Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-12-14
BILL TO PROMOTE COMMERCE.


A R.so,ut,op Recommending Its Passnge
Adopted by the Hoard Of Trada ThnrsdAy
Night, After a Hr-szy Discussion
After a somewhat breezy discussion,
the Board of Trade Thursday adopted
the following resolution, which was
presented by w. ID. Dimock, lriyale
secretary of the Harlan a. Holdings
worth Co.
whereas, There is about to be in.
troduced in the Senate and Honse OF
REPRESENTATIVE Of tho United States
now assemblDi bill to promote the
commerce and increase tho foreign
trade of the United States and provide
auxiliary cruisers, transports and sea-
men for the government when neces-
sary; and
"Whereas, The profitable employ
meut of the surplus productive power
OF the farms, factories, mines, forests
and fisheries of the United States i'm
perati1ely demands the increase OF its
foreign commerce; and
Whereas, Tho merchant vessels,
officers, engineers, machiniSis, cleo
tticanS and seamon necessary to the
increase of the commerce of the United
States are also ESSENTIAL az auxiliary TO
the forces OF the United States in time
of Rand otherwise. and to the better
security of the nation and the protec-
tion of its possessions. and
"Whereas, On the I'd of February OF
this year the Wilmington Board of
Trade passed an unanimous resolution
favoring the adoption Of similar bill I;
and
Whereas, The honorable Senate and
House of Representatives of the State
of Delaware then assembled unani-
mously PASSED resolutions in favor of
said bill;
Resolved, That the Wilmington
Board of Trade favors the adoption of
the bill now before the Senate and
House of Representatives and respect
fully requests that our Senator and
Representative do their utmost to
secure the passage of this bill in the
interest of all the industries in the city
of Wilmington and State of Delaware,
and that a copy of these resolutions be
forwarded to said Senator and Repre-
sentative. -
Mr.. Dimock said that the resolution
| was simply following one previously
passed concerning similar bill. The
| bill is endorsed by the shipping inter
ests of the country.
William p. Bancroft stated that he
had been cotton spinner all his life,
had been Wing and then Republi,
can, but he never voted for man be-
cause the man was Protectionist, ano
he could not vote for the measure
Mr.. Dimock added that although he
was Democrat, he was an American
before he was party man.
| Mr. Rapnroff raplial Tint bo bal,nva:
what was for the interest of America
was for the interest Of the whole world
Patrick Neary said he did not under
stand the bill, but from what he hae
read in the papers, he would have L
vote against it. He declared that hi
was opposed to subsidizing ships, Of
cotton spinning or farming.
Mr.. Mullen said that the matter wa
to be considered not as POLITICAL blu
as commercial, question.
Frank Woolley held that the resolu
tion should be adopted because II othe
industries are protected, shipbuildin,
should be, and he cited the example q
England in subsiding ships. Mr.. Mean,
wanted to know what industry wa
more protected than shipbuilding. ant
Mr.. Dimock said that MIR. Neary 4
arguments were unansweiable, no
being founded on facts.
Mr.. Dimock stated that the interes
of the people of Delaware in shipbuild
ing is s25 per capita per year. He he'll,
that the bill was not party measure
and il the board did not pass the reso
luton it would he going back on it
previous action.
A. s. Reed did not look upon tn
bill as Protection measure and wante
our business carried under the Ameri
can flag
The resolution was carried, Messrs
Bancroft and Neary voting against it.