The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-02-14

/ bring Philippine products to the
United States..
This however. is not a bounty out
right, for these cargo vessels aEe re-
CURED to carry a certain NUMBER OF
American seamen, enrolled as naval
volunteers, to maintain an emclenl
rating, TO make their ordinary repairs
IN America, and, to be subject IN war
TO purchase Or hire. at fair price, by
the Government for the naval reserve.
A large part of the cost OF these
su0v9ntions is provided for by the IN
crease in the tonnage taxes on all yes
sells, American or foreign, entering
our ports in foreign trade-a part OF
these taxes to be rebated to American
vessels carrying boys as apprentices,
and training them as seamen. These In.
creased tonnage taxes will Increase
the revenues about 81 100000 a year
and the bill will not only cost nothing
the first year, from July /, 1906 70
June 80, 1907, but will actually add
100000 to the income of the govern
ment. In the next. or second year, the
expenditure will be only 100000 and
the amount can increase thereafter
only as new ships are built and
launched in the United States, and
employer for the expansion of Ameri-
can commerce.
The ten new mail lines to South
America, South Africa, the Orient, Gu,
ba and Mexico will cost three years
hence. when the requisite new ships
have been constructed maximum Of
$2,665, 900 a year, or about one-third
of what England and France are pay
ing in subsidies TO their merchant
ships.
1t is estimated that at the end of
ten years the two subventiOns to mer-
chant ships and to cargo vessels, hav-
ing cost us an average of s4.625,000
annually will have given the United
States an ocean fleet practically three
times as large as that We now possess,
much larger than the entire merchant
marine of France or Norway, and
twice that of Italy and Japan.
1t should be borne in mind, especial
~ that with the increased tonnage
taxes, this bill will not only cost
nothing the first year, but will pro
duce an increased revenue of 100000
for the government Expenditures
will rise thereafter only as new ships
are built in American yards and sent
abroad with cargoes of American and
largely western merchandise.
In this whole bill there is only one
sUbvention Of. -$250,000 a year for
fast passenger line to European in
crease of this amount in the present
mail pay of the one American line to
Great Britain and. the continent. The
line employs the swiftest. ocean ships
carrying the United States flag
steamers that were manned and arm
ed as auxiliary. cruisers in the war
with Spin.
The only other increase over exist
ing contractsSih the bill is $217 900 ad-
ditiOnal to the American mail line to
New Zealand and Australia, which
has been performing the swiftest
mail service in the South Pacific, and
paying by far the highest wages to its
officers and men, and at the same time
receiving far less mail pay than the
slower and inferior ships from Europe.
The mail subYention to the new
lines are thus distributea-to the
three new lines from the Atlantic
coast 1850, 600: to three new lines
from the Gulf coast. S1,140,000. Thus.
l. is made certain that no single port
OF section shall mOnopolize three ad-
Vantages.
One thing more worth remembering
all materials of different kinds need.
ed for the construction, repair or
equipment Of ships built in this coun.
try for foreign commerce are already
on the free list of the Dingley tariff.
If the shipowners are aided in a rea-
sunable way TO build new ships and
win new markets for western pro
ducers, they can snap their fingers at
the steel trust and either buy their
steel abroad or insist on getting it at
prices in this country.
We are now carrying only about
ten per cent of our commerce in our
own ships. And the ocean freight bill
on our imports and exports is close to
two hundred million collars a year,
of which goes into the
pockets of foreign shipowners. Is Il
not worth while TO save some of this
huge amount to build our own ships
and give wages TO our own people?
As President Roosevelt says, ITO
the spread of our trade in peace and
the defense of our trade in war a.
great and prosperous merchant ma
rine is indispensable. We should
have ships of our own and seamen of
our own TO convey our goods to nue..
trail markets. and in case of need to
our battle line.