The Saint Paul globe., 1900-12-11
TUESDAY, DEC. ii, 1900.
THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.

THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.
The shipping subsidy bill now occupies
the center of the public stage. The bill
in it's present form is being pressed by
Hanna and Frye and opposed by Allison,
Spooner and NEcGIillan-aH within the Re-
publican ranks. A majority of the Demo-
cratic senators will oppose the measure
on principle. Whether the friends of the
bill can pass it in its present shape is
question. They, however, claim for it
the support of forty-f1ve senators.
The Fry bill is a great improvement on
the original Hanna-Payne hill, and it may
be necessary to amend it still further to
secure support sufficient to carry it
through.
The Clio be has heretofore taken the
position that a ship subsidy, like
protective tariff, while objec-
tionable in principle, may be expe
dent, but expedient only when the ef-
feet, either directly or indirectly, bene-
fits the people in general and not a spe-
cifc few
The only object this government can
have in offering subsidies to shipping is
the enlargement of our foreign markets.
A subsidy scheme which will accomplish
this result in the least possible time and
with the least expense, should be adopted
by congress, and vii meet the approval
of vast majority of the people So far
as fostering the ship building interest is
concerned, we need give that but little
attention so long as ships can be built
in America cheaper than in Europe.
The subsidy bill, as it is now framed,
will undoubtedly aid our shipping inter
ests, but will it have tendency to aid
old and established lines, or build up new
lines to new markets?
In commercial enterprises, as well as in
anything else, the most difficult propo-
sltlon to overcome is the static inertia.
There may be abundant markets for
American goods. in~the various countries
Of South America, i'll China, in Russia. in
Japan and in various other parts of the
world not yet visited by American trade.
but the difficulty is to gain a footho!d.
There are few regularly established lines
OF freight carriers to attend to the busi-
ness when once worked up There may
be tramp steamers and sailing craft MAX
ing certain ports at uncertain times, but
even these are mostly controlled by Brit
lsh Interests and place the freight tariff
so high as to exclude the American COM
mercial adveaturer
What is needed at the present time is
assistance that will induce capital to
break new ground to establish regular
lines of freight carriers to new countries
open to American trade
The great fields of Russia, Japan and
China will afford unmeasured markets
for American production, so soon as the
trade is organized. To organize and care
for this trade regular traffic lines must
be established The same conditions OBJ
tain in South America The trade of
Brazil of the Argentine Republic. and
even of Venezuela, is controlled by Eu
rope, because Europe is connected with
the market by steamship lines and tele-
graphs. The whole Western coast of
South America is tributary to San Fran
cisco and the cities of the Sound. but
they can never enter into this Inheritance
until they possess definite lines of
freighters to handle the business.
The surplus Of the great Northwest
must seek an outlet by way of the Pacific
ocean. The nation as whole, must .see,,
markets for the overplus. not in Furope
but IN Asia and South America. The Pa
ciffc will at no distant day be the great
commercial thoroughfare of the civilized
world
Asia, with its millions, is going to be
the market for which the manufacturing
and producing nations of the earth win
contend
Our plain duty, then, is to secure a 8
soon as possible a firm foothold in Asia.
for our trade
VIII the present subsidy bin meet this
imperative demand? Will it have ten
dency to open new markets along the nat
ural channels of American trader win
1t stimulate into existence new and raon
lar lines of freight carriers to the new
and fertile fields OF Asia and South
America? Its friends say, in Its nresen+
form, it viii assist nightly to this end
Should the Frye bill pass the senate on
schedule time, it will be obliged to run the
gauntlet Of the house. Here the West
Will demand to be heard. There may he
changes made to suit the demands Of the
more popular body. If this be the case
let those amendments be made along the
theory of subsidy for new markets and
permanent lines to those markets, keeping
always in mind that the natural field Of
American commerce is to the West and
South
50 tight are things in Superior, Wis.
inC r.