The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-02
SHIPPING BILL REPORT
PROVISIONS OF MEASURE PRE-
PARED BY SENATOR FRYE
ARE MADE PUBLIC
VALUE OF MERCHANT MARINE

Great Stress Is Laid Upon That Sec
ton of the Proposed Enactment
Danger of Relying Upon Foreign
Vessels in Time of War Pointed
Out-ReasOns Given for Decline OF
American Shipping.
WASHINGTON, March 1.-The report
prepared by Senator Frye upon the ship
ping bill reported by the committee on
commerce Of the senate was made public
today. The report begins by asserting
the self-evident value of national mer-
chant marine" explains and deplores our
almost entire dependence upon foreign
shipping for our ocean carrying, suggests
the danger of reliance upon the merchant
ships Of other nations which may be-
come involved In war, the possible com
plete exclusion of American exports from
their regular foreign markets in such a
contingency, and points out that the
wholesale entrusting of the tonnage Of a
belligerent to a neutral flag would render
that shipping liable to seizure and deten-
ton. The humiliation of our reliance
upon foreign vessels bought and charter
to, and the broad ground is taken that
under those sections of the constitution
which empower congress to provide for
the common defense is found the highest
authority for the Improvement of our
merchant marine. Three important rea-
sons are given for the decline Of the
American shipping in the foreign trade,
namely.
First, the greater cost of building ships
in the United States than elsewhere; sec
ond, the greater cost of operating Amer
lean as compared with foreign ships, and,
third, causes based on foreign legislative
encouragement.
The suggestion that this situation may
be overcome by the free admission of for
eign-built ships to American register is
met by pointing out that if such admis-
sion were unconditional, 1t wCu result
in destroying existing American ship
yards on the Atlantic and Pacific c. asts.
All competent authorities, the report
states, agree that this bill, if enacted,
will involve a large increase in the Amer
lean merchant marine. The passage of
this bill, 1t is claimed, would probably
effect reduction of $25,OO0,0O0 a year in
ocean rates on American commerce,
competition that would be created.
FOREIGN OPPOSITION.
Foreign opposition" the report says,
is being concentrated upon the bill, be-
cause foreign shipping interests clearly
see they would be seriously injured by
the replacing of American for foreign YES
sells now in our foreign trade
THE maximum annual expenditures are
fixed at $9,000,000 in the bill. About 81, $780,
600 is now being paid to American ships,
under normal conditions, for carrying our
mails, sum which should be deducted
from the estimated cost of the operat on
of this bill. About 100000 additional tons
of new shipping, approximately $40 000,CC0,
occupying several years in their construc-
ton, would have to be built in the Unit
ed States If this bill is passed before the
maximum expenditure of $90O0,0O0 could
be reached. 1t is expected that some
800 600 tons of foreign built vessels now
owned or building for American citizens
would be admitted to American registers,
under the terms of this BILL their own
ers being required to build equal ton
mage in the United States before rece.V-
Ing any compensation
THE provisions Of the bill, from every
point of view adds the report ARE
overwhelmingly in favor of new and more
vessels, more shipyards and greater IA
cilities for ocean transportation. While
deemed unnecessary, provision has been
inserted under which vessel cannot re-
ceive full compensation unless she carries
one-half of a cargo. This" says the re-
port, completely answers criticism to the
effect that a vessel might run under the
bill for the compensation given without
carrying a cargo"
The report also states:
LAS the most promising field for the
future development of our markets for
agricultural products is northern and
temperate Asia, the committee believes
that our grain fields and cotton planta-
tions will gain in greater proportion from
the enactment of the law than the sea-
board shipping and ship-Owning states"