The San Francisco call., 1904-08-05
SUGGESTS A REMEDY.
George ID. Gray Leans in Favor of a
Subsidy.

George ID. Gray Leans in Favor of a
Subsidy.
George D. Gray, president Of the Cal
ifornia and Oregon Coast Steamship
Company, which operates nine steam
ers and is interested in other vessels,
was next called upon by the commits
sion to state his views. The general
tenor of his paper made for the sup
port Of the subsidy measure under con-
sideration. In part he said:
What remedy be found to meet the con-
dltions that have resulted In the decadence
OF our merchant marine2 I know there has
been a great outcry against the subsidy idea
but the people should remember that for pro-
lection the nation needs a merchant marine
from which il can draw transports and sun
ply vessels IN time of war. as we'll as battle
ships and cruisers and il is far cheaner IN
have individual capital build and hold these
Nessels IN readiness FOR use when needed than
Tor the Government to construct and main
tain them. II individual capital cannot do
this adVantageously the Government can well
afford TO assist.
II such course is deemed advisable the
question arises how best 10 raise the neces-
ssry tnnds OF the several plans that have
with the most favor are:
First-A duty on all goods carried in for
eisn bottoms. But this is open TO the obiec-
tion that by the adoption Of such a plan we
create disturbing element among our treaties
with different foreign nations We omen >
Pandoras 5 box from which we know NOT how
many evils NAV escape
second-Another idea is that of postal sub
sides Tor vessels carrying the mails Rut
the strong objection lies against this pIan
that II Dement'S only one class of our merchant
marine. II can be only the corporatjons thai
are able TO construct and operate several large
ana tast steamers. that can contract to rendeu
service that would be acceptable Hence thev
only can be benefited. while the owners OF
sailing vessels, to use vulgar phrase are NOT
IL II, and never can be until DossihIv a
trade has been built up that exceeds the
capacity OF the steamship company. They
must wait for the crumbs that NAV fall from
the rich mans table
Ihird-Another idea is system Of tonna 90
cues on all vessels engaged in the foreign
trade, American as well others Let ne
look tor a moment at the operation of this
pian. AT present about 0 per cent Of the
foreign commerce Is carried in American hot
toms. Then 81 per cent of the fund n he
. cIsatea from this source would, at the be-
ginning, be derived from foreign shinning
Ihis plan further provides that this fnrd
should be distributed to American Shine -.
gagged IN foreign trade, figuring on the basis
o. a hAed rate per ton per mile. This should
pe inquired on actual distance between norris
not the distance sailed else it will be omen
TO fraud. Atvessel would sail from San Fran
cisco TO Shanghai going via Melbourne and
work up pretty good mileage account N
would, OF course, have a tendency to increase
the percentage of American bottoms ana red,,ce
the foreign, but that is what we want R,1t
II would not tend TO increase the freight rates
beyond reason. because We're there too much
proht. foreign vessels could afford to pav the
tax and compete with our bottoms What