The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-01-31
Especial Correspondence

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 the
effort that is now being strenuously
made to revive and build up our shipping
in the foreign trade. No missatement has
been too wild, no untruth too ridiculous,
no nnuendo too base, no assertion of venal-
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 cruisers-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, If
American built, and at a 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-about-face 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
regarding the real facts concerning Amer
lean shipping concerning any shipping
that they have been easily duped into be-
IL rat,t ) hat
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
compete with foreign ships on terms OF
equality and this is true of fast ships and
of slow ships, of steamships and of sailing
ships-of any kind of American ships en-
gaging in the foreign carrying trade of the
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 payments
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 a bill is passed sufficiently effect
i've to encourage the construction of Amer
ican built ships. These interests and these
theorists are the foraign shipowners their
agents in this country, and the free trad
ers. Foreign ships now m0uopolize the car
ryng of 81 per cent. of our imports and ex-
ports, and they take away from this coun-
try fully Sl50,0G0,00O in gold or its equiv
alent each year just for their freight
charges. IF American ships are built and
put on the ocean, they viii compete with
these foreign ships, they will reduce the
cost Of carrying our farm products and our
manufactures abroad, they will force
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 Sc
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.
supported by those first mentioned, are the
free traders. American ships upon thS sea
have been unprotected in operation for 40
years, and their tonnage has decreased by
two-thirds, while our commerce has in
creased fourfold. Only by protecting our
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.
ican 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 OF
opposition to the shipping bill.
0The American people are not so partic-
ular whether this or that particular bill is
passed to build up American shipping, as
they are that some effective measure be
put uron our statutes, at once, that viii ac-
compiish this very desirable result. The
people feel that it is the duty OF con
gress TO enact such a measure without fur
ther delay.
U"Undoubtedly there is majority of
the senate in favor Of the BILL says the New
York Times, in an editorial urging demo.
cratic senators to resort to every possible
device TO prevent vote being taken on
the bill. When the enemy is eonpslied to
thwsrt the majority will, they are subvert-
ing the government to their own ends-to
the desires Of the minority.
OThe great bulk Of the people cannot
be expected to know whether the details
Of this or that BIN xre bese sds pied - Sss-
American ships upon the seas in sufficient
number to do American carrying. They
leave that for congress to determine. But
they do desire, and that unanimously and
emphatically, that congress shall no longer
delay doing its full duty in this respect.
The people are looking for results.
UOfRcial fsurss show that Great Brit
siA spends each year - s,50O.0 900 more ON her
svhsidies to British steamsh;ps than she
eets for sss postsss a. BritisA nsas The
Unitsd States. % IL sthss Aand. ssts
eyGooooo moro for - postaga on its nails
sseh yeae than Il spsads u subsidias -
beth Americas asd foreign stssnships.
Ani ~ thsrs an thoss Who ~ tkaA
Greet Britain des's py suhdddss = ~
ships.
4. y. II ~ 8