The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-09-05

complete marine nf our own, Major
Mckinley says; Nov that the Amori-
can navy is assuming position COM
mensuratc with our Importance as a
nation, a policy | am glad To observe
the Republican platform strongly en-
dorses we must supplement il with u
merchant marine that will give us the
advantages, in both our coastwise and
foreign trade, that we ought naturally
and properly to enjoy, 1t should be at
once a matter of public policy and ma
tional pride to roposscsS this immense
and prosperous trade" There is no
doubt about the meaning VI this ami it
assures the fact that ii elected presi-
dent OF the United states Major Me
kinley would do all in his power to
promote policy in which every Scc-
lion OF the country is Interested that "
providing merchant marine that
would give our producers Independence
OF European ship owners ana keep in
our own country, Tor expenditure upon
our own people, the very large amount
OF money that annually goes abroad for
the payment OF treightS and passenger
fares.
The policy OF supplemeutlng the navy
with = merchant marine is So obvious
~ dictated by every consideration 0t
national eNpedieucy that it must be
presumed no one will question il, The
one is natural complement Of the
other. But the really impressive point
made by the Republican standard bear
er is his statement that We should NO
longer contribute directly or indirectly
to the maintenance Of the colossal ma
rine OF foreign countries, How enor-
mously We have done this in the past
thirty years. 1t is not an exaggerated
statement to say that what the produc-
ers ot the United States have paid TO
European ship owners in the past thir-
" years would have constructed iner-
chant marine nearly twice as great as
that Of Great Britain. ana would have
created navy many times greater
than that We now have and nearly
equal to all the nayies combined of the
great European powers, The American
people. with all their boasted intelli-
sence. do not properly understand this
question. They have never given il the
to which il is entitled.
They do not appreciate what 1t means
to pay SlO0. 100 40 or more annually To
European ship owners which might be
kept at home and expended among our
own people. They do not understand
that We can never have commercial in
and can never extend our
foreign comerce as We should do until
We have adequate facilities Of ocean
under our own dag.
But whatever Indifference the people
Of other sections OF the country may
feel on the subject OF building up our
marine, there surely can be
no room for any divergence OF opinion
among the voters Of the Pacific coast
states as to the Importance Of this dec
laration in the 81. Louis platform and
Major McKinley's reference to it in
mis- letter Of acceptance. There has
never yet been an instance in the his
tory Of the party where the Republi-
cans, il given the power by the people
to do SO, have failed to carry out by
proper legislation the pledges and
promises made in their convention plat
forms. When it is further remembered
that the ST. Louis platform declares
for the immediate con-
struction OF the Nicaragua canal and
for its supervision and control after
completion by this government, there
does not seem to be question where
the political allegiance OF the people OF |
the Pacific coast region should be found I
at next November's election