Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-24
NEEDED For TRADF EXPANSION

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The republicans of Nebraska are in
accord with their party in other states
on the question Of creating a merchant
marine adequate to the demands Of our
foreign commerce. The Nebraska re-
publican platform declares: "For the
national defense, for the reinforcement
of the navy, for the enlargement of u
foreign market, for the employment Of
American ~workingmen in the mines,
forests, farms, mills, factories and ship
yards, we favor the enactment of ap-
propriate legislation so that American
built, American-owned and American
manned ships may regain the carrying
of foreign commerce."
The eminent statesman, ex-senator
George f. Edmunds, recently said that
it is an unpleasant fact that more than
So per cent of the foreign commerce Of
the United States is conducted by means
countries under whose flag such ships
sail, but with other countries having
little or no ocean marine, the result of
which is that there is a constant, power
full and successful influence eXerted in
favor of the productions and manufac-
lures of the country whose flag is borne
by the trading ship and by all the ac-
cessories Of government aids and Of
mercantile and financial influences in
the ports and countries to which such
ships 90. eff we are not speedily to
e%ndeavor," said MI. Edmunds, "by
every just means to obtain a fair and
equal footing in the foreign markets,
and not to abandon them to u com
petitors, whose wise and just policy for
their own good maintains at every
cost necessary to success their shipping
intercourse and the facilities and aids
that necessarily flow from it, we must
speedily adopt a corresponding policy
and by the most liberal inducements re-
habilitate our merchant marine and try
by every fair means to regain the posi-
ton we once occupied and which we
ought to occupy in the future"
Recognition of the fact that the build
ing up of a merchant marine for the
ocean carrying trade is perhaps the most
essential requirement for extending our
foreign commerce Is not confined to this
country. A leading British journal, re-
Gently discussing the industrial develop
ment of the United States, said that
America has now so developed her iron
and steel industries that she must find
fresh outlets for her products. "Such
outlets SHE is finding" said that journal,
sin foreign markets for certain prod
ucts. For other products, however, she
will need to create a new s%hipbuilding
industry of her own. No thoughtful
character who considers the situation
can fail to perceive that the greatest
competition to be faced by British in
dustry and enterprise in the future is
that of American shipbuilding. 1t may
be deferred a few years, but 1t Is bound
to come" Our greatest commercial
rival fears nothing from American COM
petition so much as the creation of a
merchant marine equal to the require
ments of our foreign commerce. So
long as We are largely dependent upon
British ships to carry Il products to
the worlds markets England will not
despair of maintaining her commercial
supremacy, but she knows she must
lose this position whenever the United
States shall carry on foreign trade in
American ships under the American
flag.
AS has been repeatedly pointed out, ON
the best possible authority, our trade
with South America is seriously handi-
capped by reason of the fact that 1T Is
conducted largely by means of foreign
ships. That we shall have a like ex-
p~erience In the Asiatic trade there can
be nc doubt, A republican congress
will be faithless TO a most important
and urgent duty If it shall fail to pro-
vide for the creation of an ocean
marine.
Compulsory arbitration does not seem