New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-28
TIE CARRYING TRADE.

"Seaboard" states that "thc Governments ON
"barra ssment because Of the lack of transporiS
"to carry our troops TO Cuba AMI the fh'iip-
'plncs is due to the neglect OF the Repubh'ah
party" Really. this Is amusing logic. we can
buy or hire all the foreign ships that Visit our
ports quite as cheapy. value cons'heren as we
can buy or hire vessels of American lines Win
ont the injury Of breaking up their profitapc
traffic The trouble has been that no such shlps
rs we wanted could be found In sufficient num-
Der either American or foreign. and there WOulu
have been no more commerce than there IL now
TO support shipping If there had been heavy
discrimination In favor Of American bottoms
A strong and earnest appeal for the protection
of American shipping has sound sense But II
is not helped by mistaken notion that some
how II would cause three four ships 10 be
available In any part of tho country to do the
work i'm which two ships are now engaged. Inc
small factor that the Government can exercise
It's right Of eminent domain and seize American
vessels. whereas II has to contract with foreign
owners has no pra consequence because
the Government would have 10 pay a fair value
for either and in the long run ships are not so
scarce that nybody can afford to attempt
corner on them, some over enterprising own
ers have discovered within the last two months.
The reasons for building mp an American mer-
chant marine are thoroughly sound. and ought
10 command the approval of Congress. But It is
not strange that there Is hesItancy when prom
lnent advocates Of the American policy repre-
sent in effect that Il can somehow set two ships
TO do the worl, now done by one. or three TO do
the work now done by two. In plain truth.
ships in the commercial service go wherever
their
and men never send ship, II they know II, TO
hunt for a cargo where there are already on
gagged vessels enough To take all the freight
there is British ships, and vessels from all
parts Of the world come 10 American ports now
with great freedom and In great number. be
cause this country has not made II profitable for
Americans 10 engage largely In the carrying
trade They are open 10 contract whenever the
Government wants them sixty or more to-day
N New York ard the incident that the Govern
mcnt happens to want at given time more
ships than there are in sight does not prove any
thing.
How far the Nation should 60 in discriminate
ing against foreign carriers In order to build up
American shipping is question 10 which. un-
fortunately. very little attention has been given.
Volumes have been published advocating the
right and the wisdom Of some discrimination for
that purpose Nobody has given due cons.dera-
ton TO the fact that any demand for unreason-
able discrimination against foreign shipping
would injurc exporting and producing interests
in this country and thus would rouse an oppo-
slton fatal to the entire effort. In place OF ar
gumcnis for any discrimination whatever, and
arguments that not always sound II would
be better 70 supply reliable Information as 10
The nature and extent Of the differences be
tween American and other carrying vessels
which call for attention. and evidence that this
or that measure Of defence would produce the
results desired without greater injury to other
ana larger interests Of The people.