Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-02-14
THE SHIP SUBSIDY
COUNTRYS FINANCES THE CITY Council LEGISLATIVE gossip
A TAX ON ALL The PEOPLE TO
enrich The few.
The Country's Shipping interests
Cannot be Strengthened by Subsi-
dies. The Effect will be the Re-
verse. The True Government
Policy not in Accord with method.

Policy not in Accord with method.
The advocates OF ship subsidy, like
the advocates OF asset currency, hope to
rush their measure through before pub
lie opinion has chance to act upon it.
When Secretary Root went to South
America, it was generally supposed that
the object OF his visit was to cultivate
more intimate relations between this
country and the Southern republics. 1t
now seems that the real purpose of his
trip was to fortify his arguments in fa-
vor of a ship subsidy. Whether the ad-
vocates of subsidy will be content to
begin with subsidizing the lines to South
America or will insist upon complete
system OF subsidies remains to be seen.
The democrats will naturally and logic
ally oppose the subsidy scheme whether
it is presented by piecemeal or as a
whole. There are two kinds of aid
which the democrats could consistently
favor. There is the aid which could be
given through discriminating duties. A
deduction in duty on articles brought in
to the country in American bottoms
would give to the shipowners an advan.
tage without an additional tax upon the
people. but those who oppose tariff re-
duction, would, of course, oppose this
breach in the tariff wall.
The other plan is to put into transports
a part of the money that is now pnt into
warships and let the transports be lun to
southern ports by the government or
leased on terms that are equitable for us
in building up mail and trade line. A
few ships will be sufficient to establish
regular communication between North
and South America. The service on
such lines could be made a training
school for seamen, and public interests
could be properly protected in the con-
tracts.
There are two kinds OF government aid
to an industry. One kind is Illustrated
in the agricultural experiment stations.
The government at its own expense ex-
periments on matters connected with
agriculture, horticulture and stock rails
ing and gives to the public the benefit OF
its experiments. The results OF it's work
are open to all and are an instruction to
all. This is legitimate use of govern
ment money. The government is under
no obligations to continue an experiment
when it proves unsuccessful, and no one
can monopolize the benefits which flow
from a successful experiment. The es.
tablishment of government line of
boats either directly or through leesees
would be in line with the experiment
station. The governments success or
failnre would be instructive and no one
would be able to monopolize the benefits.
The second way to give government aid
is to subsidize. Tnis taxes the public
for the benefit OF a few, and the few who
receive, not only monopolize the benefits
but insist upon continuation OF the sys.
TEN. The protected industries are now
demanding higher duties than were de-
manded in the beginning Of the century.
Instead OF being strengthened they have
been enervatsd, and the country has to
90 through life and death struggle to
set the public teats out of the mouth of
one of it's pampered infants. So it will
be il We enter on the subsidy scheme.
A little subsidy now will mean bigger
subsidy in a few years, and the steam
ship lines built up by subsidy will
threaten to die if they are left unsup.
ported. protective tariff and steam.
ship subsidy are one in principle. Those
who believe in taxing the many for the
benefit OF the few are likely to favor
both. Those who believe in the doc
trine of equal rights to all and special
privileges to none will favor neither.
The argument that subsidy is only tenn
porary ought not to deceive anyone.
The time will never come when q subsi.
dy once granted can be withdrawn with.
out struggle, and the more successful
the subsidy has been in bnilding up the
favored industry. the more difficult will
it be to repeal the law.