Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-06-07
FIGURES!
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CAR
RED IN AMERICAN SHIPS.

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CAR
RED IN AMERICAN SHIPS.
attack by Foreign Shipping Inter
ests and Free Traders Centers on the
One American Line Now Engaging
in Our Trade with Europe.
Tn an omen letter addressed to Gen.
Charles III. Grosyenor, chairman or the
House merchant marine and hsneries
committee, Alexander r. Smith or New
York. a former member of the New YORK
commerce commission, answers an attack
on the ship subsidy bill which has been
fayorably reported to each branch OF
Congress. Mr. Smith openly charges
that the foreign shipping interests, AIDED
by the free traders and other enemies or
American shipping, are striving with
might and main to destroy the one Amer
lean line now engaging in our trade with
Europe. In his letter Mr.. Smith says in
part:
Mr.. Peabody's assertion that "the cream
of the subsidy is designed to fall to those
vessels OF the International Steamship Com-
pany'' is not only erroneous, but seems pui-
posely designed to prejudice the puDic
against that line-the only line, by the way
engaged in our trade with Europe under the
American flag. This line has been singled
out for the most virulent, malignant and fire.
quent attacks ever since the shipping Dill
has been before the public. 1t has been as
serted, but without word of truth, tnat IL
Is controlled by the Standard Oil and the
Pennsylvania Railroad companies.
That line has been pictured as part OF
monopolistic trust, whereas 1t Is bathing
single handed and alone, against the most
powerful steamship lines In the world.
These other lines-all under foreign fags-
are backed up with unlimited wealth and
the support of their several Governments to
whatever extent may be necessary to enable
them to successfully compete for the trans
atlantic trade.
The American line in question Is struggling
at considerable pecuniary loss to succeed
and to still further increase its tonnage I'M
der the Stars and Stripes in the face OF this
concentrated and united opposition. In DO
ing so it has been subjected to the unbridled
abuse of every free trader, every free trade
newspaper, every enemy of American snip
ping, and every defender Of foreign shipping
In the United States.
If the stockholders of this line are ready
to invest still further in American ships, In
the hope of ultimately earning pront, ana
are ready to subject themselves TO the
fiercest 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 commend them.
The deadly purpose of this opposition Is
manifest, when we 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
two thirds of our total foreign trade Is with
Europe. OF our imports from Europe, val
ued at $3.50, 1884, 534, only $15 430, 242, or 4.35
per cent. was carried in American vessels.
OF this, the ships of the American line car
ried imports valued at $14, $780, 33. OF our
exports to Europe, valued at 1896, 6O2O9S
but $27, 55S, 076, or 100 per cent, was carried
in American vessels, the ships Of the Amer
lean line carrying exports to Europe valued
at $25, OF, 749.
The value of the imports and exports car
ried in the ships of this line was $39, $50, 1872,
out of total of $3.50, 1917, 206 carried in all
of the American ships engaging in our entire
foreign trade. The ships of this American
line carried within a fraction of % per
cent. of all of the imports and exports Of
the United States that were carried in Amer
lean ships. IT. therefore, the four steam
ships of the American line-which rendered
SUCH eACGpllOudl anu luVdludUle duAllIdTy
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 in our
trade with Europe will drop from the pres
ent 215 per cent. Of the total to but 0.2
ftwo-tenths of u per cent That is to say,
the foreign ships now monopolize 97.S5 per
cent. of our carrying with Europe, and are
striving with all of the power and influence
at their command to increase their proper
ton of our carrying to 99S, leaving for the
stray American vessel that will dare to ven
ture into that trade the carrying OF 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 SO to just per cent, leaving
for foreign ships the carrying of SO per cent.
Of our imports and exports, and the esti-
mated $2OO,00o,000 in freight earnings that
are taken from the United States each year.
No WONDER concluded Mr.. Smith in dis
cussing this portion of his reply, 1.-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 line-the single heroic carrier
Of the American flag in our transatlantic
trade