The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-02
OBJECTS OF SHIPPING BILL.
FAVORABLE REPORT ON 1T MADE
TO THE HOUSE.

I, Is Intended to Build Up Our For
cign Trade and Keep Transporta-
ton Charges at Home-H Is De-
>.red to Increase American Ton
mage and the Number of Ameri-
can seamen-Republican Members
Irge the Speedy Passage of the
Bill.
Washington, April Representative
Grosvenor of Ohio, chairman of the House
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fish
cries, presented to the House yesterday
tbe amended shipping bill and the report
in its support by the majority of the COM
mittee, constituting all the Republican
members. The report says in part:
"Our abundant natural resources and our
INDUSTRIOUS and increasing population
make it of great value to increase the
means of probably disposing of our sur
plus productions, and as our export trade
is increased so will be home consumption
and employment
our exporting competitors have for
long time been devoting themselves to in
creasing their export trade and getting
nile Of the methods pursued of partitionlng
territory or recognizing spheres of inhu-
epce possibly Eastern Asia being event
uany destined to receive similar treat
ment"
The report refers to the vast CONNER
cial Probabilities in China, and says other
paris of the world in which our, commerce
holds so small a share, would reply par
ticular study.
The need of abundant establishments
for the construction. docking and repair
ing of ships, IAN adequate navy" and
"a great fleet ofs merchant vessels" all
in readiness for any exigency. is asserted
by the report to be "a self-evident propo-
sition" On these grounds other nations
have fortified themselves by increasing
their sea power in all of the ways re-
ferred to, with the double object "of
strengthening their facilities and power
for carrying on foreign commerce."
Purposes of the Bill.
After giving the statistics on the ex-
tent of tonnage the world over, the cost
of shpbuilding, wages, etc, Mr.. Grosve-
uor's report sums up the cardinal pur-
poses of the bill as follows:
First. To aid in a practicable and
doubtless the only possible way in effect
ing the maximum return of our own for
eign trade into our own hands, thus saw
ing us over $1OO,0O0000 transportation
money annually which now goes to in
crease the wealth of other nations.
SECOND. To greatly increase the expor-
taton and sale of all kinds of our super
abundant productions and especially in the
vast regions of Eastern Asia, evidently
very soon, to be opened to the trade Of the
world This is a trade that the nation
best prepared to engage in will necessarily
get the greater proportion of by its own
ships under its own flag and with its own
postal facilities and its own commercial
establishment for the disposal of It's pro-
auctions. 81
Third To bring into existence at the
earliest possible time a great American
feet of merchant vessels, built in our
own country, with our own material and
by our own labor as most necessary
means of national aid and national safety
in times of International war or other
disturbances. the probability of which IS
unhappily not small now.
Fourth To increase the number of our
citizens, who will be educated in seafar-
ing work, and better enabled TO defend
our honor and interests on the seas. how
ever suddenly the occasion may happen
Open TO All Citizens.
The report says:
The means proposed are open to the
- $3.50
our citizens alike, and on equal terms.
There is no necessity. for any form of
monopoly. There is absolute safety 60
the treasury in the fact that no payment
can be made until in each and for each
voyage the work is actually performed.
No vessel, great or small, fast or slow,
in the list, can afford to make a single
voyage without also having a large COM
mercial business income from the same
voyage, and in doing which commercial
business, she is fulfilling one of the great
purposes of the bill
In view of the foregoing considerations
we earnestly recommend the speedy pas
sage of the BILL
The bill and amendments have been
made public heretofore The antitrust
amendment is slightly changed so that in
case of a combina ton those participating
in it are excluded from the benefits OF
the bin, instead of the previous plan
which would have operated alike against
those in and out of the combination.
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