The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-06-06
AM AIN G. FIGURES.
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS CAR
RED IN AMERICAN SHIPS.
Attack by Foreign Shipping Inter
ests and Free Traders Ccnters on the
One American Line Now Engaging
in Orr Trade with Europe.


in Oar Trade with Europe.
In an open letter addressed to Gen.
Charles Ii. GrOsyenor, chairman of the
House merchant marine and fisheries
committee, Alexander II. Smith Of New
York, a former member of the New York
commerce commission, answers an attack
OH the ship subsidy bill which has been
favorably reported to 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 III our trade with
Europe. In his letter Nh Smith says in
part:
Mr.. 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-thc only Ene, by the way,
engaged in our trade with Europe under the
American flag. This line has been singled
out for the most vrulent, malignant and fire.
qCent attacks ever Since the Shipping hi !.
serted, but without Il word of truth, that 1t
is controlled by the Standard Oh and the
Pennsylvania Railroad companies.
! That line has been pictured as part of a
monopOlistic trust, whereas it is battling,
single handed and alone, against the mos
powerful steamship lines in the world.
These other lineS--all under foreign fags+
are backed up with unlimited wealth and
the support OF their several Governments to
whatever extent may be necessary to 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 it has been subjected TO the unbridled
abuse of every free trader, every free trace
newspaper, every enemy OF American SHIP
ping, and every defender OF foreign shipping
IN the United States.
If the stockholders OF this line are ready
to invest still further in American ships, i'll
the hope of ultimately earning II pront, and
are ready to subject themselves to the
fiercest and most concentrated competition
Of the most wealthy and powerful ships in
all the world under foreign flags. the Amer
lean people will applaud and commend Them
manifest, when we study the statistics OF
the United States for the last fiscal year. Ot
the total foreign trade of the United States
6707 per cent. is with Europe-more than
two-thirds of our total foreign trade is with
Europe. OF our imports from Europe, val
ued at 3,SS4, 534, only SD, 430, 212, or 4.3J
per cent. was carried in American vessels
Of this the ships of the American line car
ried imports valued at 1913, OBJ. OF oul
exports to Europe, valued at $936,602, 093
but $27 sos, 076 or 100 per cent, was carried
in American vessels, the ships Of the Amer
lean line carrying exports to Europe valued
at S25, or, 749.
The value of the imports and exports car
ried in the ships of this line was $50 500. 1872
out of a total of $160,6l2 ,20G carried in al
Of the American ships engaging in our entire
foreign trade The ships of this American
line carried within fraction OF 20 pei
cent. of all of the imports and exports OF
the United States that were carr. cd in Amer
lean ships. If. therefore, the four steam
ships of the American line-whch rendered
such exceptional and invaluable auxiliary
naval service to our Government during the
war with Spain-caa be driven out Of Oul
trade with Europe, the proportion Of oul
carrying under the American flag i'll oul
trade with Europe will drop from the pres
(twO-tenths of u per cent. That is TO say,
the foreign ships now monOpolize 91.S5 pei
cent of our carrying with Europe, and are
striving with all of the power and influence
at their command to increase their proper
ton of our carrying to 99.S, leaving for the
stray American vessel that will dare to ven
ture into that trade, the carrying of o. OF
our 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
for foreign ships the carrying of SO per cent
of our imports and exports, and the esti
mated 5000, coo In freight earnings that
are taken from the United States each year
mo wonder concluded Mr.. Smith in dis
cuss:ng this portion Of his reply, 1.-The for
eign steamship lines, and all other friends OF
foreign shipping, and every enemy Of Ameri
can shipping, concentrates his opposition on
the American line-the single heroic carrier
of the American flag in our transatlantic
H.