The sun., 1897-04-13
nrernro. Was In onr hands. and now, seventy

| average was in our hands, and now, seventy
years later, we hold only / 1 per cent.
The second act ever passed by Congress
dealt, like the first, with the subjects OF
tariff and navigation, and 1t was introduced
| by MADISON. 1t made tho duties on all teas
lowest when coming directly from China or
India In American ships, next lowest when
coming from Europe in American ships,
and enormously higher when coming any
other way The duties on Bohea tea, for
example, were @, 8, and % cents per pound
in these three classes, and on Hyson 10, 20,
and 45 cents. Our merchants also received
Government favors in n credit system for
paying duties.
On July 20, 1889, Congress imposed ton
mage duties amounting to cents per ton
on vessels built and owned here, or on for
elgn built vessels II owned by citizens on
the previous Goth of May, whereas 80 cents
per ton was imposed on vessels thereafter
built here, but owned wholly or partly by
foreigners, and so cents on all other vessels
Americans were also favored in the times
of paying tonnage dues.
On Sept. /, 1889, an act, still in force,
allowed only American vessels to fly the
American flag. On July 4 1904, came the
act placing discriminating duty OF 10 per
cent. on goods imported in foreign ships,
which is much like the bill now pending
In 1898 came the law, still substantially in
force, allowing only American-built vessels
in our coast, river, and lake trade. Thus
we find five acts, favoring our shipping by
discriminating against foreign shipping,
in the first five years of Congress.
In addition to these facts, Mr.. ELKINs
sets forth that 1.-THE first year after the act
of July 4, 1889, providing discriminating
duties, American ships carried 40; the Sec
ond, so; the third, 65; the fourth, 20, and
the fifth year, SO per cent. of our foreign
commerce." And, while our shipping in
creased, British shipping admitted to our
ports dropped from 21S,914 tons In 1890
to 21O,61S the next year; to 37,O5S In
1894; to 2T,O97 in 1875, and to 19,669 In
1895. Afterward it gained little, but
only since our civil war has it reached and
maintained figures disastrous to us.
From 1889 to 1900 the carrying of our
imports in American ships increased from
I'LL to 92 per cent, and of our exports
from 80 to 80 per cent. Wars in Europe
and our own war with England varied
SOMEWHAT tueSc hBuIoos "hiiC viz
reciprocity act of 1915. which took away
in part and conditionally the discriminat
ing duties OF the act of 1894, is said to
have injured American shipping interests,
so that "in 1919 our shipping had fallen
lower than It had been for twenty two
years." Then came the free-freighting
act" of 1928, of which, however, full ad-
vantage was not taken by Great Britain
for several years, 80 that Its effects were
only gradual.
Whether it would be judicious to resort
to discriminating duties, as urged by the
St. Louis Convention last year and ap-
proved by its candidate, President MoKIN-
LEY, or whether better methods cannot be
found for aiding our merchant marine, is a
question on which there is a difference Of
opinion. But Senator ELKINs has per-
formed valuable and timely task in show
ing how sedulously and successfully the
founders of our Government cared for this
great national interest.