Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-28

| the people M the United states are no"
paylue 90 foreign vessels Engaged iu
freight traffic at our ports the enor-
nous sum Of SiiOo0oo0O a year. This
argument the Engineering News takes
up Tor consideration, with the remark
that Ifit were. indeed, true that such
q sum as ibis is being paid by the Unit
cd states 10 foreign nations. or that it
is feasible 20 cause those who receive
this large sum 10 spend 1t IN the United
States instead of in foreign countries,
tho shlp-subsidy measure might well
ind great popular support" But that
paper does not admit that the enact
meut OF the proposed bin into law
would materially change matters.
In the hrst place, q large part OF the
freight money received by ship owners
is spent FOR coul and provisions, and
these win always be- bought. no matter
what dog the vessel Is sailing under
where thcy can ba had cheapest. or
wherever tho conditions OF the voyage
make the purchase necessary. In other
words there would be no larger market
mr American coal and American pro-
ducts ,h3n now exists IN supplying for
eIsn vessels aud the proposed subsidy
would gdcc, nothing toward dlyer,ing
this part of the ocean freight money
from its present channel
Another large expense item Is wages.
Vessels receiving a subsidy under the
proposed law would be required 10 have
90 least 5uo-t1urth of their crew Amer
lean citizens But this provision the
Engineering News doubts would result
IN any Increased demand or higher
wages Tor American seamen, Those
that supply crews Tor ships are not all
ways inconvenience by a surplus Of
conscicntlousness. and II a sailor says
he was born IN America, who shall dis
pute his word? To attract American
laborers 20 the ships, wages and the
conditions OF life must be made attract
i've, but this cannot be done by laws
which are almost Impossible OF enforce
ment on the high seas.
Another question is whether the profit
on the Sl5OOOO.OO0. which e is assumed
the people now pay to foreigners. would
be kept at home by the government
subsldzlng the shipping win the prof
fits now supposed To 90 to British, Ger
mans, etc. be transferred to Ameri-
cans? In reply TO this, the paper points
out that capital is no longer restricted
20 national bounds. over 300, 900 tons Of
shipping sailing under foreign flags is
owned by American capitalists, Any
American can today purchase shares.
n he desires, In British or German or
French steamship companies; and on
the other hand, any foreigner can pur-
chase interests IN American shipping
companies, Just az he can buy American
railway securities This very subsidy
bin now before Congress contains moth
ing whatever 70 prevent foreigners from
owning any amount OF shares they
please in the transportation companies
which would receive the subsidies that
the bin provides In fact should The
bin pass. 1t would be entirely possible
FOR a promoter to go to England or Ger
many and raise capital there for ship
ping companies 10 operate under and
receive the benefits OF the proposed bin
From these facts the conclusion Is
drawn that the proposed subsidy bill
win not greatly change the final dis
position Of the money now paid for
ocean frelghts on our imports and ex-
ports
Il Is furthermore pointed out that the
United states with her enormous stores
OF coal and iron, with her capital win
rapidly forge ahead among the ship
owning nations, without such special
government aid as is proposed. and
which Is looked upon with disfavor by
nearly all classes Of citizens.
The News concludes It's article thus.
THAT there are sound reasons for de-
string an increase In the American mer-
chant marine We are far from denying;
nor can 10 be denied that government
AID In some form would act as a slim
illus TO IT'S growth The carriage Of the
malls the maintenance OF regular
steamer communication between the
United States and foreign ports. the
training ~ American seamen who can
Do drawn ugOn 90 replenish our naval
forces Do time Of war, the construction
of merahln, vessels IN such a manner
that they may be most readily made
use OF as auxiliary cruisers and trans
ports no time ot uecessity-all these are
directions IN which the government may
reasonably oNpend the public funds.
and may do it On such a manner as %
foster at The same time the growth OF
tho merchant marine.
Such measures coupled. n possible.
with reform 10 the navigation laws
which would dispense with some OF the
rsl-tape that now hampers the ship
ping Industry. and the relief Of that IN
dus,y from AN State and local taxa
t.Hu should boz sufficient 10 attract 10
&c 40 abundance Of American capital"
The matter ls logically discussed
throughout The subject is one Of pres
emit interest and intelligent citizens
cannot afford TO ignore the alleged facts
upon which the discussion Of the mea.
ssuro claims the right to national at
tentlon.