Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-12-27
SHIP SUBSIDY UP AGAIN
Fatuous Appeal to the Patriot
ism of American Women.
THE ENORMOUS STEAL EXPOSED.

How 1t Is Proposed to Tax the Ameri-
can People For the Benefit of the
Steamship Trust-Housewives OF the
Country More Interested In Reduce
Ing Expenses Than Adding to Them,
The expectant ship subsidy beneti-
Charles are maintaining a bureau at
Washington to bring influence on con-
gress to pass the pending bill, which
provides for Il subsidy, which will in
the event of it's passage principally
inure to the benefit of the steamship
trust. The latest effort of this bureau
to mold public opinion is a pathetic ap-
peal to the pride of American women
TO help IN overcoming the "suppressing
OF the stars and stripes upon the sea-"
This indirect way of urging congress
to pass the ship subsidy bill by a fatu-
Gus appeal to the patriotism Of Ameri-
can women is at once seer to be but a
covert plea for the trust to be subsi-
died, from the statement made that
there Is feminine comfort in the
thought that the very moment it the
Dill is enacted orders will be placed
with American s%hipbuilders for sew
enty-five new American steamships, to
cost at least $40, OOO, 900, on the Allan
tic coast alone"
That lets the cat out of the bag, for
these ships will be entitled under the
bill to a subsidy of IS per gross ton a
year or $3.50 if engaged in the Philip
pine trade. AS II Of these large ocean
steamships would have a gross ton
mage of, say, 10000 tons, her owners
would be paid $4,000 a year subsidy,
and at the same average the seventy
five ships would be entitled to a sub
sidy Of $6,000,00 a year, leaving those
to be built on the Pacific ocean en-
tirely out Of the calculation. But
tina is not the total Of the proposed
subsidies to be paid under the bill, for
the new mail lines proposed to be es-
tablished will cost about 49, 0 900 a
year in extra subsidies. or $4,000, 900 in
all.
AS the ship subsidy hunters are ap-
pealing to. the women to champion their
cause, it may be we'll to remind those
Of our wives and mothers that have be-
come interested that this large subsidy
to the magnates Of the steamship trust
will have to be paid by taxation. 1t Is
hardly necessary to remind the house
wives Of the country that the tariff
and other taxes are now so high that in
enjoy under this Republican system Of
taxing the many for the benefit Of the
few the cost Of living is now nearly so
per cent higher than 1t was before the
present tariff subsidy bill was passed,
and the proposed ship subsidy bill will
add to the burden.
What benefit will American women
gain by helping to pay the ship sub
sidy any more than they gain by pay
ing the trusts the enormous subsidies
the tariff law gives those corporations?
The appeal for a subsidy has always
been accompanied by an appeal to pa
triotism, for the fervent and avaricious
subsidy hunter is always for "the old
flag and an appropriation" So don't
be led off by false appeals to help IN
Gle Sam or for the stars and stripes
which these trust magnates through
their hired writer's make to you. These
rich men who propose to invest $40
000,O 0 in ships, on which they are to
receive an annual subsidy Of $4,000
900 or even $4,000, 600, can get along
very we'll without the subsidy, and you
will be that much better off for not
having it to pay.
If the tariff was revised so that the
cost Of living would be reasonable and
the old and obsolete navigation laws
were repealed which have hampered
and retarded the growth of our mer-
chant marine and those anxious to OWE
and sail ships could buy their vessels
in the markets Of the world from who
ever would sell them the cheapest, the
American flag would soon be seen III
every sea, for with free ships and free
men the United States can beat the
world on the ocean, as she did in for
mer times before these Republican re-
strictions defeated her natura! suprem-
acy.