The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-05
BELL ON AMERICAN
MERCHANT MARINE
-----r------
Urges The SuOSIdl2lng of Our Ship
ping Saving 4 Vast Sum Yearly.
-
WE MUST RETURN TO THE SEA
At the Mercy Of the Carriers Of the
World Who are Our Very
Competitors.
WE MUST RETURN TO THE SEA
spn Francisco Cali

| N. =. W., deliver an interesting and In.
s,ruellyo address on Tho Commercial
Opportunities In the Pacific" The dis
tlngulshed gentleman was introduced
by Charles Nelson, president Of the
chamber Of commerce. In q eomplimen.
tary speech In which he referred "a
the fact that Colonel Bell had been
selected by New South Wales 10 repre-
ncnt II at the recent Industrial congress
m Philadelphia, and this OF itself was
sunicien, 10 determine the worth and
ability Of the man who had been 80
highly honoNed. Mayor Phelan was
present and was an interested listener
during the greater portion OF the ad-
dreas.
After brief review OF the present
commercial and maritime conditions
that prevail IN this country, Colonel
bell said
Forty years ago this country built
the finest ships that ever breasted the
ocean. and 70 per cent Of the nations
products were carried In American
ships. amounting TO onc-third the ton
nRec OF the world We now carry less
than 10 per cent OF our own products.
We have banishcd ourselves from the
ocean. and my patriotism wvolts at
the conditions OF today. Why Ia Il that
your commercial men pay almos, $780,
O00,OQ0 year 10 foreign ship owners
20 carry their products to the point OF
competition?
why have We abandoned the seas ?
I viii tell YOU, When We were great
people and when the finest ships and
the American iiag werc found every
where geld was discovered In far on
California IL vas then that ship
masters and sailors deserted their ships
and plunged into the mines. CONNER
clal people left on all ideas OF foreign
trade and crossed the land In search
of pay dirt, Indusry was enerted in
interior development and we opened
our arms to all the world Now that
the interior has been developed better
than any country IN the world a change
In the old policy IL required. We must
look abroad 10 improve industrial con-
ditlons. The great American stomach
will not hold the American crop We
produce one.thir1 more Of the utilities
OF life than does England. hut We are
not the only nation that produces a
great surplus, We must specialize. or
ganIae and concentrate In this age of
progress While we are striving TO get
into other markets We must remember
that other nations are doing the same
thing. Without a sail 60 carry the sur
plus the people who produce Il must
remain Idle In this war Of completion
II is absolutely necessary 10 get abroad.
Now the question Is, How to get
there2' Wen. we once abandoned the
sra and the time has come when we
must return 10 the sea, You must get
abroad with your goods, but you arr at
the mercy OF the carriers OF the world,
who are your very competitors. What
is the remedy? We must have ships,
France. England and Germany subsi-
dlze their ships to get their products
abroad, and you must change your pol
Icy and do the same. Sydney Is the
terminus OF ten great steamer lines,
all OF which are subsidized. This great
Pacific ought 10 be n great American
lake on which American ships should
be continually floating. Suppose we
should subsIdlze our American ship
ping to the extent of three per cent OF
the S3OO,OOO.OOO we pay out annually to
foreign carriers, the result would be
the finest merchant marine IN the world
and would change the current Of Amer
lean progress through the action.
America must have a stronger navy
but that cannot be supported without a
great merchant marine from which toI
recruit IT, England's great naval power
lies In the fact that she has 100000 sea-
farng men ready for war at mo-
ments notice. The sea Is the best ref
uge for the idle and dlscontented
Turn little money in this venture and
you will have 100000 Americans man
ming American ships, The patriotism,
safety, liberty and integrity of the re-
public demand that we should provide
a means to employ our idle citizens and
go back to the sea, where we stood so
proud and conspicuous forty years ago.
1--WE have been striving in the Allan
tic until the Pacific is almost forgotten.
Japan has sprung into life almost at
once. It's people want to increase their
Industrial capacity They want the
best there is and are willing to pay for
II, China, which has not had a new
thought since the time of Confucius, is
waking up, What will be the appetite
of 0O,00O,0OO Cinnamon when they are
touched by the genius OF modern prog
ress? 1t would be impossible to specu-
late on the magnitude of the wants OF
Chma's market. The territorial integ-
rity Of China must be maintained and
its political economy shall not be dis
turbed by any great monarchy, It viii