The Globe-republican., 1900-02-22
THE sHfperNo SIT
Widespread Demand for the Restoration
of the American Merchant Marine


Widespread Demand for the Restoration
of the American Merchant Marine
The bill now before congress for tn
promotion of American shipping in tbs
foreign carrying trade is a bill upon
which almost all of those engaged in
shipbu1ding and shipowning in the
United States have united in advocacy
1t confirms to the recommendations Of
the president in his last annual mes
sage to congress, and 1t is in accord
with the recommendations in the last
annual report of the secretary of the
treasury 1t is also in line with the
suggestions made in the last report of
the commissioner Of navigation, is in
dorsed by Senator Frye, the president
pro tenn of the United States senate,
and who is also chairman of the senate
committee on commerce 1t has been
introduced in the house by the Repub-
lican leader upon the floor Hon. Serene
E. Payne, chairman of the way and
means committee
The shipping bill has been Endorsed
by some two hundred commercial and
agricultural organizations, in all parts
of the country, many of which are of
great national strength and influence.
Several state legislatures have petit
toned congress in behalf OF its pas
sage It has been be fore the people for
over a year, has been widely discussed
is largely favorable, many Democratic
newspapers, especially in the south.
warmly commencing Its provisions and
advocating its passa sc.
This shipping bill provides compen-
salion for American vessels, engaging
in the foreign carrying trade just about
sufficient in amount to enable them to
compete with the foreign ships which
now monopolize all but s per cent OF
American foreign carrying. These for
eign ships earn, it is conservatively
estimated, between SIZE, 900 900 and
5000, 900 900 a year in freight and pas
senger charges, which sum, its
equivalent in the products of the Unit
ed States, must be shipped abroad to
defray the cost of our ocean transpor-
tatioE.
From this brief summary of facts.
of large Importance in connection with
the efforts that have been for nearly
forty years SO unsuccessfully made to
secure adequate protection for Ameri-
can ships in competition with foreign
ships in the carrying of Amer
lean foreign commerce; and con-
sidering, also, that the inter
ests most Immediately and di-
rect1y affected are a practical unit
in its advocacy; besides which it COM
mands such widespread Endorsement
from commercial and agricultural in
vocacy of those members of congress
whose support is essential to the pas
sage of any legislation helpful to
American shipping interests in the
foreign carrying trade-in view of all
these considerations it would seem
that the pending bill should receive the
support of all who are sincerely de-
sirous of bringing about the restora-
ton of the American merchant marine
We must bear in mind that the ship
ping of foreign nations that is in COM
petition with American shipping, in
the foreign trade. receives from for
eign governments, as subsidies, sub
ventions, naval reserve retainers,
bounties and the like, a sum exceeding
$26, 900 900 annually, and against the
competition thus enormously sustained
unaided American shipping cannot
compete, with the result that the Unit
ed States loses the protection it re-
Quires upon the sea in the reinforce
ment of our navy through the posses
sion of merchant ships and seamen,
well the loss of between SITS 900 900
and 5000, 900, 900 in ocean transporta-
ton charges, which latter is an enor-
nous drain upon the the industrial
and financial resources of the nation.
The shipping bill is now in the hands
of the house committee on merchant
marine and fisheries, of which Gen.
c. H Grosvenor of Ohio is chairman,
and it is also in the hands of the SEN
ate mmittee on commerce Each of
these committees has been holding
mum public hearings upon the
bill, at which its friends and its few
opponents have appeared, and, it is be
lieved, will soon be favorabiy reported
by each committee to its respective
branch of congress Its adoption be-
fore the close of the present session
of congress seems assured, with the
result that the long expected revival
of the American merchant marine
seems now to be measurably in sight.