The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-25
MIR. Hill on Our Merchant
Marine, - .

Mr.. J. J. Hill gave some very In
teresting testimony yesterday before
the joint congressional committee on
merchant marine appointed during
the late session Of congress to inves-
tigate the cause Of the decline Of
American shipping and seek RENE
dies.
Mr.. Hill was decidedly discour-
aging when he testified that, after
building two Of the largest freight
steamers In the world for the Pacific
Asiatic trade, he did not want any
more on account of the excessive cost
over ships built in England and other
countries-some % to 80 per cent.
The running expenses Of American
ships are larger; local taxation is
heavier; consular fees are excessive.
There Is, moreover, a. lack Of Amerf-
can seamen, and the men are liable
to leave the ship at their own OPP
ton, compelling the captain to hire
Asiatics. ~.. ~. &. -..
Mr.. Hill, looking at the subject
from purely business standpoint
oCSldl %. IL We Oh Q SolIS " Ouy
q merchant marine out of the treas
ury, it won't last long. We must give
people confidence to invest" Ger
tainly, if there was, demonstrably,
money in ships flying the American
flag, there would be no hesitation by
Americans to enter upon such own
ership. Mr.. Hill, while rather pessi-
ofotfo c,,hi ~, oJ
mission Of foreign-built ships free, a
decisive remedy. and, If congress is
not willing to do this, he believes g.
solution will be found in an export
bounty. This preferential policy is
tantamount to q subsidy, Of course.
1t is noticeable that, while our
coasting trade has developed beyond
that of any other country in the last
thirty years, because it has received
adequate protection in that most eff
fective method Of excluding foreign
built ships and reserving 1t exclusive
ly for American bottoms, little has
been said about it in the discussion
of the subsidy question. The coast
carrying trade has been made attrac-
tive to investors in American ships,
and there is no lack Of money for
shipbuilding in this direction. 1t is
evident that abundant capital can be
obtained, If there Is a chance offered
to Americans in the ocean freight
Ing industry.
In 1902 this country built more
ships than Germany and France, the
figures being, United States, $4,000
tons; Germany, 214,000 tons, and
France, 10000 tons. OF American
ships built, one steel sailing ship of
5,21S tons, the largest sailing vessel
yet built, may be mentioned, along
with the mammoth Hill freight
steamers for the Pacific trade. I,
Thus, there Is no lack Of ability to
excel In shipbuilding and, in the coast
Varying trade, where capital invested
In ships is subject to the same laws,
rates and taxation as other capital
employed in that trade, then there is
no deficiency In the investment OF
capital In American vessels. In the
foreign carrying trade, however
American capital comes in competi-
ton with the capital of foreigners who
enjoy better conditions Of taxation
interest and labor and American
4 capital is naturally hesitant
The first fight we made against the
Fl effort Of Great Britain to drive this
nation from the sea, was simply the
carrying out Of Jefferson's counsel to
meet English prohibitions, duties and
regulations with counter prohibitions
duties and regulations, and the third
law passed by the first American CON
4 gress in 1889, imposed a tonnage tau
OF so cents q ton on foreign ships
offsetting the English tonnage tax or
American ships. Under the successive