Evening journal., 1900-12-20
OUR MERCHANT MARINE

There is no denying that the people
OF America want the merchant marine
Of our country built up to such proper
tions that It viii assume It's proper
place IA the commerce OF the world
They know that much OF the product
sent from and coming TO our shores
which should be carried by American
ships, manned by American seamen Is
transported IN foreign bottoms, while
the foreigners derive all, or nearly all,
OF the profits which result from such
transportation. Such a condition Of
trade is not only unnatural, but also
most humiliating to the American peo-
pie. While the country has been forg-
ing ahead with marvellous rapidity on
land it has been going backward ON the
water until to-day the percentage OF
our transatlantic carrying trade is ma
tional reproaoh.
In his speech in the Senate last week
on the Ship Subsidy bill, which he Is
championing, Senator Hanna made cer-
tain references to the past and pres
emit condition of our merchant marine,
which we think should be read by
everyone. He said.
The tonnage under the American
flag, in the foreign trade, IN 1861 was
more than three times larger than was
engaged'in in our foreign trade under our
flag during the year 1900. Think OF
that Nearly forty years ago our ship
ping upon the high seas was three
times greater than it is to-day. Could
anything more clearly illustrate the de-
cline of our merchant marine? When
we consider that our foreign commerce
is fully four times larger in 1900 than
II was in 1861, and yet our shipping en-
gagged in its carriage is but one-third
Of that of 1861, we bring into vivid
prominence the shameful and humili-
ating decline in a great national in
dustry-an industry at once promotive
OF national prosperity and at the same
time an industry that in all times has
been the one great bulwapk of ma
tiolial defense.
The civil war completely disorgan-
lied our entire Ocean-gOing and coast
wise shipping interests The transfers
of vessel property during those four
years was enormous. The enemy cap
tured and destroyed 1O4,605 tons; for
eigners purchased 1862 tons; there
was built for or purchased by our gov
ernment 417521 tons; the government
chartered 1851 tons, and 664,505
tons went from the foreign into the
domestic trade OF the United States-a
total OF 2,S1S,S94 tons of American ship
ping that thus changed hands.
Our shipping under register had de-
creased 40 per cent, or was 1,000,000
Loo So q kla.4 -
1861. From carrying 652 per cent. OF
our foreign commerce in 1861 American
ships carried but 27.7 per cent in
1865.
To a large extent our people gave up
shipowning in the foreign trade during
the civil war, and after the war there
was everything to discourage them
from re-entering. In the first place
those who had preserved their capital
had Il invested in other industries
from which there was nothing to in.
duce them to withdraw in order TO re.
sumo shipowning in the foreign trade
In the second place, steam was NOR,
rapidly displacing sail and iron dis
lacing wood and the construction o
iron vessels being much more costly il
the United States than in England, tn,
cost Of operating, our war taxes being
then so high on everything, especiall!
ships. and the government giving II,
protection to American in competition
with foreign ships naturally the Amer
lean people dropped out of the foreigl
carrying trade. in which cheaper-buili
cheaper-operated and heavily subsi
died foreign ships had already secures
control.
Conditions were vastly different a
the close of our civil war, with respeC
10 ship owning from what they wer
at the close Of the war Of 1S12-1S15. a
the close Of the last-named war OH
laws distinctly Disseminated in fave
Of American ships in competition wit
foreign shops, and the preference TIN
given to our own ships was quite su
ticient to induce our shipowners
Immediately resume the carrying
our foreign commerce. the advantal
under our laws then being wholly
favor Of American vessels. which Ia
ter we're also built cheaper and sail,
much faster than their foreign rival
At the close of the civil war the sit
alton was entirely different. as / ha
endeavored to show. The preferred sh
at that time was the foreign iron sa
ing and steam vessels, vessels that cc
far more to build in the United Stat
than they cost o build abroad. o
wooden sailing vessels were natura
inferior in speed to the iron steam
and the British classification societi
which give the rating to vessels up
which insurance is based, favored {
iron much more than the wooden v
sell Again, our laws gave no peri
ence to American vessels in oompl
tion with foreign vessels in our fore
trade in fact, absolute free trade
carrying then prevailed and has :
vailed ever since, save in the intern
tent periods when postal subsit
We're paid to American steamships
In the meantime what has happe
elsewhere? Everybody conversant v
the development of ocean transpo
ticn knows that Immediately follow
our civil war, when the nccnle Of
United states made the effort. WI
l have recited. to rehabilitate 4
merchant marine. the nations Of
r4fa4lT V-ffT thnfp ttctfol 81 brrt.-1 r. nelc