The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-08
noBB1NG PETER TO PAY PAUL.

IN MS message TO congress lTS5iusH'
Taft recommends "the passage of a
measure of mail subsidy or other sub
vention adequate to guarantee the es-
Enlistment and rapid development of
an American merchant marine and the
restoration of the American flag to its
ancient place upon the seas" He
would not, however, extend such aid
without requiring tibet each beneficiary
should show by his accounts that the
aid received was naedGd to maintain
the trade and vas properly used for
that purpose.
This condition may have the effect of
inducing Congress to act ~fayorably
upon the suggestion of the President:
but we trust hat the members of that
body will not be deceived. The right
way to rebuild The merchant marine of
the United States is to rebuild it. not
by Government bounties, but by remoy-
ing Government restrictions. Another
way to promote the merchant marine
is suggested in the current number OF
the atlantic Monthly. by ~Rear-Admiral
Francis L. Bowles, formerly of the
United States Navy. and now the expert
head Of the Fore River. ShipbuildinG
Company in Massachusetts, Eighty
years ago the value of our oversee
commerce, carried in American vessels.
was about 90 per cent; 1t is now about
S per cent. The American tonnage en-
gagged in the foreign trade last year
was about one-half what it was in 1861.
Admiral Bowles suggests a division of
the tariff benefits between the American
importers and the American %shipbuild-
ers and ship owners; a 10 per cent re-
duction in the tariff on all imports car
ried in American vessels. The average
rate of duty under the present tariff is
Al per cent, ad valorem, and IL there
should be a reduction of 5 per cent. on
all goods on which the ad valorem duty
is Al per cent. or less of which are
non-dutiable, the importer should re-
.ceive ar Importers certificate. available
only for the payment of dues at he
Custom Houses, and equal in value to
|2.05 per cent. of the value of the goods
imported. This, with the remission or
the hcad tax on Immigrants and with
the ability of mail steamers to make
contracts for carrying the mails, would
enable the s~hipbuilders to provide for
the restoration of the merchant marine.
The plan suggested by Rear-Admiral
Bowlcs is, of course, only a clever way
of whipping the devil around the
stump, but as it would not increase the
tariff duties, but would divide these
duties between the present benetlciarles
and the would-be s%hipbuilding enef-
Charles, it is thought that the people
could be robbed without knowing 1t.
The Springfield Republican thinks
that there Is no essential difference
between paying subsidies directly from
the Federal treasury and paying them
from the duties which would otherwise
so into the Federal treasury" 1t also
is OF the opinion that 'if discriminating
duties are revived in favor Of our ship
ping, they will be revived by other ma
tons against that shipping, In this
case our ships would nave their wv
way in our import trade carriage, but
would go out empty, while foreign
ships would come in empty and go out
fun"
The only certain way to build up TINS
American merchant marine is to re-
move the burden of taxation on the
materials used in the construction o.
ships. Nothing is to be gained for the
restoration of our shipping. and Ger
tainly nothing is to be gained forthe
tax, burdened people of this country by
tho subsidies recommended BY MI. Taft