Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-07
Senator Frye on Our Shipping.

Senator Frye. as chairman of the
committee on commerce, has presented
to Congress clear ana powerful re-
polt in behalf Of the great shipping
bill which bears his name 1t may be
that this bill which means 50 much to
Maine cannot be passed at this session,
but the ultimate success of a measure
50 essential TO the restoration Of our
merchant marine is certain. Mr.. Frye
makes it plain that tine bill aims at
really national andnot merely sectional
benefits. 1t j. 4 logical step in con-
.structive American craftsmanship ana
the Republican party is pledged to this
legislation.
In taking up the features Of the bill
Mr.. Frye shows that the increase in
tonnage which it requires will mean
an increased activity of competition
with the British. German and Nor
wegian vessels that now do nearly all
Of our ocean carrying, and, as Senator
Frye'S report contends:
THE inevitable result of this COM
petition must be rapid and abiding
reduction in ocean freight rates.
This reduction, according to the laws
Of trade, will be first effected ana
greatest where rates are highest and
most profitable. With the United
States the highest and most profit
able rates are on exports. Nearly
one-third of our entries are in ballast,
while barely 10 per cent. of our clear
ances are without cargo. Export car
goes in abundance bid high rates for
limited shipping for transportation
from the United States. while album
dant shipping offers low rates for
limited cargoes to the United States.
This bill is thus primarily for the
benefit of our exports. and as agri-
culture. in bulk and value. furnishes
much the greater part of our exports,
the bill is essentially n bill to pro-
mote the exports of agriculture. And
as the most promising field for the
future development Of our markets
for agricultural products is northern
and temperate Asia, the committee
believes that it is within bounds t.
ton plantations Will gain il greater
proportion from its enactment than
the seaboard shipbuilding ana ship
owning states. whose benefits from its
enactment are. to the casual eye
more clearly manifest
The Boston Journal in discussing the
bill demolshes the protence which has
been industriously exploited by the
foreign steamship corporations that
the West has no interest in the
creation Of an American merchant
marine. Another pretence Of these
foreign steamship people and their
organs has been that the cost of the
Frye bill would be enormOus-as much
rs two or three hundred million dol
lars. Senator Frye destroys this hum
bug. also. He shows that the maxi
mum annual expenditure is definitely
fixed at 100000 that from this the
$500 600 which we are paying for our
ocean mail service under present laws
must be subtracted, leaving $500 COG
rs the net maximum expenditure, and
that some years must pass before this
can he attained, because all the deep
sea American tonnage now afloat
eligible for subsidies under the Frye
bill could earn. net. not more than
So 500 600
This annual payment of $4,000 600 is
conditioned upon the building of about
$40 900 tons of new steam tonnage,
which means the distribution in
American shipyards of about $40. 900, 900
for labor and materials. These new
American ships and the present YES
sells which are scrviceable will save to
this country fully so. 900 900 a year in
ocean export freights now paid to for
eigners.
To sum up the matter, therefore.
the Frye bill will cost no more than
$4,000 in any year, even when it is
IN full operation. The annual payment