The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-28

that few fishermen serving upon ships
subsidized for the year at 81 per ton in
case they run three months-he given 81
per month during the time they are actu-
ally employed.
AS to these provisions az is nulliled
by the express proyiso that II the master
cannot reasonably secure one-quarteT
American crew he need not do SO; (2)
made innocuous by provision that the
American boy need be paid only what his
services are worth: and by 80, no mini
mum wage being provided. our Govern
ment would simply pay 81 month OF the
wages fixed by ordinary competition, for
which the American fisherman would still
work
Finally. since the ships which would
get the most of the subsidy must now
under their mail contracts, have one-haif
OF their crew Americans, and not merely
to employ the same number OF American
boys. but educate them as petty ofncers'
the net result of the pending bili-wh1ch
expressly releases these ships from their
present contracts-would be to employ
fewer American sailors and fewer Ameri-
can boys and to decrease inducements Of
fered the latter to go to sea.
Scarcely less preposterous is tne
claim that either American shlpoWnins
or American shipbuilding in general VIII
be increased by the proposed subsidy an
II is true that by our navigation laws
which prohibit the Importation oil SHIPS
and obscene literature, our investment In
shipping is largely kept under foreign
flags This bill, however, proposes-in
the case OF its trainers, who have been
investing American money in foreign
ships-that their ships shall be admitted
to American registry; Int that anybody
who has done the same thing since jan
uary l, 1899, when they were ready TO put
this bill in, shall be barred from that
privilege.
LAS to the classes OF ships now most
called for and most economical in opera
ton, our shipyards are already crowded
to their utmost capacity by orders for
such without reference to subsidy; and
for the largest and most advanced type
of aIl-steamers larger than any hereto
fore built-contracts for two have lately
been given to an American shipyard
whose bid was from 100000 to 100000
each lower than British shipyards.
American shipbuilding leads the world TO-
day, and American shipowning would do
so except for our laws.
"As to this bill, its real character is
betrayed by the last committee amend
ment That provided, in effect:
Whereas under the free trade in sup
plies and materials which our shipyards
now enjoy they are filled with work and
successfully compete with the Old World
in bidding for new work, they shall here
after be compelled to use American ma
terials-mainly iron, steel, and machin-
cry
This would not provide additional
markets for American materials; since
these are now almost exclusively used;
but it would put our shipyards at the
mercy of our trusts, which must now sup
MI raj
prices.
Worst OF all, the provisions of the bill
to secure new shipbuilding for America
are so largely sham as to discredit it.
American built ships now running are per-
mitted, upon giving the security prescrib-
ed, to draw subsidy in advance of the %
per cent new construction required. These
provisions are so loosely drawn that. as
the simplest calculation shows, the owner
of an American ship now running, on Civ
ing a bond for $4,000, might draw $4,000
in subsidy before the bond would become
available.
Again. as to new construction required
to Offset either American or foreign
| built vessels now running-Commissio
Chamberlain notes, at page SO Of his re-
| port for 1900. that tonnage now construct
| ing in the United States, whether for
coasting or foreign trade, could be offered
as that required to Offset tonnage in oper-
alton
THE result is obvious when one COM
pares the list Of subsidy expectants with
| that OF those now building ships in the
| United States-see above as to building
| for foreign trade alone. To sum up. the
chief subsidy beggars-already owning
both foreign and American built steamers,
and having already, from business reasons
without subsidy, ordered new ships built
| in America-have provided subsidy for
their present ships conditioned that they
| build here new shipping, that, in large
| mari they had alreadv nrdernH ,,