The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-07-14
Ship Subsidy.

Not many of us know anything about the
tariff, ship subsidy, etc. We think we mo"
but In reality we do not know, and we doubt
much whether the wise men who are al Inc
helm of the ship OF Estate know what Will be
the result Of their tariff reforms.
Ship subsidy has caused much alb IN The
Houses OF the National Legislature with The
result that up to this time few lines have been
subsidized.
What is ship subsidy Does snip subsidy
law expect the United States Government to
20 down in its pockets and hand over money
to wealthy ship owners to be used In the
prosecution OF their present policies? Does
ship subsidy mean that the old lines are 10
be enriched and that no new lines are TO be
established? o., does 1t mean that moneys
appropriated are 10 60 10 the establishing q
only new lines OF ships, lines that hitherto
have had no ships over them?
1t seems unwise 10 give money to long
established companies to do business on. IL
may be q question whether II is wise 10 give
money to the different companies TO establish
new lines, but 1t cannot be q question TO our
mind to pass a ship subsidy bill patterned
after the English ship subsidy bill.
This English ship subsidy bill. as we under.
stand IT,, directly affects the United States
shipping In the West. Great Britain has an
immense navy and In addition 10 her war
ships she has many transports that she DO
not need In time OF peace, and while she is
not at wal these transports, men. officers and
ships are loaned, merely loaned, 70 the ship
ming companies to prosecute their trade With
other countries.
The Canadian Pacific Railway, one OF the
largest systems OF the world. could not do
business were 1t not for the fact hat England
has turned over to 1t three OF her largest
TRANSPORTS, The Empires OF China" the I'm
press OF Japan" and the Empress OF lndla.'
These vessels give an outlet to the Canadian
pacific Railway 10 China. Japan, and the far
East.
should England become engaged In war
The Railway Company Is TO deliver the shipf'
officers and crew, which are made VI OF men
Of The British navy. as TO the Government al
once. Just as they were received from the
Government.
When war was declared with Spain the
United States did not have a sufficient mum
Der of ships TO prosecute 1t. As q result @
hurry ,sd" for bids to buy was issued. The
Government bought but she paid for wha
she bought, in some cases two prices, but that
could not be helped. the ships had to be forth
coming.
After the wal was over these same ships
were for sale and though they were in com
mission only q short while brought at auction
one-third and one-fourlh OF the purchase
price.
Should we become engaged In war again
we will be in the same tix-so says Hobson-
as we were at the beginning OF the Spanish
American War.
Does It not seem reasonable that the trans.
ports now In the Government Service might
be put to some use instead OF sailing around
having a, good time? We have no use for
transports except for traffic between San
francisco and the Philippines and one or W
ships coald attend to that.
Would 1t not be wise for the Government to
lend one OF these ships 10 some Of the ship
ping companies with the understanding that
they are to run q line between Charleston and
Liverpool or Charleston and Cuba
with the understanding that II the United
States becomes engaged In war the Company
is TO give back the ship loaned for this pur'
pose Immediately?
As 1t ie, If you want 10 60 TO Europe you
must 20 to New York to take passage. II you
want to 70 to the Bermuda Islands you must
20 to New York 10 take passage. II you wan'
TO 20 to Cuba on q first class boat you must 60
to New York to take passage. You might be
able to 60 to Liverpool on a cattle boat maybe
once a year from Charleston, btt some people
do not like to travel that way.
Now there are Companies that would under
AXE to run such q line, no doubt, nthey mad
the free use of q good boat. Uncle Sam has
in his possession just such boats. The Sheri'
den, the-Sherman, the Logan, the Thomas
the Mcclellan and others. Why not
lend one of these ships on the conditions
mentioned TO some good American Company
TO open up such a line.
We do not realize what q great thing ship
ping is for any county. We have enjoyed
such unparalleled prosperity here. tc-fore thai
we have been too indolent to think oft and
as q result, other nations have stolen In and
caught the worm"
Not ten percent OF the sailors who ply the
Atlantic are Americans. We are In the dim
back ground and trade that should be coming
here Is going elsewhere.
Those who visit Cuba come back remarkipe
that Cuba does not trade with the United
States, that she still hangs on to Spain
Why 20? Simply because Spain has the
goods" Size Is on the spot with her ships
and expects to stay there just as long as sht
can.
The people of the South should awake L
the necessity OF studying National affair
with q view to the botterment OF our condi
tlon. The sooner we awake, the better To-
Us.