Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-23
Sulzer and Humphrey on Re-
storing the Merchant Marine.
TALK BEFORE NAVY LEAGUE
Preferential Duties and Ship Sub
sides Advocated.
ALLEGED RAILWAY COMBINE
Convention at New Willard Listens
to Numerous Views Regarding
Tolls on Panama Canal.

AT this mornings session of the Navy
League convention at the New Willard
Representative Suizer, author of a bill to
establish preferential duties for cargoes
in American ships as measure for re-
facilitating the American merchant ma
rine, was under fire of criticism from his
colleague. Representative Humphrey OF
Washington because of the declaration
made by the New York democrat that q
ship subsidy bill. If passed. could not re-
main on the statute books.
II am surprised that any man could
stand up here and tell You that" said
Mr.. Humphrey, following Mr.. Sulzer on
the list of speakers. II am surprised that
a gentleman who has studied the subject
so long should appear to know so little
about it.
There is IA ship subsidy law on the
statute books, and 1t has been there for
years without being repealed 1 am
amazed that Mr.. Sulzer should tell you
that the American people are opposed to
ship subsidy.
Transatlantic steamship lines that
carry the United States mails do so I'M
der subsidy. The United States Is the
greatest substituting nation on the globe.
Everywhere 1t is paying subsidies, for
river and harbor improvements. for agri-
cultural research and in thousand
ways"
Francis E. Allen, a delegate to the con-
vention, had expressed the conviction
that subsidy has become a public
scandal and "a stencil in the nostrlis Of
the people," and he also received a re-
buke from Representative Humphrey.
Il am surprised at his statement that
subsidy is a national disgrace" said Mr..
Humphrey. "a wise expenditure if
there is hardly a man in Congress who
does not show by his vote that this is
his political opinion
w. H. Stayton, chairman of the commit
tee en- resolutions, presided over this
mornings session. Mr.. SulZer and Mr..
Humphrey were the two special orators
to address the assembly. The rest Of the
the Panama Canal Tolls participated
in by representatives from chambers of
commerce and other commercial orGaniza-
lions.
Plans to Restore Merchant Marine.
The Merchant Marine" was Mr.. Sui
zer's topic. He said. In part:
1.-THE question of the hour is how shall
We restore the American merchant ma
rine? What shall We do to place our flag
again on every sea? What policy shall we
adopt to regain our ocean-carrying trade
and revive our shipbuilding industry?
There are several policies proposed by
those who desire to restore the American
flag to the high seas and secure for our
country its proper share OF the worlds
ocean commerce! and. briefly enumerated.
they are as follows: First, ship subst-
dies; second. free ships, and, third, pref
erential duties.
Let me briefly discuss these proposed
remedies in their order. In the light of
the past. L think we can safely say that
the American people arc un2Iterably OPP
posed to n ship subsidy raid on the Treas
ury. A subsidy is a bounty, a bonus. a
gratuity. and 1t never has succeeded. and
il never will succeed. in accomplishing
the purpose desired. All history proves
il conclusively. Wherever and whenever
it has been tried il has failed.
I'm my opinion. il subsidy bill should
pass 1t would not restore our American
merchant marine or aid our Shipbuilding
Industries. 1t is a waste of time to talk
about ship subsidies, and i believe every
We might just as well pass bill to pay
a subsidy TO every man who grows a
.bushel of wheat or raises a bale Of cotton
as to pay a subsidy to the man who
builds ship.
Ship Subsidies Opposed.
eel am now, always have been and al
ways expect to be opposed to ship sub
sides that rob the many for the benefit
MT A,,s1 4
ships: they create ocean mOnopolies. Ship
subsidies will not give workmen employ
ment in American shipyards; the money
taken without justification from the
Treasury OF the people, Will simply go
into the capacious pockets of the men
who own the ships now In commission.
Every scheme of this kind simply permits
respectable corruption and benefits the
few at the expense OF the many. The
principle OF ship subsidies is inherently
wrong, absolutely indefersible. and no
man who understands the question can
justify the policy in the face of the facts.
And now let us discuss the second rem
edy. TO wit. free ships, by which / mean
the right of an American citizen to build
Or buy a ship anywhere, give 1t the bene-
1T of the American registry laws and
place upon II the American flag"
The passage of free ship bill by Con-
xress at present he believed impossible.
He went On:
Preferential Duties.
wow let US take up the third PROPOSE
lion. namely. preferential duties in favor
Of American-built ships and against ships
Tying the Gag of a foreign country. This
was the policy so successfully in opera
ton in this country up to 1898, when. to
please foreign interests, the law was sus-
pended. and from that day to this our
prestige on the high seas has been de-
clining until it Is less today than it was
Il century ago.
1.-The true friends IF o,,r ,oerch a W