New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-07
SHIPPING INTERESTS.
Measures Before Congress to Pro
! mote Them.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribun.
Sir: In the present desperate condition OF
American ship owning and building for ocean com
meTce-not one deep sea keel has been laid in the
United States since June L 1e1I-two Measures Cor
the Immediate relief and encouragement OF our
shipping that have been favorably reported 10 Con-
sress deserve the fendliest support OF thoughtful
Americans. President Roosevelts recommendation
for national merchant marine commission TO
study the decline of shipping and devise rem
edy has been embodied in the bill of Representa-
tive Gardner, OF Massachusetts,. now before the
House. But thir commission. when created. cannot
complete its inquiry and report before next De-
cember. These two bills OF which speak give
come relief at once
One measure Senate No z2ss introduced by Sen
stor Frye and approved by Senator Lodges Com
mittee on the Philippines. reserves TO American
ships the carrying OF American commerce with the
Philippines. The other measure. Senate No. 2.2s3.
reserves to American ships the carrying OF United
States military and naval stores.
Both OF these bills in strict line with historic
national precedent For more than hundred years
all water borne trade between one American port
and another has been reserved to American YES
sells. and this policy has given our country the
greatest and most efficient coastwss tonnage IN
the world.
This principle OF American ships for American
trade has been extended successfully to Alaska.
Porto Rico and Hawaii. II appears from a
supreme Court decision IN the Huns case OF Porto
Rico that the principle would apply automatically
pines. The present bill confirms this. but for ex-
oellent reasons relieves FOR the present from our
navigation laws the short voyage, ne.siahd traffic
OF the archpelago-reservinS TO American ships
the long voyage. dignaed and important commerce
between the Philippine ports and the Atlantic and
Pacific ports OF the United States
The other measure. the Government Supply bill
is in exact accord with the practice OF other mari
time powers. Great Britain France Germany
etc. either by regulation custom. reserve TO the
49, .G.-H--
their military and naval stores. Though a protec-
ZIONIST nation, the United States strangely enough
until now has allowed this national service TO be
performed by cheap wage OF subsidized foreigners
Though both Of these measures OF such Conspic-
uous national prudence have been favorably re-
ported By the committees OF Congress to which
they were referred. they are bitterly resisted b.
hostile influences centring in New-YoTk City.
Those Influences are. first and more important, the
owners. agents ckarterers OF European ships
which now DO Hine-tenths Of Nsw-Yorks ocean
carrying, and naturally desire to monOpOZe all or
~. ne aggregate amount Of our PnIppine ald
Siderable. But these foreign irfuences fear these
two bills as an ''enfer.ue v,sgCe" Of American
competition. They dread the effect the Ame'-
lean mind OF the creation OF an American steam
s ser 10 the Esst Lndss There now the stars
agents and charterers are afraid that i American
saipowners once gain new foOlho.d IN ocean
most Of Il AVA G from ;ofes s-i sbgs as has now
been done in another Geld BY our protected Amer
stTangeiy enough a few OF these protected man
uiactureIs, within aAd without the CoTdase Trust.
foreigners against their own Couutrymen. These
eordags makers draw raw material manila heinF.
that there are no Ame lean vessels TO bring their
American vessels their freight rates would be eX-
This whole question was 4hrashed out the other
Gay before the Senate Committee the Philip
rs most kee2T irterss,tG ed Bot dare 70 show
their heads. Taey work 10y moro devious methods.
jestiaed that they had IOoG5J net tons ~ steam
shlps and S53e9J dead weight tons OF sailing ships
from which q feet co-al be selected 20 convey
the 5000 tons OF our entire import commerce from
re PHi..ggines As to the matter 81 freight rates
aDPiieatioH OF he coasrw-se principle 20 Hawaii
cost result OF intelligent American coIlVctI-
George 5. Dearborn. president q the american
Hawaiian Steamship Company. OF &cw-l ory. Mich
Owns ncst 81 E,ne iTst cess AiaeFt..a GA. e.
stated 70 Senator Lodge that before th.s coas Sc
10 bring Hawaiian sugar TO NeW-York by SAT thar
II does now 10 bring u b. steam The same lessen
shipping trade with Porto Rico.
Before the historic national principle q American
iusular possessions. American steamships ran
Now there IS regular service OF some q the finest
ard most Efficient steamships IN The world .
ocean trade with Porto Rico and Hawaii This f.
p,-i1-,i1,es " IN oiie"tio- rhr1 rs feo, IrseI
~ foreign. and Few domestic Interests AGAINST
ment supply bill. is the familiar free trade renon-
STRANGE against rTotecuou.sm 90 anr KIND. Row
ever IL may be with the foreign shiDowners. thls
certainly comes with III grace from American
CCrdase manufacturers. whose industry has been
created ~ "a generous tnrT on their products. and
whose Industry IS further and especially favored
IN the remission Of the philippine export duty on
their material. denied 20 the competing manu-
faCturCrs q Europe.
There has probably never been more startling
exhibition Of cynical selishuesq In the whole
ceuiury-old tariff debate than that given the other
day by those rich manufacturers Of cordage n
their appearance before the Senate Committee on
the Philippines protest against this measure or
protection American shIpowuers. who. uulTO-
tected have been almost driven OF the s. as.
II there is any wisdom. any virtue. IL TIE amer
lean system - the Republican party FOR forty
years has Upheld Il. here IL opportunity 70
Invoke this not only for the encouragement OF
American ship owners. builders and se1Uen o..
home but FOR the safeguarding OF our long Ane OF
communication with East Indian dcpeude ncies
What would happen 20 American commerce 70 the
American army and TO whole American infer
esta In the Philippine Archipelago II this black
Eastern war cloud swept cut Of our service over
night the foreign ships that now MAINTAIN INC
whole transportation between Nsw-Iork. boston
and Manila -
the maintenance OF her conlmunica Ion win lnala
South Africa or Australia. To ask ms qutst4o.
is TO answer IT, And yet England has no more az
stake ia India. South Africa or Australia than
America IN the PhilipIiin-,s sl-zY,op = MARVIN
Boston Jan. g. 1904