People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-09-08


people to build ships at disadvantage,
and made our ships cost US more than
those OF other nations; and whenever
those conditions come about in a COM
petltlve market, like the CARRYING trade
of the great ocean, when we have to
compete with nations that build ships
more cheaply than we do, the man who
ships his products aboard will avail
himself OF the shipmaster who will
carry MS goods the cheapest. Now, |
have shown, and it is of record in his
tory, that We have been building ships
at disadvantage because Of our protec-
tive taritf,a disadvantage in comparison
with the people Of Great Britain, who
built ships under better and more
favorable conditions.
Mr.. Dingley. One important fact
the gentleman has evidently overlooked
In this mater. Is not the gentleman
aware that by the act Of 1872 nearly
all OF the materials that entered into
the construction of vessels were put
on the free list, and in 1890 the whole
range was covered, SO since that time
this question Of duty upon materials
entering into vessels for the FOREIGN
trade has not been a factor in the
question at all?
Mr.. Simpson. Now the gentleman
bubbles. There is no question but
what he is quibbling on the question.
Mr.. Grout. Does not the gentleman
from Maine state fact?
Mr.. Dingley. Is not that the fact?
MIR. Simpson. No, it is not the fact,
and l will tell you why. Because YOU
misapprehend what 1t takes to build a
vessel.
Mr.. Dingley. Oh, you mean to say
that labor costs more here than it does
aboard?
Mr. Simpson. You can not tell what |
mean to say in advance OF what | do
say. Laughter. You may be very
smart and wise, but | do not think il is
possible for you tell what | am going
to saw now.
Mr.. Grout. Will the gentleman
state what material entering into the
construction OF a vessel has not been
duty free since 1890?
Mr. Simpson. | want to say that
during that period shipbuilding chang.
ed all over the world. We were going
through the transition state from
wooden ships to iron ships.
Mr.. Dingley. We went through
that before the war.
Mr.. Simpson. We commenced to 90
through it about that time. We began
to feel the effects Of that transition.
Now the materials out OF which ships
are constructed are iron and steel. Does
the gentleman mean to say that the
construction of ships in this country
has been cheapened by the taking OF
the duties off of iron aud steel? Does
not the gentleman know that duties are
levied on iron and steel in this country.
a very high protective tariff, which en-
hances not alone the machinery which
makes the iron and steel but the iron
and steel itself? And if you plant your
self upon the proposition that materials
from abroad were put on the free list.
you still have TO pay the freight and
the cost OF transportation for 5000
miles.
Mr.. Grout. That is what England
has to pay.
Mr.. Simpson. Another thing. Your
protective tariff system has increased
the cost OF living to every laboring man
in this country, and increased the cost
of labor necessarily, and therefore put
your shipbuilder at another disadvan-
tage.
Mr. Milliken, You believe in cheap
labor, do you?
Mr.. Simpson. OF course the gentle
man wants to make political capital TO
bolster up barbarous system OF pro-
tective tariff, and he is trying to take
this opportunity of doing it. But in
view of the fact that Great Britain,
under different policy Of absolute free
trade in regard to shipbuilding and
navigation laws, has been able to WRIST
from US the ocean carrying trade-that
fact ought to be sufficient TO every in
telligent man, ought to be sufficient
proof to enable him TO come to wise
conclusion as to the cause OF it.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, in conclusion
let me say again that | entered upon
this discussion for the purpose OF op-
posing the construction OF these battle
ships. l think that the committee and
the members Of the House ought to
investigate this subject thoroughly be-
fore they vote this very large appro-
priation to place this extra burden up
on the tax Of a people already over.
burdened with taxation.
Let us 60 slowly. Let US wait awhile,
until science AM discovery have prov
en- beyond dispute whether those ships
are really What they claimed to be as
means Of defense. There will be time
enough in the future TO build these
I