The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-03-22
Mr.. Fordney's Position on Ship Sub
sIdy Bill.
Continued from page ~

Mr.. Fordney's Position on Ship Sub
sIdy Bill.
Continued from page ~
again let me say to you that it is a
we'll known fact that ship of sixteen
knots speed, cannot be built and sue
cessfully operated of less than about
5000 gross tons, and this class of ships
are very expensive tv operate, owing to
the immense machinery, men and sup
plies necessary to drive the ship at such
high rate of speed, and the cost of
such ship built in American ship
yards at the present time, is, in round
numbers, 81, 600, 900, and the ordinary
mail route to any foreign country, in
Guiding South America, giving a fort
nightly service. would require from
three to five ships. or total invest
ment of from $4,000. 900 to $4,000. 900.
This being so, it is plain that no man
or set of men of moderate means could
take advantage of the provisions of such
law. Whereas, on the other hand, a
ship of that size and of 10 or 10 knots
speed can be built today for about one
third of that sum. Therefore it seems
plain to me, that if that bill became
law, it was q discrimination against
men of moderate means and entirely, in
the interests of large corporations.
This, in my mind, is contrary to public
policy.
A CURIOUS PROVISION.
"Again let me say that this bill pro-
vided for the establishment of two lines
from New York to South America, one
to Rio De Janeiro, the other to point
about LOO miles farther south,
as now remember it Beunos Ayers.
The two lines parallel each other from
New York to Rio De Janeiro, and pro
viding for each to give fortnightly SER
vice. To me it seemed queer proceed
ure to establish two lines paralleling
each other to given points.
Again, last year report from the
commissioner of navigation shows that
there was not single ship flying the
American flag that entered port in the
United States from South America, or
sailed from port in the United States
to South America, seemed to me to be
poor business judgment, at least until
closer relations with that continent were
established on some less expensive plan.
But would favor some equitable plan,
for instance, tonnage subsidy to our
merchant marine between this country
and South America in order that we
might capture portion of that mag
nificent trade with the 80 or 60 millions
Of people in those countries directly
south of us, which trade is now monop-
olized by the countries of Europe.
1.-THE bill further provided for three
mail lines from the Pacific coast, one
from the Puget sound to the Orient,
another from San Francisco to the
Orient and to the Philippine Islands,
and an increase of $500, 600 per year to
the sum now paid by this government
to the Oceanic Steamship Co. for 81
day service from San Francisco to Hon.
olulu, Pago- Page. Auckland, New Zea-
land, thence to Sidney, Australia. This
company has been operating under a I
mail contract with the government, en-
tered into.in December, 1901, for ~.
year service. under which contract they
received, last year, 1898, 600, which |
sum amounted to $S82.50 per ton. for
all mail matter carried during the year
This company showed by its own state |
ment that the cost of labor on their |
three ships, the Somona, Ventura and
Sierra, amounted to 1926, 400 or about |
So. 900 less than the sum received last |
year under their contract, and it did |
not seem just to me, in order to main
tain a mail line to foreign country,
that the subsidy be sufficient to do more
than pay the difference in the cost be-
tween American labor and the labor
employed on foreign ships. The
amount provided for, in the bill, for
the three Pacific coast lines, was ST.
GOO, 900.
SHIPS ON THE PACIFIC.
There are at present II ships sailing
the American flags, running from the
Pacific coast to the Orient, owned and
operated by the Northern Steamship
Co., The Boston Steamship Co., The
Boston Towboat Co. and the Pacific |
Mail Steamship Co., and during the
year of 1905 there were 40 shipments
of United States mail from the Pacific |
coast to the Orient. This seemed to be
a very fair mail service, and did not
warrant my support to the bill in ques-
ton, especially so when the balance of
trade between this country and South |
America shows balance against the