IS AMERICAN COMMERCE TO BE EXTINGUISHED?

Southland Times, Issue 670, 15 May 1867, Page 3

IS AMERICAN COMMERCE TO BE EXTINGUISHED?

. (From the "New York Times ") . ; One of the most striking paßSageß in the report of the Secretary of the Treasury ia that in which he demonstrates the effect of high dutieß upon raw material in diminishing and almost destroying our once important business of ship and ateamer building. He- shows that though formerly a first-class commercial Power, and apparently destmed soon to lead the commerce of the world, we. have during the last six years "been steadily, falling behind Great Britian, arid if the diminu,tion of our shipbuilding and carrying trade goes on at the present rates (of some 50 per cent, in six years) we shall before long cease to life'a commercial .Power of any importance. These serious facts are confirmed by figures showing the decrease in American tonnage from this country, and the ; increase in English employed in our ports, such as the following: the tonnage of -American vessels engaged in the foriegn carrying trade Vhich entered United States' ports was— in 1860, 5,921,285 tons ; in 1865, 2,943, 661 tons; in 1866, 3,372,060 tons. The tonnage of such vessels: which were cleared from the United States was — in 1860, 6,165,924 tons ; in. 1865, 3,025,134 tons ; in 1866, 3,383,176 tons. The tonnage of foreign vessels which entered our ports Was-— ia 1860, 2,353,911 tons ; in 1865, 8,216,967 tons ; in 1866, 4,410,424 tons. The tonnage of foreign vessels which were cleared was— in 1860, 2,624,005 tons ; in 1865, 3,595,12§ r tons| in 1866, 4,438,384 tons. These statements have been strengthened by a fact which lias called forth some [public remark within,; a day or two— the approaching sales of two steamers of the Havre Line * they being apparently the last American steamers on any great, line between ■ New York and Europe. So ends our expected great commerce in American-built ocean steamers. Great Britain has a vast fleet of iron commercial ' steamers plying over every sea, built so cheaply . and ingeniously as to drive out all competition. In the grand business struggle of nearly a century to get possession of or to lead ■-TQrr>----v-- -^ <*--- — «. tJiA Ujiited States, that seemed once on the point of ▼ictory, must now own to defeat. She is not only a commercial Power, second Great Britain, but she seems destined to Bt3l further inferiority;, and to be al- | most driven from the seas. The explanation of this mortifying defeat is not to be found alone ifl cheap labor, for labor was cheaper in Great Britain twenty-five years ago than' now, and the difference between what wages will buy in the two countries is not so great as it was a few years since. The difficulty is the same as that which is gradually taking our machine manufacture from us, so that machines for South; America, for instance, which used to : be ordered in New York, are now made in England. It is said that even river steamboats will soon be plying on our waters which were manufactured in Great Britain, because, with all the duties, phey can be made so much cheaper there.. This,, as Mr M'Culloch wisely remarks, is a, direct effect of the high protective system, especially as applied to raw ma-; terial. It must be rembered that such a tariff as we have now weighs upon every article which the manufacturer uses —his iron, brass, steel, wood, coal, and tools ; and he not only has to compete with the cheaper labor of England, which he might do with the aid of ingenuite, but he has to work, on raw products which are all far dearer than in England, owing to our exorbitant duties. More than this, the effect of such a high bounty as the present tariff offers is to encourage with the American- producers of the raw material a carelessness, extravagance, and want of business pru4ence and saving which gradually render their production more expensive. There it nothing which stimulates economy, Ingenuity, invention, and care like Open competition.. The moment Government comes in to back up an interest with excessive duties it becomes wasteful, and ■oon loses the watchful care which before made it successful. We have no doubt that there is something of this effect of very high duties even on our manufacturers, aa well as our producers of coal and iron.: It must be borne in mind, also, that the expense of the labourers are greater under the high duties upon raw materials, and of course their wages must be greater, and thus the cost of manufacturing be increased. Our ingenuity, even under a revenue tariff, enabled us formerly, with dearer labour, to compete with Great Britain in shipbuilding and in many articles of manufacture. It will again, if the imfttcfattttty liwry 4utw* oa raw mate*

rials be removed, and production of manufactures be thus cheapened, and; individual -expenses so be diminished. ) Thiß country is especially adapted toj be a great commercial country. . Its; forests of pines and oak, its mines of iron and coal, its countless bays and harbors, the hardy men on the coasts trained to the sea, its connexion in trade with so many countries, and the new link now forming between the East: and Europe over California rand the Isthmus, all show that, if no: false system be adopted, we shall become gradually and naturally the great carrier of the world's products, and take the place which Venice and Holland had once, and Great Britain holds now. ■, But if, on the other hand, our commerce be destroyed by our j own suicidal policy, by a fatal mistake in j political economy, we may in our youth lose that which we can never regain in our maturity, and the trade of the world pass out of our hands, and become merely a wealthy China, where agriculture alone shall be the profitable pursuit, and manu- ' facture and commerce be left to foreign hands. 1 Commerce iB the great liberalizer and civilizer of a people. It brings a nation in contact with foreigners ; it is j the best school for . a navy; it prepares] us for what is our only danger in the future— a naval war. We must always export our raw produce largely, and import luxuries, and we ought not to lose the vast profits of the carriage. The' American commerce of a century to come may depend on the revenue and protective system we now establish. Let Congress see to it that it be &. wise and liberal one.