The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-21
OUR Ft REIGN SHIPPING.

In view of our increasing export trade,
and our demonstrated capacity 10 com
pete in trade with the foreigners on their
own soil, legislative interest VIII center
around the steamship subsidy bills which
will be called up early in The next -ses-
sion of congress.
The principle of giving governmental
aid to transportation lines. either on
land or on water, may be unsound. but
= the act is often exped' ent. The principlA
has been followed by our governmpt in
the development of the great West. by
grants to railroad lines, by Offering
bounties. and by protective tariff laws
faYoring certain lines Of production. It
has been followed by municipalities in
Offering bonuses to manufacturing enter
prises. But so far, tie practice has not
extended to our ocean carrying trade.
The result is while we are second TO
none among the nations as producers
our foreign trade is compelled to depend
upon the tender mercies of FOREIGN
freighters.
In iSol the American flag was seen in
every considerable port of the civilized
world. The carrying trade was one Of
the great industries of the nation. Our
ocean tonnage was greater than that Of
England and nearly as large as that of
the British empire The gross tonnage
= was then 5,339,5lS Now our ocean ton
mage is less than 100000 While our
coast traffic and the Great Lakes traf-
fic has grown with The developmenr Of
the country, our ships last year carried
only 9 per cent of our foreign trade.
The tonnage of English merchantmen
now amounts to 1926, eco, While tne en-.
tire tonnage of the United States in
Guiding that of the Great Lakes. foots
up but 5,16l S29. What is the cause Of
this condition?
Before the Civil war, the United states
refused to subscribe 10 the convention
of Paris, which abolished privateering
Secure in our splendid isolation the
government did not think i pruden+ to
tie its hands with an agreement which
would rob the nation Of one of its n,o-+
efficient engines Of war in case Of
trouble with a foreign country. With
Its large fleet Of merchantmen which
could at moments notice, be convert
ed into privateers to prey upon the
commerce OF the enemy, the republic felt
secure, without large navy.
In 1861, the Confederate governments
without even the shadow of navy wos
enabled, by means of privateers sec,,red
from other nations, to drive the rTnior
shipping off the seas. No merchantmen
registered in the United States, and fly.
ing the American flag, was safe from
these banditti of the sea. Before III,
Civil war was over the deed had beer
done. Every American bottom had beer
transferred to other owners. The Union
was preserved, but the carrying trade OF
which the country boasted, was ami.
Inflated.
During the years Of war and the ne
Rod of reconstruction. when the ener
gies of the nation were absorbed wifi
internal adjustments to the new order o.
things, England secured such a moropo
ly of the carrying trade that capital hes
itated to enter the contest for place
Greater inducements were held out b,
the government which was ever ready t,
protect industries and give aid t,
schemes of internal development.
The bills which are now pen5.ng be