The Indianapolis journal., 1904-05-25
]. ]. HILL TELLS HOW TO
BUILD MERCHANT MARINE
Says an Export Bounty Would
Result in Securing Many
Ships.
VIEWS OF w. c.. SEWALL

NEW YORK. May 24.-James ]. Hill.
president of the Northern Securities Com
pany and of the Great Northern Railway
appeared this afternoon as a witness before
the merchant marine commission the JOINT
congressional committee, which is snvesu-
eating the causes OF the decline of Ameri-
can shipping, in order TO suggest measures
for remedial legislation.
The first thing necessary" said Mr.. Hill,
lis TO create a desire in the people OF TINS
country TO own ships. 1t is a purely COM
mercial question. Ii there is a profit in it
people will engage in it: if a loss, 1t is
question how long people will stick. What
the country wants is "A market OUTSIDE OF
our agricultural products, cotton grain ana
oil there are very few things we can export,
cannot sell them. If could carry those
products in our own bottoms II would De
a source of great profit.
They can build ships in England much
cheaper than here. Citizens OF other couh-
tries have owned ships for the last forty
years to a greater extent than we. nave
had experience in building two shlpS-tne
largest freight carriers in the world-and
don't want any more. / would rather un-
dertake to build 1000 miles of railroad than
two ships. 1t has taken four years, instead
of two what through strikes and other
delays. If we are going TO buy merchant
marine out Of the treasury of the country
ii won't last long. We must give people
confidence TO invest.
In answer to a question of Representa-
tive McDermtt Mr. Hill said that his two
big ships cost 2S TO 80 per cent. more 10
build here than abroad, adding: Besides,
we have very few sailors even on pleasure
ships. Go to Puget Sound-the headS OF
the unions the boarding house keepers
A man who is dead broke and broken down
by excesses is the man sent to US. Same
way along shore: you hire 200 men as steve
dores. good competent men; and tell them
to come next day. They do not come as
long as they have money; the others are
sent
Mr.. McDermitt pressed the question of
governmental aid. But is the government
IF you will admit foreign built ships
free, he said, you will get merchant
marine quickly
How are we going TO get back a mer-
chant mariner asked Mr.. McDermott.
IF you are willing TO put a tonnage tax
on all that goes to foreign market every
thing that goes out of the country, even TO
new markets, l think you would get the
ships That would come out of the peo-
pie
Then n. your remedy" asked Mr. McDer-
Yes, that is it. There are only two
courses open; either an export bounty or
100000 would get a lot of tonnage. You
might take il out of the river and harbor
bill. But tell you the great big naviga-
ton Is going to be on steel raj. .
lishment of Arthur Sewall & Co, of Bath.
| Me, which has built some of the largest
sail cargo carrying ships in the world for
| the foreign trade said that his yard, which
was established in 1923. has been closed
during the last year because of dullness in
| the shpbuilding industry. He said he had
no faith i'll free Ships-that IL is distinctly
| un-American measure. Discriminating
! duties he did not favor entirely. Some bill
| granting a bounty on the basis of mileage
| and capacity, with some mail subsidy,
| would he the best form II must however,
| be liberal. Standardization is not the only
| trouble, continued the witness. Labor and
| material are even greater factors in in
! creased cost. A merchant marine would
| open up the markets of the world to us
| and secure the transportation of our prod
ucts TO our own benefit. There are only a
| few of left said Mr.. Sewall "and If
| we are going to keep our yards open, we
must have government assistance" Mr..
| Sewall made a strong plea for the sailing
vessel, which trains competent men for the
| merchant marine. He said that his COM
| pany has great difficulty in securing officers
| for their ships.