Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-07-18
MERCHANT MARINE.
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY'S POLICY
MEANS IT'S REVIVAL.
WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN
THAT DIRECTION AND WHAT RE-
MAINS TO BE DONE.
From the N. Y. Tri5une1.

will soon be begun under which Ameri-
can maritime growth will be rapid and
permanent. The necessity for the adop-
tion Of 'maritime policy" was pointed
out by president Mckinley in his 1898
annual message to Congress. He dis
cussed the subject much more earnestly,
urgently and extendedly In his last annual
message, in which lie gave 1t a promi-
| nence second only to that OF currency
legislation.
1t is now generally conceded that the
revival OF our merchant marine Is one OF
the most pressing OF the great problems
yet awaiting Congressional solution. An
effective policy along the lines pursued
| by the most successful maritime nations
Of Europe is what has been hoped for. A
bill on such lines, but adapted to our
particularsnecessities, was introduced at
| the shortlsession Of the LVth Congress.
1t provided compensation from the ma
tionaI treasury for vessels engaging In
the foreign trade under the American
| flag. This compensation was to be uni
| form for all vessels under fourteen knots
| speed, with graded additional compensa-
| ton for steam vessels OF greater speed
and tonnage. The secretary of the
treasury was ito enter into contracts
| with owners OF these vessels for the pay
ment OF the compensation provided for a
period of twenty years. in return for
which the vessels were to carry the mails
| free and be subject to the government 3
purchase at any time.
The bill referred to admitted to Ameri-
can registry and half rates of compensa-
tiou such foreign vessels as were then
owned by or building for American citi-
zeDs, provided 1.-The latter contracted to
build in American shipyards tonnage
equal to that admitted, besides which
owners OF American vessels for which
compensation vas sought were required
to have built In American shipyards tom
mage equal to rs per cent. OF that so
compensated. No payments were to be
made from the national treasury until
the new vessels thus required were built
and in operation.g Although it was
ftvorabiy reported from the Senate
Commerce and House merchant marine
and fisheries committees. action was
fund impossible during that session be-
cause OF the prolonged discussion OF the
peace treaty in theiSenate.
Early in the.tirst session Of the LVIth
Congress Senstor Frye introduced the
shipping bin In the upper branch Of Con-
gress, and representative Payne again in
! PRODUCED 1t in the House. The commit
tees to whicb the bills were referred held
| numerous public hearings, at which the
ogerw helmiug sentiment was in favor of
their passage. With number OF amend
monts they we're favoIsbIy reported, and
are now upon the calendars OF each
branch of Congress awaiting considera-
ton.
Tne chief amendments limit to 80 0O0,-
COO The ,xpendit ures OF any one year, the
inclusion of vessels of twelve knots speed
and over in the.-e Extra compensation pro-
visions, the limitation to 2, 900 600 of pay
ments iii any single year to vessels of
twenty and wenty-one knots speed, the
segregation OF $1,000, GOO yearly for Ameri-
can ships in the, Pacific foreign trade, the
requirement that vessels shall carry out
ward cargoes 90 one half their capacity,
aud tie REDUCTION 10 ten years of the
period TOR " btciI compensation contracts
arr 10 he made for vessels prior to January
l, 1900.
DEMOCRATIC DIssENsIoN.
The repu olicans in the Senate and
House committees to which the bill was
referred all united in its favor. The
democratic members OF the Senate COM
merce committee, while apparently I'M
Wiling III the face OF the approaching ma
tional campaign to record themselves in
its favor, seemed unable to unite upon
sny line OF substitution or oppositi ion.
The seven democratic members OF the
House merchant marine and fisheries
committee divided, three favoring the
bill with certain recommended amend
ments that can be adopted without iuJur-
ing its effectiveness and the other four
opposing it on grounds so obviously ad-
vanced to make political capital for
the democratic party as to clinch the
conviction that democracy Is hopeessly
divided in its opposition to the policy
upon which the measure is based. The
"
wide and so deep on the free ship policy,
TO which, II any, that party has leaned, as
to demonstrate its inability to unite upon
any policy for reviving our shipping in
the foreign trade.
The bill has been before the public for
two years; it has been twice favorably
reported to each branch of Congress; it
has the Endorsement Of hundreds OF the
leading commercial and agricultural
organizations, and the press commenda-
ton has been extensive and insistent as
well as entirely n-sectional. Its chief
merit is that it differs radically from ordi
nary subsidy legislation. 1t does not
single out particular line for the sole
enjoyment OF the compensation to the
encouragement of competing American
lines receiving no compensation.