The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1911-03-15
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Our Dssadent Merchant Marine.

die Of the last century when the mer-
chant marine Of the United States led
the world. For many decades past, 1t
has seen steady decline. Today it
Is threatened with absolute extinc-
tion. Our shipping register for for
eign trade now amounts to only 7S2.-
SIT gross tons. the smallest amount
If we except the year 1898, during the
past seventy years. Subtract from
thic tonnage vessels which have out
lived their usefulness, vessels in the
trade between Atlantic and Pacific
coast ports, by way of the Isthmus
of Tehuantepec, which, although car
goes can be carried only by American
ships are required to be registered
and subtract also tonnage of the Yu-
kon River, and but little Is left out
side of the steamers built for the
ocean mail of 1891. and the five trans
Pacific liners which fly the American
flag. Last year, American ships car
rled only 81 per cent of our exports
and imports, the smallest percentage,
If we except the year 1901, in our
history.
1t is to Congress that the country
must look for the first movement in
setting right these altogether impos-
sible conditions; and the most work
able method for starting the great
work of reconstruction would be an
extension Of the ocean mail act of
1891. The bill now before the Sen
ate provides that American ocean mail
steamships of 16-knot speed or up
ward, and of 5000 gross tons or over,
shall be paid by the Postmaster Gen
eral for carry the ocean mails, $4.00
mile on routes to South America,
south of the Equator, payments to be
made for the outward voyage only.
The bill prohibits the award of con-
tracts to any bidders engaged in com
petitive transportation, or engaged in
the importing or exporting business.
Contractors must not give any pre-
ference or advantage to any particu-
lar person, company, firm, corpora
tioh VI ioSuiilS, vi " dhy Dul llCuldi
description Of traffic. Contracts are
to be awarded to those bidders who
offer the highest sea-going speed.
Now, the causes of the present de-
plorable condition of our once ia
nous fleet of ships engaged in the
foreign trade are simple, easily un-
derstood and impossible of contra
diction. In the first place, ton for
ton. ship of given size can be built
more cheaply in foreign yards than
In our own. The ship, when once
afioat, sets sail upon her life of use
full service with perpetual handicap
upon her profit-earning capacity rep
resented by the interest on her high
er first cost. The difference in cost
between American-built and foreign
built merchant ships is not so great
today, 1t is true, as once 1t was. The
remarkably low price at which ship
plates and other structural steel ma
terial are produced in our mills, cou-
pied with the development Of large
ship-building establishments provid-
ed with the most up-to-date plant, has
served to bring the cost Of construc
ton much nearer the European fig
ure; but the fact remains that the av-
erage today is somewhat higher in
this country. If, under the fostering
care of the government, exercised
through suitable mail subsidy legis
lation, our merchant marine should
begin to grow in numbers and ton