The Washington times., 1902-03-15
Senator Frye Lectures to
the Columbian Law
Class.
SUBSIDIZING AMERICAN SHIPS
Maine Statesman Strongly Advocates
Paying Out Of the Treasury a Sum
Sufficient to Successfully Compete
With Rival Powers.


Government of the United States will
have to pay out of her Treasury every
year a sum of money to ships. sailing
vessels and steamers alike, that will
eQualize the conditions existing between
our ships and those of rival Powers"
This was the principle advocated by Hon.
William P. Frye, President pro TEN. of
the Senate. for the restoration and MAIN
tenance of the merchant marine of this
country, in lecture on "Subsidizing
American Ships delivered before the
School of Comparative Jurisprudence and
Diplomacy, of the Columbian University,
yesterday afternoon.
Senator Frye was strong in his ad-
vocacy of the premise that in order :or
the American merchant marine and gen.
eral shipping interests of the country TO
compete successfully with rival Powers
it must be literally subsidized by the
Government. He said:
Eighty per cent of the ships of four
teen knots or upward are subsidized by
the countries whose flags they fly. There
are only six ships in the world of over
sixteen knots that are not subsidized.
And you ask, Where do these subsidies
come from? They come almost entirely
from the foreign Powers. Even little
Japan, who enter?f actively into the
worlds trade bu. a few years ago, is
heavily subsidizing her ships Norway,
where the cheapest and some of the best
seamen are to be found, also follows the
same policy to an enormous degree.
America Must Do Something.
Last year the foreign countries paid
s27, 900 600 in subsidies. America paid but
81, 900 to ships trading with half of the
entire continent of South America. On
the other hand, Great Britain paid $685.
600 for trade with the little group of
Bahama Islands, and that amount was
paid almost entirely to her own ships.
The question for us as Americans is, Are
we to submit to this condition of things?'
America must do something for her mer-
chant marine. 1t is the duty Of the
United States Government to build her
own ships, own her own ships, use them
for carrying her own goods, sail them
under her own flag, and man them with
American seamen.''
Senator Frye then compared the pay of
American seamen with that of foreign
seamen. In every case our men are far
better paid. They receive one-half more
money than the Germans and one-third
more than the British. He further point
ed out that Americans cannot successfully
compete with foreigners under present
conditions, owing to the fact that 1t costs
25 per rent more to build ships in this
country han abroad, and, our shipbuild-
ssrs, being better workmen, demand higher
wages.
I'm all my experiences" continued the
speaker, 81 have only found one theorist
who would admit that stubborn facts had
kicked his theories. This is what the ad-
vocates of free trade will not admit to-
day. They are arguing the matter up at
the Capitol now. They say, Why not let
these foreigners carry our trade for us il
they can Go it cheaper than we can?'
Result of Employing Foreign Carriers.
''Such a thing is absurd. Would any
merchant in this city let the carriers Of a
rival firm handle his goods and find mar
kets for them? He would certainly be a
fool IL he did Why, of course, it is to
the rival carriers advantage to place
those goods where they will find less
ready market than those of his own firm.
And yet we are employing the Ger
mans, who are our strong rivals at the
present time, and Will continue SO for at
least twenty-five years more, to carry our
goods and find markets for us. Germany
and the other foreign countries are GER
tainly not going to help us much, for they
are already suffering terribly from the ef-
fects Of our competition
1T is said that ships can be built as
cheaply in this country as elsewhere. IL
this is done, see where We are placing
cur workmen, who are now getting good
wages
Quoted President Mckinley.
Senator Frye quoted passages from the
memorable speech of President Mckinley
at Buffalo last summer, IN which he ad-
yocated having American ships under
American flags, and manned by American
seamen. He further pointed out that our
exports grew amazingly during President
McKinley's term Of Office. and stated that
they were bound to continue to increase
year by year.
"If this is so.'' he said, 'we must find
foreign markets for our exports. or the
country will soon be deluged with ruin
Gus surplus. We must prevent this state
OF affairs. Discriminating duties will not
do. What viii do?
Establish lines of large fast ships be-
tween this country and ali the large ports
of the world. Letthem carry the malls.
Let those ships be the pioneers of our
trade, as IL were. Trade will follow the
mail routes. Then in these lines we have
q valuable adjunct to our navy.
MY opinion, and it is an entirely un-
selfish one. is that In order to protect her
merchant marine the Government of the
United States will have to pay out Of her
ships. sailing vessels and steamers alike,
that will equalize the conditions existing
between our ships and those of rival
Powers"
The next lecture In the series will be
delivered at $50 p. m, Friday, March Il.
by Hon. Henry b. F. Macfarland, on THE
Government of the District of Columbia"
Al the next regular meeting of the
Junior Congress of the United States, to
be held this evening, beginning at 1880 |
O'Clock. a resolution giving to women the |
right of suffrage will be discussed. The |
balcony and part of the lower floor of |
Columbian University Hall, in which the |
congress meets, Will be open to the pub
lie.
A Printer Greatly Surprised.
81 never was SO much surprised In my life as |