The sun., 1897-08-16
TIE prscn1nrr1rrra purr.
Now American shipping IL Concerned with sec
tion ~ OF the DinEley Tariff.

NntnntnH NOuCerneo Je0s
tion a9 OF the DinEley Tariff
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir In view
of the extended interest now taken in section 20
of the new tariff act, perhaps IL Ia profitable to
state briefly the causes which have led to tho
changes, in order that no erroneous ideas may
DO formed as to tho purpose or the methods Of
these changes.
On March 3 Of last year Senator Elkins of
West Virginia introduced his first bill to restore
to ts full force the old discrimina ating duty policy
for the protection Of American shipping In tho
foreign trade. To do this II became necessary
merely to amend section 2,5o2 of the Re
vised Statutes of the United States az to
provide for the repeal OF all laws and the abro
cation OF all treaties which had from time to
time, restricted the operation of our discrim
mating duty policy, under which American
ships had for a third Of century carried an
average of 80 per cont OF our commerce in the
foreign trade. while now, without any protec-
tion these pact seventy years for our ships on
the seas. American ships carry IL or IL per
cent Of our imports and exports.
In May, 1896, Senator Elkins revised and re-
introduced his bill. or course, the indorseme ent
OF that policy in tho platforms of fourteen Re-
publican State Conventions, It's adv ocacy in the
Republican national platform. and its earnest
and vigorous Endorsement bv President McKin-
ley. In his letter of acceptance during the cam
paign last year, arc matters moro or less famil-
lar to the general public.
On Dec. 4, 1896. the Philadelphia Ledger
contained a communication pointing out what
the writer believed to be fatal. but which was
really a serious flaw, in the Elklns bill. In of.
feet, the writer In question said that to place O
10 per cent higher duty on imports In foreign
than in American vessels (which Is what tho
discriminating duty would effecU would be to
drive q large quantity Of foreign shipping to
Canadian ports and to send imports destined
for the United States here by land vehicles, In
asmuch provision was made in the Elkins
bill to place the discriminating duty upon such
imports by land.
In reintroducing his bill in the Fifty.ffth Con-
gress Senate bill No. u Senator Elkns OF course
took particular pains to remedy the previous
omission. His last bill provided. therefore. that
imports into the United States from or
through foreign territory contiguous to
tho United States. but not the growth.
oreHn or sSond H ufh
in section %. which is the essence of the Eikins
Paeo thae fSs
vateer on wheels which .preys upon American
railroads which are Obliged to Observe S our laws
but which the Canadian Pacific may and docs
snap her fingers at has lost some OF the privileges
II has enjoyed so long at the expense OF our own
citizens as a result of section o. then say
most fervently. thank Godl
AS to the other change, namely. the omission
from section % OF the words " or any act Of Com
gress" with reference to imports exempt from
t as the S1
in the foreign trade, but it has been part Of
all tariff ACTS, acts, since the adoption Of tho first
which the frionds Of American shipping were
was under discussion. There was a general fear
among veteran legislators. friends Of the mems
defeat Of the Tariff bil. But the faith Of the
Republican party being solemnly pledged
the President being an earnest and powerful ad.
| v,ocate OF it. the effort was made SO to arrange
came for adopting the discriminating duty
| policy, all that would be necessary would be the
OF Of Gn al roses WbcR snss
in foreign ships to exemption from the discrim-
mating duty. That is why the exemption per-
and, because of her oversight in not negotiating
treaty exemptine imports in her ships from
Britain is likely to lind such imports liable to
| our discriminating duty.
their abrogation. after one years formal notice
OF such intention. BY either OF the parties to it's
feel sure that there was no intention on the
part of Congress Of iniicting this blow upon tho
| shipping of any one country while exempting
| the shipping of all other countries. It. Will be
obvious. also, that there is no particular benent
| possible to American ships under It, hence that
1t could not have been scheme" on the part
OF the friends OF American shipping nor their
| supporters in Congress to subject British ship
| ping exclusively to this discrimination. Until
| the discriminating duty applies to imports In
al! foreign ships. American ships will be unable
| to benefit by it. The purpose Of this discrimi
| nation is to give American ships seeking to
| carry imports destined for the United States
| protection in such competition equal to the pro
lection that our industries the land also sub
jeet to foreign competition now enjoy through
| our tariff. American ships. lacking such pro
| lection. have been Disseminated against under
| our laws for seventy years. the consequence
| being that there has been a continual decay and
| decline of American shipping In the foreign
| trade, and the twogeneration trial of the
| efficacy OF free trade In carrying has been abso-
| lutely demonstrated to be n complete failure.
| The particular advantage of the discriminat.
| ing duty policy for the protection Of our ship
ping in the foreign trade Is that it will create
| preference for the use OF American ships with
| out taking dollar from the national Treasury
| but will have the effect, on the contrary, OF
| adding large sums to the Treasury. collected
| from imports not carried in American ships. In
| short order American ships would do all OF the
| carrying. and there would be no higher duties
then or thereafter collected so long as the policy
| remained in force. ALEXANDER r. SMITH.
NrNr Any a