The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-04-27

lam P. Frye of Maine, Chairman of the
Senate Committee ON Commerce, wels
given a dinner tonight at the Waldorf
Astoria as a testimonial for his efforts
in obtaining for New York City the i'm
provements allowed in the recent river
and harbor bill passed by Congress. The
dinner was given by the leading con-
mercial organizations of New York.
Nearly GEO guests sat down to the fif-
teen tables in the grand banquet hall.
The room was respondent with flags
and flowers.
The guests marched to the banquet
room at 1870 o'clock Governor Roose-
velt was Chairman. Others present at
the guests of honor table, seated on
either side of Governor Roosevelt and
Senator Frye, We're: Abner Mckinley,
former Governor Morton, General Mer-
rift, Senator Depew, Senator Pasco,
Senator German, Senator Plat, Charles
A, Schierin, VIM. L. Strong and Con-
gresham Cummings.
While the dinner was in progress Mr..
and Mrs. George c. Boldt entertained
at their house in honor of Mrs. Senator
Frye and her two granddaughter, the
Misses White and Briggs. After din
ner the party went to the hotel to listen
to the speeches.
A letter of regret from President Nc
kinley was read, in which the Presi-
dent said: L beg you will convey to
the guest of honor of the evening, Sena-
tor Frye, my congratulations upon this
splendid recognition of his devotion t.
the commercial and industrial interests
of the country"
Senator Frye spoke of the vast re-
sources of America, its wonderful prog
ress in the line OF production, of the
over production which ensued and the
necessity for the development of for
eign commerce. He recited the brave
efforts in this line and the measure Of
success met with. He continued:
The commercial war upon which the
world has entered will become f1ercer
and fiercer Germany will be our most
dangerous rival Germany is our most
formidable commercial enemy. She is
skilled in the arts of commerce and
mechanics; she is persistent, aggressive,
annoying and indOmitable-I tell you,
gentlemen, that we have more to fear
from Germany than from any ether ma
ton on earth. But despite al her eff
forts, we will surpass her, and be more
s,lCCcssful than her in the contest for
prestige in foreign commerce. Her
wages paid are not one-half of ours.
Shall we reduce ours to the plane of
hers? That might breed a discomfort
which would endanger the republic
would certainly reduce the purchas
ing power of our people and still mora
increase the surplus. Shall we run our
mills ON one-third or one-half time
That would reduce our purchasing
power and largely increase the cost Of
our product
Il do-no believe that our railroads
can reduce freights much unless a new
motive power is found, but our water
carriers can and probably will. Freight
ships will be increased in carrying ca
pacity, and rates still further reduced.
Let me illustrate the effect of such in
creased capacity. When the larger
freighter was 1900 tons, the rate across
the Atlantic was $3.50 a ton; when g.
600 tons, So d ton; when 5000 tons,
$3.50 a ton; when 10000 tons, $3.50 a
ton.
"All the necessary facilities for these
deep dl"aught ships must be provided
for. 1t was just a look into this future
which compelled me to insist even to
the point of obstinacy that seven mill
ions of dollars should be expended in
New York harbor, and that our ships
should find there a channel 1000 feet
wide, with a depth of forty feet and
ample dockage room l trust, too, that
the time is not far distant when we
shall have a deep waterway from the
Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, still
further increasing our facilities and de-
creasing our rates.
Another thing. in my judgment. is
imperatively required. We should
carry in our own ships, under our own
flag, all of our imports and exports. We
should pay to our people the 100000
a day we now pay, to foreigners. We
should make of the officers of those
ships active, intelligent and interested
agents for the discovery of new mar
kets and the promotion of our trade.
Suppose to accomplish it does cost us
eight or ten million of dollars annually
will not there be ample compensation?
Great Britain, Germany and France
will not surrender this carrying trade
without a determined conflict, which
u
% per cent. The best estimate, and I
think a correct one, of the amount in
tons of our foreign commerce is about
fifty million. The average freight rate
for the world over is $4 ton Twenty
five per cent. reduction on rates will
save to our people $50O00,O00 annually.
Consider for a moment another, and
in my opinion a most important aid to
our foreign commerce. Where is the
most promising field for it in the near
future? Surely in the Orient Hum
boldt. more than fifty years ago, de-
clared that the commerce of the Pa
cific would in time exceed that of the
Atlantic, and what intelligent man to-
day doubts the realization in the near
future of what then seemed a dream :?
Do not England, France, Germany,
Russia and Italy, by their conduct re-
cognize that the prophesy is to be full
filled? How shall we secure our share
of this commerce?
THE Suez Canal was opened in 1870.
Before that New York was almost as
near the Orient as Liverpool was. but
after, Liverpool had the advantage by
from three to four thousand miles.
From 1870 to 1888 England's commerce
with the East increased 40 per cent.
and with the rest of the world only II.
Shortened routes and lessened freight
charges had their legitimate results.
Our Government should construct the
Nicaragua Canal, or some other 18TH
milan water route, at the earliest pos