Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-21

/
IN its practical opera ton is directly ana
increasingly for the benefit of the pro-
duccr,-the farmer, the manufacturer
and the mechanic.
AS have said before, we have reached
a point in our industrial development
when supply has outrun demand: when
the home market is not sufficiently large
to take care of our production. and we
are now compelled to look to the foreign
markets for our surplus grain, cotton,
ore. oil. leather and iron products. But
the goods must be got to that market
Are we to depend on the foreigner, and
TO Pay his cxorbitant charges. as we have
IN the past? Are we TO come 50 low a
to acknowledge that although our goods
are Superior to those of other countries.
although the markets are open to US al
though we have the iron. the men and
lhc money, we have not the brains 10
sUcCced in puttinC into the markets of
the world the goods which We can make?
Are we To put ourselves at the mercy Oh
every foreign government, and in case oil
war see the very ships which we depend
upon 10 90 our carrying diverted from the
! chahhcls OF commerce, at the time when
we most need them. or have their gov
| trhmcnls raise freight rates so that thct
become prohiDitiVe! This bill admits To
american register about $4,000 tons o:
foreign ships. bat ii requires the owners
~ these ships TO build an equal amount
Of tonlaG" before the ships SO admitted
can participate in The bounty. What does
mat mean: 1t means. within 10 years
American shipyards. TO build that
amount VI tonnage means to double the
present capacity Of our wards, and to in
crease tho number Of mechanics in those
yards by thousands. and il would create
an industry Of incalcuIablc value. both In
time Of peace and time of war. 1t would
mean Il decisive reduction of freight rates
on every vessel sailing from an American
port. and no argument is needed to see
how direct and valuable an aid such a
reduction would he to every producer ami
shipper. So | maintain. Mr.. Speaker.
that every man in this country has per
sonal interest in this bill. that according
to his capacity and his business il will b.
a direct and lasting benefit to him.
Furthermore MIR. Speaker, admit tnat,
in principle, this bill IS not an innovation
Ipon our policy Of government. 1t Is
simply applying the principle OF protcc-
ton - an industry which has no protec-
tion, and 70 an industry upon which ev-
cry other industry. whether mechanical
or agricultural. is dependent to greater
or lesser degree. How have we built up
our great manufacturing Industries? Not
by making them money payments, IL is
trJe, bat by making protective. ana, III
some casSc. a urohibitiVc tariff rate. How
nave We BUILT mp our present enormous
lake and coastwiSe traffic? By absolutely
shutting ,It foreign competition ot every
kind. ara in no other way. suppose for
moment that il were possible. ANA fca-
sibiv, to apply such legislation to our for
eign trace. No man ) Imagination is great
enough u comprehend or conceive tho
enormous capital which would flow TO thi~
channel. the number ~ men who would
iind employment in our shpNardS, the
wages paid. the tremendous stimulation
which would follow in every branch Of
business. Bat how little, in comparison
does this bill propose. In the first place
nominal payment Of S9.oW.WU pcr year
for term Of 10 years. But from this sum
is 10 he deducted the amount paid for
carrying the mails, about Sl.JVo,"n, lcaN-
ing The actual cost. to the government, II
$7.5N0tcl. Furthermore, this limit. under
the provisions Of the bill. will not be
reached for about i've years, and in the
succeeding hVe years IT cannot eAcecu
the fixed amount of $9,000.WV. As the
number Of participating ships increases,
the bounty per ship decreases; and the
foreign-built ships admitted to our reg
cent. Of the amount paid to the Amcr-
Can-buit vessel. Surely if any aid be-
given this is little enough. and if. in the
opinion Of men qualified to know, il is
sufficient to accomplish the end aimed at.
every consideration Of business prudence
ana national welfare impcratvely dc
mands that it be granted and al once.
But. Mr. Speaker, there are other re-
suits which will flow from the enactment
Of this bill. incidental but none the less
beneficial TO the country.
1t gives bounty Of s. per gross ton on
fishing vessels, and to each American
Sailo" on fishing vessel 81 per month for
ne time necessarily employed in the VoN-
age Of such a vessel. 1t takes about
>17o.~n per year to pay this bounty, but |
fancy no member - this House will ques-
tion its advisability. During all our his
tor, the fishing ileet has been the great
nursery and training school for sailors Of
the United States navy. From the days
Of the Revolution. when Gen. Knox paid
his memorable tribute to the fishermen of
MIThlchead the fishing fleets of New
England have furnished the flower Of our
navy, and made the American sailor the
superior Of any in the world.
In this connection it is well to rcmcm-
her that We have been substituting the
fishermen not IF the United States. but
Of Canada. for many years. In 1878 VIC
IL y II..lS f.aN- 4
.oh and she Immediately devoted i. T. fish
ing h"untics. From ISIS to 1891, inclusive,
she expended for this purpose $2,52l.9'3.
and under the bonding laws Of the United
States they nave equal privileges with
rs in shipping from our ports to foreign
countries. So that. while refusing aid to
our own citizens in the fishing business.
We have. in tact, subsidized the provI-
CiHl fishermen and assisted them in mo
nrpnlizing our market.
Mr.. Speaker. "" are building great
navy whose ships for power. speed, eN-
CcloHCC IF material and thoroughncSS Of
construction. challenge the admiration uf
thC world. Bat we haV" not Suhcien,
r1"n tu form their crews. There is not.
today. iii the North Atlantic squadron ID
single ship which is not und"r-n.anncd.
and many If the nest vessels OF tho navy
are laid an iu N" navy yards because II
is utterly impossible To Get crews FOR
them. The number of Tor, IGN ScImcn ON
these vessels IL steadily increasing, ana
th" number of native Americans as stead
lily decreasing. Shall We place ourselves
in III" hlmiliating ana perhaps disastrous
condition VI having our naval vessels
IN tuucd in time Of war by foreigners. or
shall We grant tai1 aid and encourage
mcut 10 OUR fishermen that their mum
hers ana efficiency may Increase ana tn"
proHd traditions nt tine American navy
ho upheld ~ worthy sons III valiant
fathers?
We not long since engaged in q war
win II iIur;E-t'les European power. ana
10 fnd transports ana coalcrs we went