The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1901-01-31
CAREFULLY DRAWN Bill.
Some Strong Arguments in Favor
of the Ship Subsidy
Measure.
ADVANCEMENT OF OUR OCEAN TRADE.
Benefits to BE Derived by American
Producers Through the Operation
of Such System-WhO the Oppo-
nents of the Bill Are-Some Signih-
cant Facts for the People.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, D. c.. Jan. II.
The American people have been favored
% with vast amount of argument, SEEM
ingly directed against the shipping bill now
pending in congress, but really aimed at tho
effort that is now being SO strenuously
made to revive and build up our shipping
in the foreign trade. No missatement has
been too wild, no untruth too ridiculous,
no mnuendo too base, no assertion OF yenaI.
ity too absurd, to fail of use in the hands Of
these malignant opponents Of American in.
terests. When the shipping bill first came
before congress, the suggestion was made
that swift ocean steamships were what were
most needed, mail carriers, vessels avail
able as auxiliary cruieers-ocean gray
hounds, in short; and it was alleged that
the slow cargo carriers could take care OF
themselves, that they needed no assistance,
they were profitable under present condi-
tions, and similar arguments.
When it was pointed out that there was
reason for government aid for slow ships,
carrying only cargoes, because they were
at a disadvantage in cost of construction, il
American built, and at further disadvan.
tage in cost Of operation, if run by American
officers and seamen and tiremen, and this
truth became known, then the enemy
turned right taboutface and declared that
the ships that are needed to build up the
American merchant marine are the cargo
carriers, the vessels that take away our
farm products, and not the swift passen.
ger steamships The enemies of the shipping
bill have blown hot and blown cold, all in
the same breath, and the pity is that the
American people are so utterly uniformed
r1i ipr Tho rool foafc
lean shipping-concerning any shipping
that they have been easily duped into be-
lieving the most extravagant things that
mind could concoct in order to fight and de-
feat the passage of the shipping bill.
As matter of fact the shipping bill is
carefully drawn, on the most scientific
lines, drawn so as to barely enable Amer
ican-built and American manned ships to
equality, and this is true Of fast ships and
ships-of any kind of American ships en-
United Sthates. The disadvantages they
labor under bacause of higher cost in con.
struction, and because of higher cost OF op-
Grafton and because of the subsidies and
bounties given by foreign governments to
their merchant ships, have been carefully
reduced to dollars and cents, and the
amount of compensation provided in the
bill just offsets these disadvantages. With
out discussing the details of paymepta
this truth may be relied upon, no matter
what stories the enemy circulates in oppo-
sition.
And now, who are these enemies? Surely
they must be those whose interests will
suffer, or whose theories will be dis
proved, if bill is passed sufficiently effect.
i've to encourage the construction Of Amer
lean built ships. These interests and these
theorists are the foreign shipowners, their
agents in this country, and the free trad
ers. Foreign ships now monopoize the car
rying of 81 per cent. of our imports and e1.
ports, and they take away from this coun-
try fully $l5O,o00,0oO in gold or its equiv
alent each year just for their freight
charges. If American ships are built and
put on the ocean, they will compete with
these foreign ships, they will reduce the
cost of carrying our farm products and our
manufactures abroad, they will force u
freight rate war upon the ocean that will be
fierce and prolonged and during which there
will be ever expanding opportunities for
our people to increase their exports and se'
cure and hold new foreign markets for their
surplus products Naturally these foreign
shipping interests will fight the shipping bill
to the death, and they are known to be do
ing it in every way in their power.
The other enemies, equally as active, and
supported by those first mentioned, are the
free traders. American ships upon the sea
have been unprotected in operation for 4C
years, and their tonnage has decreased by
two-thirds, while our commerce has in
creased fourfold. Only by protecting oul
ships, as our land industries have been pro
tected against foreign competition, can they
make head against foreign ships. The free
traders fear another triumph of the Amer
lean protective policy. Taking advantage
Of this element of opposition, the foreign
shipping interests are supplying the Reform
club of New York with money in unlimited
quantities to circulate its free-trade liter
ature in opposition to the shipping bill. And
this tells the whole story of the sources ot
opposition to the shipping bill.