Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-03-05
BY Hon. John Dewitt Warner.

In view of all the evidence that gov
eminent bounties in the protective tar
if lead to the formation of trusts,
this country should profit by experience
and refuse to create a shipping trust
by shipping subsidy.
The pending ship subsidy bills pro-
vide that the United States Treasury
shall contract to subsidiZe owners oil
certain shipping. for from 20 to &c
years, up to 100000 year. The
subsidy varies from one cent to 3.s
cents per ton of registered tonnage
per 100 miles sailed and will average
about IL cents for sail vessels and
those making less than IA knots an
hour, and about 31s cents for swift
passenger steamers. Minor features OF
the bill are incidentally discussed.
I. characteristics.
az The philanthropy and patriotism
with which the title and preamble
fairly drip.
"a bill to promote the commerce
and increase the foreign trade OF the
United States and to provide auxiliary
cruisers, transports and seamen foT
government use when necessary.
Whereas, The profitable employ,
ment of the surplus productive power
of the farms, factories, mines, forests
and fisheries of the United States i'm
peratively demands the increase of its
foreign commerce.; and
Whereas, The merchant vessels, Of
ficers, engineers, machinists, electri-
clans and seamen necessary to the in
crease OF the commerce of the United
States are also essential as auxiliary
to the forces of the United States in
time of war, and otherwise, and to the
better security of the nation and the
protection of it's possessions; and
Whereas, 1t is deemed especially
expedient to make immediate provision
to these ends.'
CD The extent to NSich, in the body
of the bill, provision is made exclu-
siYely for government bounty to ship
owners, without material relation tc
car export trade, American labor OF
the navy.
(3J The provision in favor of for
eign-built shipping, of which American
citizens at present own a majority in
terest; this is dependent upon such
American owner or owners OF such ma
jority interest" obtaining the remain
ing interest, thus excluding other
American citizens.
(4) The contrast between its provis-
ions, the required 100 per cent. imme-
date American capital and the sug-
gested % per cent. American labor
with such an exemption clause that
under this bill no American sailor will
ever be hired unless otherwise profit
able to hire him, since shipowners gel
their sailors anywhere, and no wage
standard is suggested.
(5) The contrast in deep sea fishing
between the 81 per gross ton early fol
full registered tonnage though en-
ployed only three months in the year
with but one-third American crew
and the bounty to each American mem
Der of the crew of 81 per month dur
ing his time necessarily employed. >
Without a minimum wage, this 81
bounty to sailors simply enables the
shipmasters to get sailors at dollar
less a month-the government paying
the difference
CO The proviso that eff" required
a subsidized vessel shall carry zone
American boy for each one thousand
tons gross tonnage" who shall be
kept at work at seamanship or engin-
eering, to be paid what he earns-the
boy being given no guarantee of after
employment.
III. Concern for Export Trade a Sham
Subsidies are graded by the capacity
and speed of ships, with no requirement
Of any cargo-the highest subsidy to
the ships that carry the least cargo
g. 6. 3.8 cents per registered ton per
100 miles, to the great II knots ocean
flyers" but only ~ cents per ton per
100 miles to steamers of less than Ia
knots speed.
Cabins, saloons. and other accom-
modations for passenger traffic leave
but a small space for freight. Fast
steamers also need more room for
coal, engine room and crew room; e. G.
a ten knot freighter burning 35 to 40
tons OF coal day, and needing II men
to handle it, would if built for 20
knots an hour, require 800 tons of coal
a day, with 100 men to rush" it.
While "12,0O0"-ton 10-knot freighter
can, therefore, carry from ten to fifteen
thousand tons actual freight, a $4,000
ton 21-knot passenger steamer carries
only 1000 to 5000 tens-making the
subsidy, in proportion to freight car
ried, from 10 to 25 times as high for
the typical passenger steamer as for
the freighter. amendments so far
proposed do not cure this.)
Ill. Promotion of Swift Mail or
Transport Cruisers n sham.
Swift passenger steamers are so ex-
pensive to run that they have no ex-
istence except in trade-mainly trans
Atlantic-in which they are already the
most profitable. For this trade, there
fore, they have been built and would
be built without subsidy. They will
not be built for any other trade even
with subsidy This is admitted at
page 81 OF the House Hearings of jan
uary 10. Mr.. Clyde, shipbuilder, speak
ing on behalf of the bill, says:
we know from the inquiries we
have made as to what ships will be
built if this bill is passed, that all
the vessels contemplated Will be yes
sells of moderate speed-none of them
exceeding II knots"
Nv. The Actual OBJECT of This Bill.
1t is not hard to find the real object
OF this bill. At House Hearings DID.
"a, 20, MIR. Griscom explained:
1 should say finland that the IA
kOt ship of the largest possible size