Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-06-06
AMAZING FIGURES.
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.

In an open letter addressed TO Gen.
Charles III. Grosvenor. chairman of the
House merchant mGriue and fisheries
committee, Alexander Il. Smith of New
York, former member of the New York
commerce commission, answers an attack
On the ship subsidy bill which has been
favorably reported 10 each branch of
Congress. Mr.. Smith openly charges
that the foreign shipping interests, aided
by the free traders and other enemies of
American shipping, are striving with
might and main to destroy the one Amer
lean line now engaging in our trade with
Europe. In his lettev Mr.. Smith says in
part:
DIR. Peabody's assertion that 1.-THE cream
OF the subsidy is designed to Fall to those
vessels Of the international Steamship Com
pany Is not only erroneous, but seems pur-
posely designed TO prejudice the public
against that line--the only line, by the way.
engaged in our trade with Europe under the
American dag. This Ice has been singled
cut for the most yiruleal, malignant and fire.
qaent attacks ever since the shipping bill
has been before the pebiic. 1t has been as
serted, but without word Of truth, that it
Is controlled by the Standard oil and the
Pennsylvania Railroad companies.
That line has been pictured as part OF a
monopelistic trust, whereas 1t is battling,
single-handed and alone, against the most
powerful steamship lines in the world.
These other lines-all under foreign flags
are backed up with unlimited wealth and
the support of their several Governments to
whatever extern may be necessary 10 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 un-
der the Stars and Stripes In the face Of this
concentrated and united opposition. In do
ing so 1t has been subjected to the unbrided
abuse of every free trader, every free trade
newspaper. every enemy Of American ship
ping, and every defender of foreign shipping
in the United States.
II the stockholders of this line are ready
to invest still further In American ships In
the hope Of ultimately earning a profit, and
are ready to subject themselves TO the
tiercest and most concentrated competition
of the most wealthy and powerful ships in
all the world under foreign flags the Amer
lean people win applaud and mend them.
The deadly purpose of TIN 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
two-thirds of our total foreign trade is with
Europe. or our imports from Europe, vai-
ued at $685., sS4, 53I. only SO 430 AZ, or 4.35
per cent. was carried In American vessels.
OF this, the ships of the American line car
red Imports valued at $l4sl3,033. of our
exports to Europe, valued al 1886, 6O2. OBS,
hut 81, sos, 076 or 100 per cent, was carried
In American vessels, the ships Of the Amer
lean line carrying exports to Europe valued
At So, 077. 749.
The value of the imports and exports car
yied in the ships of this line was $50, $50, 49,.
cut of a total of S1G0,6l2. Dog carried In all
Ct the American ships engaging in our entire
foreign trade. The ships of this American
pne carried within fraction of % per
cent Of all of the imports and exports of
the United States that were carried In Amer
iAan ships If, therefore the four steam
SHIPS of the American line-whch rendered
ssch exceptional and Invaluable auxiliary
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
tlade with Europe viii drop from the pros
eat .. 10 per cent. of thp total to but o..
q go-tenths of u per cent. That is TO say,
the foreign ships now monopolize 97.S5 pei
cent. OF our carrying with Europe. and are
Striving with all of the power and influence
a. their command to increase their prGpOr
titn of our carrying to 99.S, leaving for the
steay American vessel that will dare 10 ven
are into that trade the carrying of o. OF
or 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 50 to just per cent, leaving
f2t foreign ships the carrying OF SO per cent.
OF our imports and exports, and the esti
mated S200,000,000 In freight earnings that
ars taken from the United States each year
No wonder concluded Mr. Smith In dis.