, 1900-06-14
A MAZING FIGURES
PROPORTION OF OUR IMPORTS
AND EXPORTS
From and To Europe Carried In Aneri-
can ships-Foreign Attack Conferred
On Only American Line I'm That
Trade.

In an open letter addressed to Gen.
Charles H. Grosvenor, Chairman of the
House Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Committee. Alexander R. 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 Of Congress. Mr.. Smith
openly charges that the foreign ship
ping interests aided by the free traders
n other enemies of American ship
ping. are striving with might and
main to destroy the one American line
now engaging in our trade with Eu-
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 Company is not only err
roneous, but seems purposely designed
to prejudice the public against that
line-the only line, by the way, en-
gagged in our trade with Europe under
the American flag. This line has been
singled out for the most virulent. ma
iignant and frequent attacks ever since
the shipping bill has been before the
public. 1t has been asserted. but with
out a word of truth. that 1t is con-
trolled by the Standard Oil and the
Pennsylvania Railroad companies.
THAT line has been pictured as part
of a monopolistic trust, whereas 1t is
battling. single handed and alone.
against the most powerful steamship
lines in the world. These other lines
all under foreign iags-are backed
up with unlimited wealth and he sup
port Of their several governments to
whatever extent may be necessary to
enable them to successfully compete
for b transatlantic trade.
THE American line in question Is
struggling at considerable pecuniary
loss to succeed and to still further in
crease Its tonnage under the Stars and
Stripes in the face Of thfs concentrated
and united opposition. In doing SO 1t
has been subjected to the unbridled
abuse Of every free trader, every free
trade newspaper. every enemy of
American shipping. and every defender
Of foreign shipping. in the United
States.
IF the stockholders Of this line are
ready to invest still further in Ameri-
ran ships, in the hope Of ultimately
earning a profit. and are ready to sub
lect themselves to the fiercest and
most concentrated competition OF the
most wealthy and powerful ships in all
The world under foreign flags. the
American people will applaud and
eommend them.
THE deadly purpose of this opposi-
ton is manifest. when we study the
statistics If tho ITnftnd Statno for tho
Iast fiscal year. OF. the total foreign
trade of the United States, 67.07 per
rent is with Europe-more thar two
thirds of our total foreign trade is with
Europe. OF our imports from Europe.
valed at $685.. 1884. 534, only $15.430, 242,
Dr. Abs per cent, was carried in Ameri-
Fan vessels. OF this. the ships of the
American line carried imports valued
1t sl4.S13.O33. OF our exports TO Eu-
rope, valued at 1896, Coz. 093. but ST.
i5S.o76, or 1.30 per cent, was carried in
American vessels, the ships OF the
American line carrying exports to Eu-
rope valued at $25. OFT .749.
1.-THE value Of the imports and ex-
ports carried in the ships OF this line
was $39, 800. 1872, out Of a total of $780,
i12.206 carried in all Of the American
ships engaging in our entire foreign
.rade. The ships of this American line
carried within a fraction Of 25 per cent
If all Of the imports and exports of
he United States that were carried in
American ships. II, therefore, the
our steamships Of the American line
which rendered such exceptional and
invaluable auxiliary naval service to
,ur 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
he present 2.15 per cent Of the total
% but OF (two tenths of one) per cent
That is to say, the foreign ships now
nonopolize 97.S5 per cent Of our carry
ng with Europe. n are striving
with all the power n influence at
heir command to increase their pro-
portion of our carrying to 1913, leaving
Tor the stray American vessel that will
iare to venture into that trade, the
.arrying of W of our imports and ex-
ports! BY driving these ships out OF
)ur foreign trade, the proportion of
he entire foreign trade of the United
States carried in American vessels.
would be reduced from SO to Just z
DER cent. leaving for foreign ships the
,arrying of SO per cent of our imports
md exports, and the estimated $780,
100000 in freight earnings that are
aiken from the United States each
rear.
mo wonder" concluded Mr.. Smith
n discussing this portion of his re-
ply, the foreign steamship lines. n
Ill other friends OF foreign shipping.
and every enemy OF American ship
ping. concentrates HIS opposition o N
he American line-the single heroic
carrier of the American flag in our
transatlantic trade"