45 cause was a heavy war debt to be paid, and the investing in railroads rather than in ships because more money could be earned. Petroleum also naturally spoiled the whale oil trade. Our mail service was wretchedly paid, and some of our shipping laws were at fault. REMEDIES FOR DECLINE. Mr. Blaine says: “ A small share of the encouragement given by the Government to railways and to manufacturers, and a small share of the capital and the zeal given by our citizens to those enterprises, would have carried our ships to every sea and to every port. ” Qur Goverment grants to railways have amounted to $144,- 000,000, and our country has been wonderfully developed by this policy. Weprotected the steam car industry. In 1830 we had not a single locomotive. In 1879 we had in cars and locomotives $764,000,000. Besides, we have exported $20,000,000 worth of locomotives since 1870, and can build the best and cheapest in the world to day, simply because we have been helped by Government. And yet when the Government is asked to aid our shipping interests, the free traders cry out against “subsidies,” and say, “Give us free ships.” What has England done to help her shipping? She gave naval contracts to private ship-builders, to help them build up iron ship yards. Then large sums for carrying the mails (really bounties), so that, since 1837, she has paid $250,000,000 to help build fast iron mail steamers. She still pays $3,800,000 a year in subsidies. France also grants bounties. We do’not want “free ships,” because our coast and lakes would be flooded with English boats; we do not want our ships made in England any more than our shoes, our steam cars and our mowing machines, for we wish the labor for our workmen. When a bill was proposed for the completion of some monitors, Democrats refused the necessary appropriation. When a bill was prepared for building seven new war ships, they killed the bill. And yet they beg, in their platform, to get back into power, that they may restore American shipping! The London Shipping World says: * * * If the election of Mr. Blaine, the leading American protectionist, to the Presidency is to be the signal of a “revival of American shipping,” the outlook por our merchant navy becomes the reverse of hopeful.
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