The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-06
he May wish We Had.


Seattle, Jan. 4, 1900.
TO the Editor: You are right in deplcr-
Ing the dininptiop OF Amssican shipping
while domestic ana foreign trade has 80
largely increased. Ths esuse II not very
far to seek provided the seeker honestly
wants 70 nnd u. when all the world built
wooden ships the United States set tho
pace IN the number at vessels constructed,
their tennagp, speed and accommodations
Cor frsight and passenger4 Ths decline
began before the civil war. when England
discovered that Iron vessels were cheaper
70 build and to sail; that they carried more
freight for thsir displacement and outlast-
ed the wooden ship. We could no longer
s s sy sn nss ne a r% se
riais, and because OF cur outgrowth and
haEharoas navigation laws, and this handi-
cap has reached IT, maximum now. Higher
wages had absolutely nothing to do with
our inability to build ships, During the
wooden ship period We paid higher wages
to both the men engaged In building and
sailing our vessels and, moreover. we fed
and sheltered our sailors more expensive.
~ than foreign nations. And yet, just
prior to the advent Of the iron bottom, It
was nip and tuck between " and Great
Britain as to which should excel In ON
page The cause OF our decadence sug-
Gesfs the remedy. II is nat In placing stlll
taxed people for the benefit of few ship
owners, but in removing duties from ship
building materials and thus giving Ameri-'
can enterprise q chance TO run the race
without shackles upon Its limbs. OF course,
you WIN not agree with me and will proc
ably suppress this letter. but the truth re-
mains all the same and win some day be
Recognised by the thinking portion of the
American people.
ALFRED J. WOLF.
We will not fulflll the expectations Of
the writer Of the above precious docu-
ment by suppressing his letter. for two
reasons,
One IL that we think he deserves to
be pilloried before the public. People
know instantly what to think Of man
who assumes that great newspa-
per suppresses what does not jibe with
it, opinions. He cannot understand
that II would do other than what he
would do under the same circumstances.
His conception Of the editorial function
IL; III . thing don't suit you. suppress
It." It is as well that he and all others
should know that II there are any news
papers In the country which would
stoop to that policy. the Post Intelligent
Ger is not one Of them.
A second reason for publishing his let
ter Is to advise him and many like him
that 1t is fairly wise and cautious to
make sure Of your facts before hurry
ing into print with something that you
once heard somebody else say. We
quote the following from section - OF
the tarim act Of July "a, 1897. commonly
known a. the Dingley act;
That all materials Of foreign production
which may be necessary for the c0nstruc-
tion Of vessels built in the United States
for foreign account and ownership. or for
this purpose OF being employed in the for
eign trade. including the trade between
the Atlantic and Pacific ports of the United
States, and all such materials necessary
for the building Of their machinery, and all
articles necessary for their outfit and
equipment, may be imported In bond un-
der such regulations as the secretary of
the treasury may prescribe. and upon proof
that such materials have been used for
such purposes no duties shall be paid there
ON,
1t is provided in section 10 that all ar
ticles of foreign production that may be
needed for the repair Of American ves-
sells engaged In the foreign trade may
be Withdrawn from bonded warehouses
free Of duty. 1t is hardly to be sup
posed that study of these facts will
change views that are handed down
from one age to another, like mummy
in Its case; but they should suggest to
Mr.. Wolf that the suppression of let
ter to q newspaper may, upon occasion.
be transformed from an injury into an
act of tender consideration and personal
favor.