The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-06
GOSSIP FROM CAPITAL
"Ship Subsidy Agitation Be-
gun Again inCongress.
STORY OF AGROST0L0GY
Long and Murd ok Are Both
Taking 1t Up.

Especial Correspondence OF The EagieD
Washington, D. c., Dec. 5--The agita-
ton In and out of congress for the enact
n1ent of an equitable shipping law, has
again been begun 1t is doubtful however,
SC there will be any legislation of this
character In the present session, and per-
haps in the present congress, as Speaker
Cannon is unaIterably opposed to the pas
sage of a shipping bill.
The shipping bill is popularity known as
the "ship-subsidy' bill. 1t purposes of
fering inducements TO American ship
building concerns to construct ships TO
carry this export trade Of the United
States to encourage shipping companies
to equip and man the ships for this pur-
pose, and to pay a reasonable sum to the
owners of the ships for doing this work
The reason why it is necessary to pay a
bounty, or subsidy" is because foreign
shipbuilders would construct their ships
and offer them to foreign marine concerns
at such price as to Guido the American
construction, and that the foreign ship
owner would take the export trade of the
United States at such ruinously low
figures as completely to drive the Ameri-
-Acan out OF business. This would be done
: with some degree of profit to the for
eigner, for his country pays him subsi-
dies This is the real reason why the
merchant marine of the United States has
so greatly deteriorated in the last half
century.
Tt is q fact that the United States in
1910 with 100000 inhabitants, owned more
registered tonnage for sea trade than the
United Sattes of 1903, with its $1,000, 600
people.
The tonnage of 1910 was very close to
i.GO0,0oo Now it is only $4,000. To make
matters worse there has been an actual
decrease of tonnage since 1902 of 6.eo0 tons
In 1910, American ships. manned by
American sailors. carried s1.5 per cent of
this countrys ocean trade. 1t also car
ried great deal of that of Europe.
In 1899 American ships, American man
ned. carried only IS per cent of our i'm
ports and exports.
The decline began in 1861. This country
had already lost its Atlantic steam lines
and shipbuilding was falling off. but this
country still carried CO. per cent OF it's
own trade, and a portion of the trade of
other countries. The registered tonnage in
that year was 100000.
And now, an ever-increasing throng of
foreign ships crowd the ports of the
United States and monopilze the carrying
trade in and out The United States pays
these foreign vessels for freights and pas
sengers carried about 800 .000.0 900 annually.
Much of this vast sum OF money goes TO
steamers which are regularly enrolled on
the merchant cruiseri list of European
countries, manned by naval reserve Off
GERS and men, and available for service
against the United States in time OF war.
Considering figures: 1t has been stated
above that the United States now has only
S73. goo tonnage Great Britain has nearly
I5.0o0,000; Germany has 100000 France
l.500009; Italy considerably over Lon, coo.
Nearly the entire portion of this merchant
? tripping OF foreign countries is engaged
I n ocean carrying. And the United States,
which takes the lead among nations OF
the world in manufacture. sending more
products abroad annually, as well as
manufacturing them. has registered fleet
Of much less than 100000 tons
IN past DISCUSSIONS OF means OF improve
ment of our merchant marine and stimu-
lating the American carrying of ocean
trade. much prejudice has been worked up
among farmers and workingmen. The
same old cry used 60 be raised in respect
TO tariff agitations. 1t was said that
protective traiff was only good and SER
viceable 10 the East. and the manufac-
turing sections. This idea, however, was
long ago expelled. and the West has come
70 know that what benefits one section OF
the country benefits another. So ii is