The Washington herald., 1907-03-01
BURTON ON TARIFF
Says Subsidy Is Not Akin to
Protection.
ONE GIVES; OTHER TAKESAWAY
Tariff Brings Money Into EXchequer;
Subsidy Pays 1t Ouf-Grosvenor Ac-
but Says Charge of Changing Ones
Nind Is Not Considered Serious.

Incidental 10 the consideration Of the
LittaueT subsidy bin in the House yes
.terday, an interesting passage-at-arms
occurred between Mr.. Burton. Of Ohio.
who attacked the position OF the adyo-
Gates Of the measure that it was an ex-
tension Of the principle Of protection. and
his colleague, Mr.. Grosyenor. IN charge
Of tic pending measure
The argument for this class OF meas
urrs,' Mr. Burton said. rests upon the
failacy that a subsidy TO ships IS akin
to u protective tariff. It Is not because.
first. in the relation OF the Treasury 10
those receiving aid, a tariff brings money
into the exchequer; a subsidy pays II
out. Second. it is possible to build "A
wall around a country but not around
all the seas. where competition is neces-
sarily unlimited and cheapncss and fitness
must prevail
The argument for a tariff would not
be accepted if it was contemplated that
for al time there would be "a difference
in cost Of production between This and
other countries. In many. if not most, OF
the schedules. the result Of the tariff
ties by creating TWO sources Of supply
where only one before existed.
English and German situation.
"One argument FOR subsidies rests upon
a misapprehension. not 10 say misreprc-
sentation. II is that the British and
German marine have been built up by
subsidies from the government. a survey
-
given shows that the mere granting OF q
subsidy does not build up a merchant
marine. II subsidy IS coincident with a
natural maritime growth, il is because
some other factor Is connected with it,
such as great growth Of trade: an in
creased interest in shipping. and lower
cost in construction or operation
Again, the tendency Of all subsidies is
to induce d dependence upon government
tai assistance. Scarcely nation can be
found in which the establishment of the
principle has not led TO constant demands
for increased subsidies. III our own
country. lines which have been subsidized
have not been free from a record Of cor
ruption and failure.
The real reason for the decadenee Of
our merchant marine is found in the tastes
OF the people, and in the infinite variety
OF opportunities for enterprise Oh land
wbicn are more attractive and profitable
than investment In shipping A substan-
tial rehabilitation OF our merchant ma
rine will come when the attention and in
IeTcst OF the people are aroused and In
vestments are no longer so exclusively
attracted 10 development on land merely.
but to shipping as well.
Healthy Growth Wanted.
other countries have "a class of ciu-
Zens who. from generation 20 generation.
follow a seafariHg life. but in ours such is
not the case When investments on the
land are exploited and attention is at
tracted 10 the sea, there viii be a sub
stantial development Of shipping which
will be far more permanent and satisfac-
tory than the dollhouse growth afforded
by subsidies or subventions
At the request of Mr. Watson. Of IN
diana, the Republican whip. Mr.. Grosve-
nor was accorded an opportunity 10 re-
ply 10 his colleague. It was no serious
charge against a public man, he said,
that he had changed his mind; Gladstone
did that, and Webster and Calhoun
changed positions on free trade and pro-
lection. He called attention to the att
tude OF Hr. Burton toward the postal
subsidy bin in the Fifty-first Congress.
THAT bill, ne said was Identical in
principle with the pending measure, but
very much more radical i'm detail It
was fought by the present Speaker Of the
House until il was materially amended,
and then he voted for it. Mr. Grosvenor
said he and Mr. Burton stood together in
its support. save in one instance, and
there the latter voted for a proposition
that even ne CGrosvenOT couldn't ap-
prove
Mr. Burton. replying. said he had more
respect FOR those who would vote the
same in 1867 than he had in 1891 Such men
should have monuments erected To them
inscribed, Sacred TO The men who are
consistent They always lived lives I'm
which they we're consistent. They were
long on consistency, but short on wis
dom.