Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-06-05
AMAZING FIGURES
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CAR
RED IN AMERICAN SHIPS.
Attack by Foreign Shipping Inter
ests and Free Traders Centers on the
One American Line Now EnEa@ln
in Our Trade with Europe.

In an open letter addressed to Gen.
Charles III. Grosyenor, chairman OF the
House merchant marine and fisheries
committee, Alexander Il. Smith Of New
York, a former member of the New York
commerce commission, answers an attack
on the ship subsidy bill which has been
favorably reported to each branch or
Congress. Mr.. Smith openly charges
that the foreign shipping interests, aiued
by the free traders and other enemies Of
American shipping, are striving with
might and main to destroy the one Amer
lean line now engaging i'll our trade with
Europe. In his letter MI Smith says iii
part:
M Peabody'S assertion that 1.-The cream
of the subsidy Is designed to fall to those
vessels Of the International steamship Com
puny Is not only erroneous but seems pur-
posely designed TO prejudice the public
against that ltne-the only Inc, by the way,
engaged in our trade with Europe under the
American flag. This line has been singled
out for the most viru!ent malignant ana fire.
qpcnt attacks ever Since the Shipping bill
has been before the public. 1t has been as
serted, but without word Of truth, unat 1t
is controlled by the Standard Oh ANA tie
Pennsylvania Railroad companies.
That line has been picJured as part OF Il
monopollstic trust, whereas it is battling,
single handed and alone, against the moss
powerful steamship lines III the world.
These other lires-all under foreign flags
are backed up with unlimited wealth and
the support OF their several Governments TO
whatever extent may be necessary TO enable
them 10 successfully compete for the trans
atlantic trade.
The American line in question IS struggling
at considerable pecuniary loss TO srcceed
and TO still further Increase its tonnage UNI
der tie Stars and Stripes in the face OF this
concentrated and united opposition. Ia do
ing so it has been subjected TO the unbridled
abuse OF every free trader, every free trace
newspaper, every enemy OF American ship
ping, and every defender OF foreign shipping
n the United States.
If the stockholders of this line are ready
to invest still further in American ships, in
the hope of ultimately earning proht, and
are ready to subject themselves 10 the
tiercest and most concentrated competition
of the most wealthy and powerful ships in
all the world under foreign flags, the Amer
lean people will applaud and comm nd Them.
The deadly purpose OF this opposition is
manifest, when study the statistics OF
the United States for the last fiscal year. OF
the total foreign trade Of the United States
67.07 per cent. is with Europe-mOre than
tw0-thirdS Of our tOta! foreign trade Is with
Europe. OF our imports from Europe, val
ned $500, SS4, 5:;4, only $l5,430, 242, or 49,
per cent. carried in American vessels.
OF this, the ships of the American line car
red Imports valued at S14, S13, C33. OF our
exports TO Europe, valued 1T S936,6G2,O93,
but sd, 55S 076, or 1.30 per cent, was carried
in American vessels, the ships Of the Amer
lean line carrying exports to EIrope valued
at S25,011,759.
The value of the imports and exports car
ried in the ships Of this line was $50 500, 7S2,
out of u total Of S160,6 POS carried in all
Of the American ships engaging in our entire
foreign trade. The ships of this American
line carried within ii fraction Of % per
cent. of all of the imports and exports of
the United States that were carried il Amer
lean ships. If. therefore, the four steam
ships of the American line-wh:ch rendered
such exceptional and Invaluable auxiliary
naval service to our Government during the
war with Spain-can be driven out Of our
trade with Europe, the proportion of our
carrying under the American flag III our
trade with Europe will drop from the pres
ent = II per cent of the total TO but o.
(two-tenths of II per cent. That is TO say,
the foreign ships now mOnODolizc o. 80 per
cent. of our carrying with Europe. and are
striving with all of the power and influence
at their command 10 increase their proper
llOH OI our calI9 lHS " 800, letN lDS IOT tue
stray American vessel that will dare to ven
ture into that trade, the carrying Of % Of
our imports and exports. By driving these
ships out of our foreign trade, the proportion
Of the entire foreign trade OF the United
States carried In American vessels would be
reduced from 80 to just per cent, leaving
for foreign ships the carrying of SO per cent.
of our imports and exports, and the esti-
mated S200,000,000 in freight earnings that
are taken from the United States each year.
NO wonder" concluded Mr.. Smith in dis
cuss:ng this portion Of his reply, the for
eign steamship lines, and all other friends of
foreign shipping, and every enemy of Ameri-
can shipping, concentrates his opposition on
the American lne-the single heroic carrier
of the American flag in our transatlantic
tra6