Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1880 — FREE SHIPS. [ARTICLE]

FREE SHIPS.

One of the Meaningless Demands of the < Democratic Platform. Kingston (N. Y.) Freeman. “Free shins and a living chance for American commerce on the sea andon the land.”—Democratic Platform. Thia talk about “free ships” is mere clap-trap, for of itself it would not help the sea-fnring trade at all. Unless our tariff laws were changed, it would make very little difference to the American carrier whether his ship was of foreign make with an Americau register, or was built upon our docks. It would not add to bis trade, though he might find it cheaper to buy some second-band, wornout English ahtp than to order a new oue from an American ship-yard; it is possible also that new ships can be built cheaper in Great Britain than America. But this is of very little account to the American ship-master go lo g as onr ports are crowded with foreign tonnage largely in excess of the demand, ready to carry freights on the best terms they can get. Tbe ocean-uarrying'trade is already overdone, and so far as the above plank in the platform relates to tbe present conditions of the trade, it cannot be of any practicable benefit to anybody. But there is a concealed meaning of great importance behind this seemingly innocent and superfluous sentence. Its authors are advocates of free trade. “Free ships” would lie of no avail to give commerce “a living chance” unless tbe commerce itself wm enlarged. It is not tbe navigation laws but the tariff laws at which the blow is to be struck. Abolish our whole system of protective duties and remodel our tariff laws on tbe British free-trade ryatem, aud instantly our markets would be deluged with the products of foreign manufactur ers, and all of our industries would be crushed not even excepting agricull lire. How would this help the American shipper! In tbe general scramble be might get an order for a cargo now and then, but as the goods to be carried would be foreign, they would naturally be consigned to foreign veaselr- And when our great manufacturing industries are destroyed and a thrivingpopulatlon turned to paupers or driven back to Europe, what will become of our farmers! These have come to depend on home tion for their markets, and with those cut off they would be left to the mercy of the European speculator. Tbe British merchants are moving heaven and earth to overturn our protective system and opeu our markets to the free admission of tbeir goods. They are able to pay millions for-sneb a service, and have found in Congress a large representation of dishonest, unpatriotic men from tbe South who hate the North and arc eager for any opportunity to pull down tts industries. In addition to these there are a few venal wretches in Congress from the North who are always ready for a bribe, and look upon these British free-trade advocates as tbe richest of bonanzas. One distinguiabsd member from this State visited England a few years ago, hobnobbed all summer with its merchants, and when be came home entered upon a bitter ~aad relentless crusade against our tariff laws which he did not cease until convinced of its utter uselessness. He is now bidlug bis time, in the expectation that a new Congress will be more pliant, as he has got tbe Democratic party pledged to his policy by its platform. But it is a bad policy and a criminal one for Represents Uvea, whether from the North or South* to legislate against the Womiuorotel Interests of their own country aud for the advancement of those of a great commercial rival.