The Atlanta constitution., 1901-02-11
Ship Subsidy and Southern SedpOrtS'
By Jos: Oil.

VIZ ASHINGTON. February S.-(Spe-
wv cial)-Is there anything in the
w proposed ship subsidy for the
southern seaports2
The question keeps coming up in
variety of shapes. owing. doubtless. to the
increased interest felt in the south. as
throughout the country. in the pending
measure and a desire on the part of the
people generally to get at its real merits
and demerits.
A great deal has been said by the
friends of the measure about benefits
which would come to the south through
such an increase in the tonnage Of the
American merchant marine as woulc FOL
low the adoption of the subsidy bill
There is much talk in general way OF
such an increase in the tonnage bringing
about greater competition among sea car
riers, and. as a consequence of that, n
lowering Of freight rates which would
benefit the producers of such articles as
are exported. The friends of the measure
have asked for help from the south on
the ground that such competition would
necessarily be of benefit to the cotton
manufacturing, cotton growing, iron and
coal interests of the south. and there has
been much talk of n certainty that the
enactment of the subsidy bill would he
steamers from Galveston, New Orleans.
Mobile. Brunswick. Savannah. Charleston
and other southern ports.
This talk, as have said. is of n general
character. and the picture that is drawn
bv the takers is an aliuring one. There
is no question that the people would like
to see lines of steamers running from
these southern ports to the South Amer
lean ports for instance, or to the ports
of Great Britain and Europe, and they
would naturally be glad to welcome any
development of the resources of the south
Would this bin bring about the establish
ment of such lines of steamers and the
other results which, in some degree at
least. could be expected TO follow such
establishment?
The idea seems to prevail in some quar-
ters that a subsidy means the appTopria-
ton OF money for the establishment of
new ship lines. and that ship lines from
the southern ports would be set IN mo-
tion in this way. This is. of course, not
the case The proposed subsidy is moth
ing more than certain stipulated sum
to be paid to the owners of shlps carry
ing the American hag, under certain re-
etrictions which require them to build
new ships. There is no PROVISION Tor the
establishment of new lines where lines
de- not already exist. ana thefc IS no
special inducement held out for the
establishment of such lines. If. however,
anv man or any corporation has the
rooney with which to purchase ships and
run them from any one of the southern
norts he will receive his share of this
Substantial encoura cement from the gov
ernment according TO the size of his ships
aud their speed.
AS has been explained. the advocates Of
the subsidy believe that it is necessary in
order to place the American ship owner
ON an equal footing with his competitor,
rho foreign ship owner. With existing in
eoualities wiped out. ii is argued that
there would be a great revival in the
merchant marine.
Rut whether or not there would follow
the establishment of ship lines from Ihe
southern ports would depend entire'y
,,non whether American capitalists he
lieved that, with the aid of the subsidy,
such lines would give them adequate re-
turn upon the capital invested. This
would, Of course, depend upon the ccndi-
lions prevailing at the various points Of
shipment If these conditions were favor
able il is only fair to presume that, IN
time capital would he found to establish
sucl lines. Naturally. however. this