Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-09-08

had the tariit that plenaea the gentle-
man from Kansas ,onr merchant marine
In the foreign trade declined more rap
idly than NJ any time since the close OF
the war Of the rebellion under our pro
tective tariifsp
Mr.. Simpson. am not informed az
TO whether that 10 a fact or not.
Mr.. Dingley. IL Is a fact, | can In,
form the gentleman. ask him how he
explains that condition In view OF the
assertion he has just madep
Mr.. Millken. The gentleman is not
using facts In his argument now.
Mr.. Simpson. | will state that for
eighty years In the history OF this Gov
eminent we have had constantly In.
Crcasing tariff, sometimes going up aud
sometimes reducing q little; but the
tendency has boon gradually but con
stantly upward
! Mr., Dlnpley. II was not 80 between
| 1866 and 1861.
Mr.. Simpson, II the gentleman will
Just lot me proceed now, Say that the
system OF tariff had been gradually In.
Q reasi until II eliminated In the Nc
Kinley bill, which was the highest we
ever had. Now II 10 an undeniable fact
that whenever we increase the tariff
on the materials that enter into ship.
building we necessarily stop shipbuild-
ing Whyp Because the tariff was
levied on every article that went into
the construction OF the ship from the
keel to the truck at the topof the mast.
Now, not alone was the material that
went into the construction OF the ship
Increased, but all the machinery that
was necessarily used In shipbuildirg
was increased In cost because OF the
protective tariff, and under any logical
process OF reasoning II must follow
from these facts that the building OF
ships in this country would necessarily
decline when the cost OF every article
that enters into the ship is Increased
and you must come In competition with
the ships built by other nations where
no such conditions apply.
England repealed her navigation
laws aud put all the materials that
went into the construction OF ships on
the free list. The result was that she
was enabled to build up her ocean ma
rine and do the carrying trade OF the
world at such rates that II practically
drove us from the high seas.
Mr.. Dlngley. But the gentleman
will pardon me-
Mr.. Simpson. Certainly.
Mr., Dlngley, understand the gen.
tleman to assert that the increase OF
duties on imports, which he calls the
increase OF protection, drove our mer-
chant marine from the ocean. Now,
how did II happen that from 1866 to
1860, during which time our duties on
imports were reduced by the tariff OF
1867, our merchant marine In the for
eign carrying trade--while the coast
wise trade increased-declined more
rapidly than at any other period In the
last thirty-Iive yearsp
Mr.. Simpson. That is very easy
question to answer. | wish the gentle
man would ask me something hard,
Laughter.
Mr.. Dlngley. Very we'll, will be
glad TO have the answer to this easy
question first
Mr.. Simpson. Because Great Brit
ain in 1910 adopted free'trade policy.
In 1866 she repealed all her navigation
laws, and took the duties off OF every
thing that went into the construction
OF ships; and she was enabled, and did,
as a matter Of fact, build ships 80 much
cheaper than we did or could do that
she could afford to carry cheaper than
we could and drove US from the ocean.
We did not have free trade here at that
time or anything approaching to 1t In
comparison 10 the absolute free trade
OF Great Britain. II is true that we
had little lower tariff than the tariff
Immediately preceding 1t; but still 1t
was burden which was levied upon
shipbuilding. And 1t was not alone a
high tariff on the timber that went in
to the construction OF the ship, or the
iron that goes into the shlpbuiIdlng,
but on everything that went into the
construction, material and wages. There
was an increase Of wages, increase Of
rent, increased cost OF clothing, in
creased cost OF everything that the
tariff increased and forced our ship
building TO the wall by increasing the
cost OF the ship. In addition
Mr., Dingley. But will the gentle
man pardon me-
Mr.. Simpson. Well, when | get ready
l will Laughter.
Mr.. Dingley. Well, do not blame
the gentleman for keeping right on.
Mr.. Simpson. / hope the gentleman
will wait until | get through with
sentence. / notice that the gentleman
from Maine is the last one on the floor
who Is ever willing to yield for ques-
tion. have attempted many times to