Is anything In the principle OF
protection II should be applied TO
American shipping and Senator Elkins
has pointed out the most direct way OF
reaching the desired result.
The United States spends every year
q large amount to keep up our consular
Eprvice In the interest OF American
trade and commerce. Year after year
these consuls have been making their
reports 10 the state department and ev-
cry one Vho discusses the American ins
terests tells the same story, story
which causes every American deep re-
Kret No American vessels have APP
peared in port, or II SO. It Is some
small tramp steamer. Goods for Ameri-
can ports are carried In foreign vessels.
Few American goods are shipped back,
and they are carried IN foreign vessels.
In the South American and Aslatic
countries there are no banking faciht'
ies. American business IS done through
EnEllRh banks. English vessels and
English banks do what little American
business u done. English vessels carry
English goods and English business fol-
lows English ships. Our consuls report
that other nations. Germany, France.
Italy, Portugal, Holland, Belgium and
lesser countries are pushing their buSl-
ness In their ships and through their
banking houses close behind England,
whose supremacy on the seas and In the
markets Of the world Is unquestloned.
American FIaE Not Seen.
The United States, to the shame OF
every patriotic citizen who reads these
reports from foreign lands, does little
or no business in these various markets
Of the world, except to purchase goods
carried IN foreign vessels: The Amefl-
can flag Is not seen on the hlgh Seas'
The hOmesIok traveller Eazes over the
harbor Of foreign ports IN vain Tor
eight OF the stars and stripes. In the
busy marts OF the world, perhaps, now
there II seen an American vessel, but
very seldom. Aside from the American
line to Southampton we have no reBu.
lar lines 10 Europe. Some OF the great
est shipping ports In Germany have no
record Of an American vessel In port In
thirty years,
II does no. need, however. q serlea OF
reports from our consular officers 10
show that American trade abroad iS
not what Il should be and that the de-
cadence In American shipping Is an un-
disputed fact. With American ships
American trade would flourish. II
American ships received n suhicleDt
Cnb,ua1pOtL1n 1n oanhln tttnSn IN m rfv
the foreign GOODS TO our shores, these
ships would and could carry American
goods abroad.
There has been no more extensive ar
Eumeht made on the subject than that
presented by Senator Elklns. His pre-.
EentatIOn OF the subject ought to
arouse the people to action. II those
who oppose his plan can point out a
better method they should hasten to do
So He has made II clear that subsl-
dies will not accomplish che result.
England could pay two dollars 10 our
one. he truthfnlly observes, and besides
England has her maritime power nj.
ready established. Free shipping, he al
sa shows, would not accomplish the re-
suit u would merely mean that the
American flnpl would ny over foreign
hum sli1pg and foreign owned ships, II
would be an assistance to the great RI
val with whom we must compete.
Probably the most serious objection
that viii be raised 70 tho plan OF scna-
tor ElitlnA n that such a duty would in
crease the cost OF goods 90 consumers,
az for a time considerable amount ot
goods would still be carried In foreign
vessels and would have TO pay the ton
per cent. even OF goods on the free Hat,
This need not worry consumers. This
great staple imports. tea, coffee, and
sugar, could easily be carried ~ .NIn, =
lean vessels. In the fifteen months from
the time the bill pnsaes Until II WOcs IN.
TO effect enough American vessels could
Continued on SiTth PAGE.