The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-09
Bounties for American Ships.


Senator Hansbrough has given notice
of his intention to offer an amendment
to Senator Hannas ships bounty bill,
Senator Hansbrough evidently believes
that if the policy of fostering private
business at the expense of the whole body
OF the pcopl" is wise and just it should
not be limited in its operations to the
fostering of only two or three priva e
business interests but extend to all of
them. His proposed amendment pro-
vides for an export bounty of 81 per ton
upon all agricultural products shipped
abroad. The policy of granting
government bountiCs to render private
business profitable can be defended only
upon the ground that its benenccrt OPP
CratiOns are enjoyed in equal measure by
all business interests IN common. If the
ship building and deep sea fishing indus
tries are to be made profitable, not by
the ordinary or legitimate earnings of
the well directed efforts. intelligence and
enterprise of those who conduct them,
but by taxes levied upon the entire coun-
try for their benefit why, Senator Hans
hrOugh apparently argues, should not
the agricultural industry be made profit
able in the same way, by the taking of
money from the federal treasury to fos-
ter 1t?
An answer to Senator Hansbrough
can be made in areE words. The Amer
lean agricultural industry does not
need a bounty to enable it to grow:
the American shipping industry does
Here are some facts collected by Com
missioner of Navigation Chamberlain:
1t costs more to build in the United
States than in Great Britain or Ger
many steamships of the kind required
to meet the needs of trans oceanic
transportation. 1t costs more to oper-
ate vessels under the American flag
than under foreign flags. Foreign gov
ernmonts are paying this year s24, 50O,- =
600 to promote navigation and trans
portation under their respective flags.
If we want To- compete we must use our
rivals weapons. M. Chamberlain con-
tinues;
IF it is deemed worth while to make
the effort, American ships can earn
much of the freight money we now
pay 10 foreign shipowners. If we do
not make the effort we shall not get
the trade The investment proposed is
q profitable one, vastly more profit
able for the people of this country than
much of the millions we have sunk in
some river and harbor improvements
Here. for example, is an extract from
circular issued on New Years day
by a New York firm of ship brokers
During the past twelve months we
have remitted to owners by cable and
draft. $22,4il,5l3, money collected fol
owners accounts for the hire of steam.
ers under time charter only not in
cluding the moAey remitted for rate
or lump sum freights. This firm acts
as American agents for owners Of 1871
small steamships, engaged almost ex'
clusveiy in the trade between tn,
United States and the West Indies
Central America, Mexico and South
American on the Caribbean. and of thC
entire 100 vessels only six We're under
the American flag. Putting aside fol
the moment all considerations of sen.
timent, is it worth while as a business
proposition Ia try 10 get a fair share
of this trade, or Is ii not? There is NJ
mysterious way by which We can ac,
quire It, II can only be done by the
investment of money in the enterprise
and II is for congress to say whether
an investment of say s2,OOO,0Oo yield
ing a certain return of seven or egh
times that amount in freight money
alone earned by Americans--nOt l.
mention the incidental development o.
shipbuilding-i is worth making"
on this subject ex-senator EdmUndl
saws: "Tt is an ohvinrs truth that thu