Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-25
SUBSIDIES FAVORED
Mr.. Depew's Argument Before the
.s Senate.
WOULD BUILD UP MERCHANT MARINE
Points to the Example of Other
Countries.
EXPLAINS PENDING BILL

~
Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew addressed the
Senate today in favor of the ship subsidy
bill IS 727) to promote the commerce and
increase the trade of the United States and
10 provide auxiliary cruisers, transports
and seamen for government use when nee
essary.
Mr.. President" Mr.. pepew began, in
every country its statesmen, political econ
omists and men of letters are writing up
the results Of the nineteenth century. Each
nation in the oh world finds in these state
mcnts causes for intense satisfaction. Each
is able to make an exhibit of progress and
development which sratifies the national
pride and makes the people believe they
are in the front rank at the commence
rnent of the new century. While the rival
rics and jealousies and war of contending
figures and estimates among themselves
continue. they are unanimous in granting
to the United States the lead in almost
everything which goes to make up the
power and greatness, the advancement and
development of any country.
Industrial Growth.
From 5,oon0 600 of population in 1900 we
are 77,WW,HD in 1900 From having little
rank in agriculture and none whatever in
this enormous population to live far better
than did our forefatherS 100 years ago,
and the surplus of farms and factories
is entering the markets and succeeding in
all over the world. For a
hundred years the debtor nation, we enter
upon the twentieth century banker for
all the governments. OF Europe.
We have been absorbed IN production
that We have neglected utterly the equally
important question: il we are to be world
power, with all which that means, of our
position upon the ocean. In other words,
our development and growth have been che
sided. We have crowded upon our rails,
our lakes. our rivers and our canals an
which must find markets or produce stag
nation and distress beyond our dreams,
without any provision. far as our gov
ernment our people or our flag is con-
cerned. for its carriage beyond our own
Seaboard. The farm, the factory and the
mine have filled the warehouses and the
docks of our Atlantic and Pacific coasts
with their contributions to national wealth,
employment and the happiness Of our peo-
pie, and left their transportation to Europe,
to Asia. to Africa to South America and
to australia to the greed of foreign ship
owners, to the protection Of foreign flags
and to the hazards of foreign wars
Decline in shipping.
"A genera. collision. which is often pre-
dictei in the European newspapers, among
the great powers OF Europe~-in the mad
haste Of their navics and armies to outstrip
each other III the acquisition Of spheres of
influence in Asia and Africa. would act
upon the United States. who might be
simply spectator Of the conflict. us an
embargo upon our coast. We would he shut
up within ourselves as absolutely as if
the navics OF the world were biockading
our ports.
In 1907. with a population of 1905, 900
the United States had larger registered
tonnage for the foreign trade than in 1891,
with IiUDU.'DD of people. In 1872 the Unit
ed states was foremost among maritime
nations, and now the least. We constructed
at that time Il greater tonnage than Great
Britain or any other nation, while In 1898
We built Of ocean-gOing steam vessels d
667 and England of l ,301 325. There is but
one line of four ships carrying the Ameri-
can flag and having an American regis
try between United States and Europe
There are not ten American ships IN the
Pacific trade available for the development
of the Philippines and the commerce we
expect in the orient. 1t requires about
100000 tons OF shipping for the trans
last year at about f2.o00. 100000. OF that
5U0.UU tons of shipping the United States
has only about 10000 tons in the foreign
and deep-sea trade.
Neglect of Statesmanship.
There is but one answer to the question
of this almost Uncomfortable discrepancy
between progress on the land and on the
sea, and that is that out craftsmanship
has neglected the ocean and permitted our
own commerce To slip out Of our hands.
Washington, jefferson and Hamilton and
other patriots devised the same system of
protection of our merchant fleet as they
did for the development of our Industries.
In fact they passed the bill to promote
commerce upon the ocean before they did
the famous tariff. jaw of Washington's adj
ministration. ii was under the operation
of tonnage charges III favor Of American
vessels and the discrimins ting duties for
goods carried In American bottoms that we
carried 81 per cent of our commerce in
1s2s against per cent of our commerce i'll
1900.
Reciprocal commercial treaties with
foreign nations gradually swept away ev-
adopted during Washnston's adninistra-
ton.
Considering the Remedy.
1.-The question which is far above poll
tics or partisan considc rati1ns, which is
purely patriotic, and upon which except as
to methods. there cannot possibly be any
division of opinion. is, How can our ner-
chant marine be built up?
The sugges tion which has attracted most
attention and held it for the longest time
has been free ships-in other words, the
liberty Of purchase and entry upon Ameri-
world.
THE purchase Of foreign ships leaves out
entirely the growth of our sh:pbuiding and
the employment of our American labor
Frequent trials by our most experienced
shpnwners have proved that with tha add
tionai cost OF operation and Of maintenance
under the American flag over the British
or, still greater, over the German, Belgian
or Norwegian, it is impossible to use thf
free ship under American registry. The
additional cost under the American flag Is
all due to labor-higher wages in the ship.
yard, higher wages on shipboard and better
living for the crew. Surely no American
senator or representative desires to Iegis.
late TO change these conditions by reduc-
ing American labor to European standards
discriminating duties have been sug
gested by which there would be a heavier
duty charged upon goods coming into oul
ports In foreign ships than those coming
In under the American flag. To accomplish
this we would have TO abrogate about nifty
treaties with foreign powers. 1t has beef
demonstrated, as in the case of France re-
Gently. that no nation can successfully I'M
pose discriminating duties without reta!ia
ton.
"All nations are agreed that their mer
chant marine can be built up only BY
bounties. The bounties paid last year by
the different maritime nations were S26,
coo, 600 in round numbers against 81 900. 0H
in round numbers by the United States
German statesmen discovered that If TIM
empire was to find a market for Its grow
ing surplus It must have its own ships
Within the past few years the German gov