Evening star., 1898-10-08

of its commerce is In foreign control, and
the burden would therefore fall least heav-
ily on its own subjects, such has never
been the policy Of this government. In
fact, many rational students OF the subject
believe that Uncle Sam has followed the
policy OF hberality to his own hurt, since
none Of the other nations has seemed dis,
posed to adopt his plan. The comm issioner
of navigation evidently inclines to this opin-
lon Tor he SAID, In his annual report for
last year:
Although tbree-fourths of the tonnage
IN foreign trade entering and clearing ports
In the united Kingdom is British shipping,
vessels are taxed to maintain the light
house and life saving services and for The
improvement and maintenance OF harbors
Although three-fourths Of the tonnage, in
foreign trade entering and clearing ports in
the United States is foreign. vessels are
subject to no federal taxes for the light
house and life saving services or for The
improvement and maintenance of harbors.
OF the S2nOo0Cs0 annually expended bv th,
government Of the United States for the
benefit of navigation. foreign shippinE con-
tributes only share of the tonnage taxes
levied for the maintenance of the marine
hospital service. This contribution FOR the
fiscal year ended June 80. 1876. amounted
TO only si15.oo0. in round numbers, and for
the last fiscal year TO s560,Do0.
We Are at n Disadvantnwe.
"A proposition from Great Britain that all
nations should abolish all charges on ship
ltiiS Ah 4pitlSn ltaue WOULD bp readily
telligible. British vessels undoubtedly pay
out In foreign ports sum annually larger
than foreign vessels contribute toward the
safety of navigation in British ports and
alohg British coasts. Germany might. with
out considerable loss. make the same prou-
ostticn. In 1855 when the United States
suggested the abolition OF these dues by in
ternatlonal agreement, it had as a mari
time naticn. virtually nothing 10 gain by
extending the invitation and by abolishing
years before, light house dues and reducing
tonnage taxes much below those charged
elsewhere ii had removed a practical m
9ucement FOR other nations to accept the
lnNltatiCn In so far as these charges may
pe regarded as payable by the ship rather
IMAM as a factor entering into the ultimate
cost of cargo transported by il the nation-
al advantage accruing from the abolition
OF such charges must be reckoned by the
extent TO which national vessels conduct
the trade relieved from charges.
Others Reap tn. Beneat.
So far as our foreign trade is concerned,
foreign veslels make three times az much
use Of the results OF our expenditures for
improvements in navigation on the seacoast
as do American vessels As a rule steam
ships engaged in the transatlantic trade
are those which call for the greatest depths
of water in our harbors. and the ratio OF
foreign vessels engaged in this trade COM
pared with American vessels is many times
greater than 3 to l.
In any general project concerning Amer
lean shipping it is respectfully suggested
that our present law in regard to tonnage
taxes may properly be reviewed and tho
question be considered whether the large
amount of shipping in foreign trade which
enters and clears at American ports should
not contribute something toward the MAIN
tenance of our light house establishment
and other federal aids and improvements
TO navigation"
Changes Contemplated.
At the coming ses sion of Congress sew
eral bills will be introduced looking to the
encouragement of American shipping and
the abolition of the present discrimination,
which, as American ship owners declare,
now works in favor of their foreign COM
petitors. One of these bills will relate TO
the abolition of reciprocal exemption from
tonnage taxes. American shippers COM
plain that this law has never beel fairy
enforced by other nations. Last year the
Secretary of the Treasury investigated
report that the cities of 'iermany, with
which nation the reciprocal arrangement
had existed for several years. were charg-
ing American ships with light house du,s
and taxes for local imI rovements. II was
found that this charge was true in the case
Ol Hamburg, Bremen and other German
ports. II was found, moreover, that in
Germany these matters were in the hands
of the local authorities and thai The CEN
tral government was powerleSs TO enforce
,ie leclprocdi arrangement on which II
had entered several years before. and the
benefits of which its merchantn. n had en-
Jcyed IN American ports. The result was
that this privilege was abolished in the
case or Germany by special act with the
result mat about $4,000 was added to the
tonnage tax income by the tolls paid in nv
German vessels during the remainder of
the year.
thls year an attempt will be made for
general abolition of the reciprocal exemp-
uon scheme. Other bills which are Ia ba
submitted 10 Congress viii provide for an
increase OF the tonnage taxes an offer Of
limited bounties TO American built shiDs
ana various plans for the protection of
seamen. There is 10 be a wide
spread attempt on the part of American
shipping interests to start our merchant
navy once more on the road 10 that com
nf lteIglal supremacy TO which the position