The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-03
IN PEACE and WAR
continued from First Page.


suggest, that our government extend aid
to our ships similar to that extended to
their merchant ships by foreign maritime
powers. The effect of such q plan was
well described by Senator Frye. in a re-
course of which he said:
Another thing, in my Judgment. Is I'M
peratively required, We should carry IN
OF our imports and exports. We should
pay to our own people the $4,000 day:
we now pay to foreigners. We should
make Of the officers OF these ships active,
Intelligent and Interested agents for tho
discovery Of new markets and the pro-
motion Of our trade. Suppose. to accom-
100000 annually, will there not be ample
compensation? Great Britain, Germany
and France will not surrender this car
fict. which alone will reduce freight
rates at least 20 per cent. The best esu-
mate, and l think a correct one. of the
amount of tons of our foreign commerce,
is about 50,000,000 The average ocean
freight rate for the world over Is 81 a
ton; Is per cent reduction on rates will
save to our people $50,000,000 annually"
MUST LOOK TO PACIFIC.
The foreign commerce of the United
states now offers an opportunity for the
employment of foreign auxiliary naval
ships and the training of possible naval
seamen. which ships and men may, at
any time, be turned against this coun-
try, should any of the nations now en-
5oying share Of our foreign carrying
trade become involved with US in war.
These are the conditions and the rea
sons that make it necessary for the
United States to in some way offset the
aids that foreign governments extend to
their shipping, in order that we may, for
naval and commercial reasons-precisely
the same as influence our foreign rivals
establish home built, home-owned and
American-manned merchant ships in our
foreign carrying trade.
westward the course of empire takes
It's Way!" Our new star of commercial
hope is upon and beyond the broad Pa
cific Congregated within an area but
little larger than that of the United
States, on the fartheSt side of the Paci-
f1c. are to be found one-half Of all the
people living upon the earth 1t is for
their trade that the commercial and ma
rhine nations are today eagerly striving
and strainfng. Our own Western shores,
that GIBBS and flows along the eastern
boundary of Asia. The transit mississippi
states win find across the blue Pacific
markets capable of absorbing all of the
surplus that these great states can pro-
duce, inclusive Of the futre SURPRISES
from those now arid lands that are soon
to be made fertile and fruitful under q
system of irrigation-well regulated and
effective.
To commercial America the burning
question of the hour is, how are we to
secure and retain and increase the mar.
kets for the disposal of our present and
growing surplus among the people Of
<ASld: MY answer IS, tnaC success lies
possible only through the possession of
ships of our own that shall, with clock
like regularity and ever-increasing fire.
Quency, bear to and fro the commerce of
the occident- and of the orient But, IL
We purchase from foreign nations then
the ships we need, then the impotency
of this nation will become the theme Of
our rivals, and the people of Asia will
easily be made to. believe that we are
1nconsequential and Supine. 1t Will not
take long for our trade to be diverted
to our more alert and self-reliant rivals
IT we seek to build it up with their char
tered or purchased ships
MINNESOTA HAS THE IRON.
To build anew the ships engaged In car
ry1ng the imports and exports OF the
United States, would cost $500 900 90 More
than 10 per cent of the ships so employed
are OF foreign construction and owner
ship. The ships engaged in carrying our
Foreign commerce annually earn more
than 5000, 000 0G0, more than 80 per cent of
which We pay to foreign Shipowners, who
take the money, or It's equivalent out of
the United States, and employ aliens to
build, to own, to operate and to navigate
the ships which our commerce. employs
] The one state of Minnesota alone pos
with which to construct all of the ships
needed by commerce during the next hun
dred years. The states of Oregon ard
Washington and California poes ass I'M
limited tmebr the finest the world for
shipbuilding purposes. Every TRANSMITS
things that are needed by people beyond
the seas. On the western and southern
boundaries OF the trans MissiSs ippi sec
ton are to be found spacious land-locke d
harbors, where 5hipyards can be estab-
lished in ample abundance, and the idle