The Republican journal., 1898-04-07
The Shipping Question.
Discussed at the meeting of he Stat,
Board of Trade.


Trade in Portland, March 30th, after lis
tening to the semi annual report of Secre-
tary Rich, Mr.. E. C. Plummer of Bath open
ed the subject "Our Merchant Marine; its
decadence and restoration" He pointed
out what France, England, Japan and
other countries had done to aid their
shipping interests by bounties and sub
sides, exposed the falacy of the free ship
argument, and concluded by saying that
some government aid must be given; the
question is simply the matter of its form.
He then said: Evidently this aid should
be reserved for the vessels which are the
product of the American mechanic and
miner. For we have abun dainty demon
strated that we can build the vessels, and
only sufficiently large quantity of the
work is needed to enable us to build as
cheaply as The constr uctols of England.
My Investigations on the Clyde satisfied
me of this, and these views are now en-
dorsed by the leading American ship
builders.
How then shall the aid be given? BY
restoring the old tonnage tax of so cents
per ton. Since our treaties Will not per
NIT the determinations in these duties
which We're formerly had, Americans pay
ing but six cents per ton, it would be
necessary to place this tax on American
and foreign vessels alike. No one could
object to this and the result (taking the
figures of last Year, would be receipts
from tonnage taxes amounting to S14, 642,
Il
tribute S11, $50, 125. This fund, divided
among American vessels according to the
number of miles sailed with cargo in the
foreign trade, would give assistance am
pie for the restoration of our merchant
marine. And the law would prove self
adjusting, since the larger the number of
American vessels the smaller the bounty
paid, and useless building would be pre-
vented.
England, our chief rival, could not re-
taliate, since under the treaty she must
treat all other vessels as she does ours
and she has nearly ten times as much
shipping to be affected.
This law would mean an Immediate out
lay of some 500, 900, 900 for American
built ships-and since the modern ship
calls upon nearly every industry for its
supplies there would be an industrial re-
yival which would be felt throughout the
country, and the State of Maine, which
during the last thirty years has gained in
population but two thirds the amount
which she gained in the single ship build
ing decade of 1850 80, could again justify
the words of the Eighth Census Maine
takes the lead as a shipbuilding State'
Extracts from the early debates in Con
gress and from American and English
statistics were given to substantiate the
declarations made, and the fact that Eng
land made Il profit of half a million on her
light dues alone last year was advanced as
precedent for making profit on our
tonnage ues-though we have more than
half century of American pTecedents for
making much larger profit on tonnage
than that proposed. In conclusion bill
embodying these views, was submitted.
Mr.. Pummer's arguments We're endors-
ed by several speakers. MI Pierre Me
Conville of Bangor made a speech along
the same line, laying special stress Oh the
scarcity of American born sailors on our
warships, merchant vessels and fishing
craft. He ridiculed the lax system in re-
gard to bills of lading, and at the con
clusion OF his remarks offered a resolution
favorug the adoption of the new eastern
bill OF lading, which allows vessels com
pGl'Sauoh Ior unnecessary delays at
"naINeS.
aP'' lllldih rogers OF bath Salo that
of the 10, 00Q men shipped in merchant
.eSNelS Idsl year no more IMAM o'VVO are
AlAeli'4h ooIn "nu NOT more tlan l0,VVV
az oui S"llo.s are "ttacneu 10 Ihe
fishing fleets spain has -, 600 native
oaiioie on " ny III sue ooulu c'il W man hef
navy III T"S sc ., war,
80. " W nelilll ~ Deeille tlollSll IL
was Hleh 'lh'e son etilns was zone 10 I'M
pioNe the SYSTEM 81 issuing OILS OF ladlhg,,
So do w Pioseo' .ie ." neis anu masters oI
S;4:l itou il' 'l' a0i"onel - kept
m"l'in6 "e'As anu WEEKS LOT wharfage,
the eohs'shee Simply Kll1ng TIME ana
uslh2 me Vessels as stofehouses Tor then
soouS: n a9sseI il5lu uhoef Sueh coha'-
''> US, 10 ont''ieu " iehuiieia a.
~ Sle's 1r1 VI hahso' oiltteo similar
oohn'iel'l- me is'olutloG OF Mt' McCon-
'iile W. 'heIi unanimously II, adopted.
Nj, iulillheI ON ploViolng iof ton
n"so ldA was leleI' eo ~ Z committee CON
sIsung oi fleslde ut LORD, capt Rogers,
W, w MefilA' t. g. NlnsloW and A. {.
oloiey
Inc next topic on the program, "W hat
one tflng best promotes the material in
eefeSts OF the state OF Name? was taken
up. PRESIDENT LORD explained that this