The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-01
A Fraud Exposed.

In their efforts to put through the
ship subsidy scheme its advocates
have based their argument manly
upon bold misrepresentation OF !he
vital facts relating to the shipping IN
terests of the United States
This contention, or, rather Chls as
SUMPTION, was sufficiently exposed by
Senator Clay in his admirable report
on the part of the minority of the SEN
ate committee that considered the sub
sidy bill at the last session Of con-
gress. Recently we have had the ben
eft of expert testimony on 1t from one
who certainly had no object in max
ing it appear that there is a hopeful
field for ship building in this coun-
Sir Christopher Furness is one of
the most prominent shipbuilders In
Great Britain. He has recently spent
three months in the United States
studying several of our great indus
tries. especially that of shipbuilding.
Sir Christopher is part owner of
five great ship yards which last year
turned out more ships than all the
ship wards in the United States.
He is therefore an excellent witness
on the subject, on which he testiies.
He expresses confidence that our
country is soon to re-establish its mer-
chant marine. He does not believe
that this will be accomplished by ship
subsidies or that it can be best effect
ed by that means.
He declares that we have it in our
power to restore our merchant marine
to as high standard as it ever had
and to make it more prosperous than
it ever was by simply taking advan-
tage of the opportunities we have in
dependent of the United States treas
ury or any bonus or favor OF leglsla-
tion.
The cheaper raw materials which
lie close at hand are an immense ad-
vantage which our industry, ingen-
uity and ambition will turn to good
account.
Sir Christopher Furness on visiting
our ship yards was impressed by the
fact that they were all busy, most Of
them so crowded with work that they
were refusing orders.
The ship building Industry in the
United States did not impress him as
an interest that needed government
aid. On the contrary he was impress
ed with its great opportunities and
the immense advantages it nejoys.
The argument that labor in ship
construction is dearer here than in
Great Britain and the other countries
of Europe did not impress Sir Chris
topber forcibly because be understands
its fallacy.
He stated positively and based his
reputation as q builder Of ships and
a man of veracity on the assertion
that the labor employed on modern
ship building is not paid one whit
more on the average in the United
States than it receives in Great Brit
ain. He declared and gave figures to
prove that be has scores OF men en-
ployed in his ship yards in England
that receive higher wages than are
paid to any workers in American ship
yards. It will be interesting to see
how the subsidy seekers in this coun-
try will try to overcome the evidence
of Sir Christopher Furness. They
cannot deny the facts he states De
cause he is as good authority as can
be summoned on the comparative con-
ditions of ship building here and
abroad. They cannot plead that the
ship builders of this country are
suffering and must have government
aid or perish, because it is an admit
ted fact that they are all working up
to their full limit and most of them
refusing orders that would pay them
handsomely if the demands upon them
would permit their acceptance. The
subsidy seekers are whipped already
but the longer they pursue their raid
upon the treasury the more arrogant
and unjusti6able is their scheme made
to appear. Journal.