Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29
HANNA ON SHIPPING.
His First Magazine Article Advocates
Passage of Subsidy Bill.

Senator Marcus A. Hanna contributes an
article on The Revival of American Ship
ping to the National Magazine Of Boston
for January. 1t is the first article he has
ever published in any periodical, and indi-
Gates that his enthusiasm and confidence
in the ship subsidy bill have not abated. He
says in part:
Forty years ago this nation contested
with Great Britain for supremacy upon the
sea. In those days, and before railroads
had gridironed the country, it was to the
transportation upon the seas that our peo-
pie looked with the greatest pride. All of
these things have changed. With the dis
appearance o our ships came the advent of
our railroads, Sentimental and other
wise. and our capital was buSlly and profit
ably employed in those colossal undertake
ings, so that we were Indifferent to the lack
of opportunity for profitable investment in
ships in the foreign trade. Just the reverse
was the case with our foreign rivals, espe-
cially Great Britain. There was neither OPP
portunty nor necessity for railroad build
ing there that was here.
1.-The cost of running ships under the
American flag has been computed at be-
tween 80 and 40 per cent higher than the
cost of running foreign-built ships 1t is
due to the higher wages paid to American
officers and seamen and firemen, and to the
better quality and larger quantity of food
furnished them. The value of the ships
tnat are Dullt IN the Ouiteu oldteS anu the
value of the men who man them, to our
navy in time Of trouble. in itself will more
than compensate the United States govern
ment-the American people-for all the
money they cxpend In inducing our citizens
to build and to run ships under the just
provisions Of this bill
1.-THE bill provides compensation at the
ratoS fixed in the bill for a period Of not
to exceed twenty years. and at no time
shall the sum 50 expended exceed in any
sells come into existence to absorb all of
this sum in any one year each additional
ship thereafter built draws from the others
in existence a pro rata share in the COM
pensation sufficient to give the latter. size
and speed being equal. the same compensa-
ton that the others receive.
ut is not intended to encourage Ameri-
cans to buy foreign-built ships: 1t is in
tended to encourage them to buy only
American-built ships. If the American peo-
pie can be brought to understand the need
and value Of an American mercantile ma
rine to the nation then the bill now pend
ing makes provision for such an accom-
plishment. 1t also provides for it's accom-
plishment by what is considered by those
who have studied the question for years to
be the only plan that will practically and
quickly establish American ships upon the
high seas. This result, 1t cannot be said
too emphatically. viii entirely fail of &C
complishment unless there is a very sub
stantial reduction in the rates of freight
charged for the carrying of our imports and
exports, as only by reducing rates can
American ships expect to wrest any of the
carrying from their foreign competitors
There can be no monopoly Of any route
by any line or class Of ships. Every route
is open to any American ship that chooses
to enter it. Any American may build that
type of ship that he believes will be most
advantageous to him, under the terms of
the bill. The pending shipping bill is an
equitable. honest, scientifically drawn au-
tomatically adjustable measure, destined to
place the American flag once more upon the
seas to the material benefit Of all the
American people. The effect Of such an ac-
compiishment, in perfecting the defenses OF
the nation, will be worth each year the en-
tire cost OF the operation Of the measure
during its entire fife.''