The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-26
ONLY ONE solution
Subsidies the Surest Means
of Covering the Seas.
WITH MERCHANT MARINE
Senator From New York
Makes Speech on Subject.

washisgton. Jan. Ex-senator De
pew addressed the senate today on the
ship subsidy bill.
Looking to the remedy Of the present
stagnation in American merchant marine
Mr.. Depew said the cry of free ships"
had long ago been discounted. It was
not to be considered as a remedy. for it
left out of the question the development
Of the American ship building industry.
The pla nof discriminating duties, he
said. wa salso impracticablh France
Ia dtried it and had been force dto. repeal
hen law within year. No nation would
submit to discriminating duties without
-etaLiating against US, and no nation like
e4lrs, which is more Of a seller than a
buyer, ca nofford to provoke such retail
atiOn and thus stimulate production in
Rupssia, India, Egypt and Asia against
our cotton and our corn.
The speakers conclusion was that there
remained only the subsidy as a practical
solution of the problem. He said:
"AlI nations are agreed that their mer-
bounties. The bounties paid last year by
the different maritime nations were $685.
100000 in round numbers against s1GOO,O 900
in round numbers by the United States.
German statesmen discovered that if the
empire was to find a market for its
growing surplus it must have its own
ships Within the past few years the
German gov ernment has been increas-
ing directly its subsidies, and has lent
every possible government encouragement
to the enlargement of German shipyards
and the constrT elton and operation of the
German steamships"
The result has been that Germany has
come to the fore and taken second rank
as the maritime power, although she has
little coast and few ports. The building
up of American shipping industry, he said
would mean the direct employment of
100000 men in sh79buEding operations, be-
sides the immense indirect aid that it
would give to all Ines of iro nand steel
production in this country
cit is estimated" said Senator Depew.
chat there is paid by American produc-
ers to foreign ship owners in freight
charges at least s175,O00, 900 a year. Four
per cent of this would give Us an Ameri-
can merchant marine and an expenditure
of much the larger part of iris money
i pOur own country
ct is undoubtedly true" said Senator
Depew in conclusion" ''that American
ocean liners were more expensive to build
and maintain than those of the foreign
countries. without subsidies they were
operated at a loss. If with the small
subsidy proposed, they would yield enor-
nous profits as some of the opponents of
the shipping bill declared, there would be
an abundance Of money flowing int othe
shipbuilding business to take advantage
of this fresh opportunity for profitable
Investment"
Finally, he said:
with the construction OF the Nicarau-
guam canal which Will be completed
within the next few years. the necessity
for an auxiliary fleet and merchant
marine becomes still greater. Whether
we look at this question amatter of
nation defense in time Of war or consider
it as one OF the factors IN the solution
Of the Industrial problems as they arise
from time to time, or sum up the posi-
bilues for the America nfarm and fac
tory and mine in the wants of the pres
ent potential of the millions in the Orient
the bonefcent influence of this measure
/ becomes more real"