The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-24

The only method to the great national
end that almost ev-
erybody processes to 'ieAS"Is
be for is the one, Pronosed.
substantially, con-
tanned in the measure proposed IN the
last congress. That measure has been
so much misunderstood by some Of those
citizens who wish to increase our ship
ping interests. and so misrepresented by
those who. from whatever motive, desire
10 prevent anything being done, that 1t is
proper to state, concisely. exactly what
the fundamental features of the measure
were.
/ It provided for the systematic pay
ment. limited TO a definite period of time,
of a sufficient compensation, and only a
sufficient one, to American vessels sail
ing to and from foreign ports, in order to
ENABLE them to perform the voyage with
a fairly full cargo of American produc-
tons, and returning with a fairly full
cargo of imports. Without these cargoes
the ship owners could not afford to make
the voyages and thus get the cOmpensa-
ton. The effect, therefore. would be to
help carry American cargoes in Amer
lean ships to every foreign port where
such cargoes could possibly be disposed
of and thus to open American trade in
ports where American vessels are now
almost never SEEN and where very few
American products are AOw sold, as well
as to Increase our trade in ports and
countries where we already have some
trade carried on in foreign ships and al
ways under the influence Of foreign pref
2iice and foreign competition.
, This first and main provision made
the business and the compensation open
to every American ship builder, every
American ship owner and every Amer
lean industry. There could be no trusts
pools or syndicates, inasmuch as the sea
ts open to all. and single ship with
Us largo would be absolutely free and
independent. No line or combination
could be favored, as they usually must
be and almost are when subsidies are
given to particular lines for carrying the
mails, etc, etc.
g. The treasury was guarded by the
fact above stated that the vessels could
not run without carrying a paying cargo,
for the compensation was so small that
the cargo was indispensable to the profit
Of the voyage; and the sending of car
goes is the very thing that the people
Of the United States need to accomplish.
1. The bill required that the ships
quilt and used for these purposes should
be capable Of naval use in time of need
and could be taken at any time by the
United States for that purpose.
q The bill also provided for these yes
sells taking and educating a certain num-
Der Of American boys in the various
branches Of seamanship, so that if the
vessels should be able to operate with
the aid provided there would always be
q large and increasing number of Amer
yicans who would be able in time of need
Z to defend the interests of our country
g. The bill also provided that all these
vessels should carry the mails Of the
United States whenever required, free OF
-aharge; and thus direct communicati ton
by postal facilities would be established
to every port where these compensated
vessels should go.
: The bill also provided that no ar
engagements should be made under it aft.
er ten years from the passage of the
act, and it also provided for various anG
exhaustive limitations and safeguards il
the interest of the public service.
Il we are really in earnest in wishins
TO take measures to increase our for
eign trade and dispose Of the vast anC
increasing amount of our surplus prod
ucts by having the whole business, a!
far as possible, in our own hands, pro
tected and advertised by our own flag
and put ourselves in a strong and un
disturbed position in case of wars be
tween the powers which now possess tn,
I we wish to do it in such. way as Il
lelp all citizens alike without favoritisn
" partiality, I know or no means 5,
ure to accomplish It as the sehem
5Ove described
Geo. F. Edmunds.
A few weeks previous to the assem-
bling Of congress, the Hon D. B. Hen
derson said:
l have not as yet had many or ver1
Vts,,,s =, extended talks witt
representatives
Henderson the subject of Iegis
latiOn at the mex
session Of congress, but I think it is the
general opinion that something will b,
done for the upbuilding of our merchan
marine in the foreign trade, as indeed
something assuredly ought to be done
The Republican platform in my owl
state has declared for such action, an,
I have no doubt that, had opportunitie
presented themselves, numerous othe
states would have done likewise Wheth
er or not legislation in the interest O
our foreign shipping can come up earl,
in the session, ] am not prepared TO say
for the reason that 1 have no means O
knowing definitely what other matter
Snay claim precedence by reason Of thei
Importance"
No Roadway will be made in the Unite
States by blind ad- p,o5
vocacy Of any one y"
system simply be- Sa,ec4,o.
cause 1t Is In use by
a nation which IS successful on the ocear
We may entertain the hope, however
that by selecting from systems elsewher
in use those features which are hes
adapted to our own conditions and re
nIIfFHU1pnfa wa CHI
rank as a maritime commercial powe,
While the figures for other nations relat
chiefly to their steam tonnage in the for
eign trade. the figures for the Unite
States include large part of the spIendi
steam fleets Of the Great Lakes and q
the trade between our Atlantic ports. No
subject to international competition. O
July 1, 1899, our steam tonnage registers
for foreign trade was only $50, ooO gros
tons. The strength of the Hanna-Payn
bill, so called, lies In the fact that II
based on selection from other systems