Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-13

One Of the most praotioal arguments
made against the Ship Subsidy bill
now pending in the United States SEN
ate, and which the Republican mem
bers of majority of that body seem de.
termined to pass, was made by MIR.
james !. Hill, president of the Great
Northern Railroad. Mr.. Hill is prac.
tical man and OF keen business sagacity,
as man holding the position he does
necessarily must be, and his remarks,
therefore, will carry weight and convic-
tion.
In an after-dinner speech at Chicago,
last Saturday night, Mr.. Hill said that
having use for ships, he had caused in
| suiries to be made and found that he
could have them constructed here for
$500, 900 or $500, 900 less for each ship
than on the Clyde in Scotland, the seat
of the British shipbuilding industry.
He declared that IL any legislation were
needed 10 the direction OF encourage
ment to shipbuilding he would prefer
that the duty should be taken of the
plates that go into ships. At present
even that measure is not actually
needed, as our steel masters can under
sell their rivals on the other side of the
| Atlantic.
The convincing fact with relation to
the cost of ships built in this country
as compared with the cost of those
built in Europe absolutely disposes OF
the subsidy question from every practi-
cal point of view. When our ship
builders can build ships cheaper than
the foreign shipbuilders can, there Ia
no argument left in favor of govern
ment subsidy for the purpose CT en-
couraging their business.
There are other effective points that
go to show the inter folly Of attempt.
ing to take money from the public
treasury, under the guise Of subsidies
for the purpose of enriching the
builders Of ships. Here are some de
tailed by the New York World:
Subsidies have been tried often al
stimulants for ship-building and com
meraial interests. They have Away
, failed.
The first experiment in the United
States was with the Collins line il
1850. A subsidy of 1858, 900 for twenty
} six trips year was granted to 1t. Tn
3 line went into bankruptcy after draw
' ing fol- eight years from the subsid.
nursing bottle.
. The Brazilian line was subsidized TO
ten years, lS66-76, and the attempt +
build up our trade with Brazil in tina
j way was then recognized as a total fail
i ure and abandoned. Since the subsid
= was withdrawn our exports to Brazi
a have steadily increased. The Pacii
Mail to japan and the Venezuela Re
ID line were subsidized for term @
q years, with the same result. In ever
It case Congress refused to renew the sui
Il sidy when the contract ran out, thu
;. confessing that in no case had the ez
=. pertinent justified irself.
Is The testimony Of experience is a
u against Mr.. Hanna's project for taxin
vt whole nation to mako the priyat
3. business of few corporations NOR
), profitable.
1t being thus proved that subsidit
are not needed for the encouragement
OF shipbuilding in this country; tht
% the effect of subsidies, as shown !
r. past experience, il demoralizing insteu
% of beneficial, and the great fact r.
"a naming unohallenged that the subsit
D. proposition is not right, it can truly |
TX said that the impudent scheme has n,
le leg left to stand upon.