ion, as we have seen, England found her
advantage in coming to our market for her ships.

Therefore, what Congress does, or neglects to do, regarding this
branch of shipbuilding, is of very small moment. Our wants do not lie
in that direction.

The iron screw steamship is now the great and profitable carrier upon
the ocean, and all we care to ask is the privilege to avail ourselves
of this "survival of the fittest." Whence then comes the opposition to
what should be the inalienable right of an American citizen to own the
best ship that he can buy with his own money?

Naturally, from the few iron shipbuilders in this country, the chief
of whom happens to be an Irishman. I would not be understood as
speaking disrespectfully of his nationality, for I am aware that our
political machinery depends very much upon the votes of his countrymen
for its running order. Nevertheless we do object to this perpetual cry
of the "Protection of Home Industry" which simply means the protection
of Mr. John Roach at the cost of the forty million citizens whom he
has adopted.

This personal allusion is unavoidable. Mr. Roach is omnipresent in
the lobbies of Congress, and by his persuasive blarney exerts an undue
influence there. Withal he is my personal friend, and I have often
had occasion to compliment him upon the ingenuity of his appeals.

When we approach Congress with the modest request to be allowed to buy
ships where we can do so upon the most satisfactory terms, Mr. Roach
is always on hand to give assurance that it is needless for us to go
abroad, for by his skill and his labor-saving processes he is able
to supply us with all the ships we require cheaper than they can be
bought upon the Clyde. Again when there is a subsidy bill before the
Senate or House, our versatile friend is equally ready to go down upon
his knees as a beggar, telling Congress that the only way to regain
our ocean prestige is to subsidize the companies from whom he expects
to get orders, as otherwise they cannot compete with the "pauper
labor" of the country he has abandoned. In either case, as will be
readily seen, the object is to have us contribute to the prosperity
of Mr. Roach.

With pride the iron shipbuilders of the Delaware point to the increase
of their business, infinitesimal as it is, compared to the ever
multiplying production of British shipyards. But whence does this
increase arise? From the demand of our people for carrying grain,
cotton a