The Cairo bulletin., 1914-08-19

If the United States wants a mer-
chant marine Of It's own--and It
does-there is just one way to get
IT. and that is by paying for it.
That is the way other nations
lave acquired a merchant marine,
and that is the way they retain IT.
The United States has been I'M
willing to pay for merchant ma
line. and therefore il has none.
Some other nations like Turkey,
China and some of the republics OF
the Western Hemisphere, have been
unwilling, or unable, to pay for a
merchant marine. and so they have
none.
If the United states will place a
higher, or extra duty on all i'm
ports In foreign ships, whether such
imports are otherwise dutiable or
nondutiable, OF say per cent, and
will put a higher tonnage tax on
foreign than on American ships, it
will lay the foundation of cargo
carrying American merchant ma
rine that will grow and expand like
green bay tree.
That is the way. Congress legis-
lated when it wanted an American
merchant marine l23 years ago,
and for the first twenty-five years
the policy was in full force Ameri-
can ships carried an average OF
nearly so per cent Of American for
eign commerce! Thereafter the pol
icy was gradually restricted by iaw'
and by treaties, until it was finally
suspended in 1880, the dcvastatins
effects of which were not felt, how
over, until the civil wal, for reasonF
easily explained
From 1889 until 1851 American
ships carried an average Of so per
cent OF American foreign commerce
under the operation OF and because
oil the impetus given to our ship
ping by those preferential tariff pro
visions Since then American ships
have averaged II per cent If our
foreign carrying, and they now en-
JOY a bare 10 per cent OF it!
II the United States will place a 3
per cent extra duty on all itaportI
IN foreign ships aud higher tax
On all foreign ships, as suggested
there will be paid into the National
Treasury approximately 100000,
coo annually in excess import duties
and tonnage taxes by foreign ships
and their imports. BIT if the i'm
porters desire to save their goods
from the extra duty and employ
American ships TO bring them here
only the regular duty will be col
lected and American ships viii
have secured the carrying.
To the extent that foreign ships
are employed to bring us our i'm
gorts our treasury will gain in ex-
ira revenue; to the extent that
American ships are employed tc
bring us our imports we shall build
UP and sustain an American mcr-
chant marine.
The tariff bill under the Under
wood amendments now provides fot
q discount of 5 per cent of the duty
on imports in American vessels. ap
plicable only to 81 per cent OF on,
imports, because that is the per
Centage that is dutiaDle our srr
sestion holds fast to the principle
but makes the application of the
policy more effective. because 2t5-
plicable to all imports; it takes
nothing from the treasury, bu,
rather adds to H. and helps our
chips.
II we want regular-line, mail
carrying, swift, up-to-date steam
ships OF the type Of the Vaterland.
Aquitania, Mauretania and l.usi-
tania, all we have to do Is to seq
legate a trifling percentage Of the
extra duty paid into the national
treasury by imports in foreign
ships, and by the ships themselves
and use it with which to pay for
The service thus rendered to tn.
United States.
Foreign ships and their import
may thus be used to build up al
American merchant marine in for
eign trade-the hair OF the dog ma
be used TO cure the bite of the dos
Those who think that ezistin
treaties render such a plan impray
ticable should study the decision c
the United States Board Of Genera
appraisers Of March 6. 1911. whiC
declares that the trcaty-msK,u
branch of the government excccde
its powers in concluding sue
trcatie', wherefore they are IN vic
lation OF the spirit AMI letter of Ii
Constitution!
Thee who imagine that retalia
ton by other nations would offs
all Of the advantages claimed shout
study the history of American shin