The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-12-28

| foreign trade, the Other postal SuDld-
les. The bounty was nearly double
that contained in the pending meas
ure. 1t passed the Senate and was
defeated In the House by majority
of 3. The subsidy bill cost me sever
al months Of hard work. To be cert
ain of providing rates just and ade-
Quate for the several classes of steam
ers l consulted leading experts, who
made most careful and painstakilg ex-
animation. The completed bill was
submitted to capitalists who were
willing tu consider the proprety Of es-
tablishishing steamship lines to
South America, in the Pacific, and
across the Atlantic.
| 1 received assurance that If the bill
was enacted into law six or Fights lines
would be established of ship from "A
to q knots an hour. The House Grip
pied the bill by large and unscienti-
| tiic reduction OF rates, returned 1t to
the Senate too late in the session for
any contest, and 1t became a law.
OF course, it proved dead failure.
We did succeed under it in securing
the American lines from New York to
Southampton by admitting the New
York and Paris to an American regis
try on condition that the company
should build two ships of like tonnage
and speed. But those four ships have
ever since been run at a loss to the
corporation, not to US, for their value
as auxiliary to our Navy during the
Spanish war was beyond computation.
Now, in these regards we are at our
worst when we should be at our best.
The world has entered upon fierce
commercial war. each OF the great
powers seeking an extension OF its for
eign markets. The most of them are
already intrenched in all of the com.
mercial ports of the world, with sub
sidized steamship lines, banking fac
ilities, long-eStablished business agen-
cies. They are all, too, looking espec-
/ ,lly to the East for the desired extern
sion; Russia. England, Germany, Italy
d France are paying So 900, 600 in aid
of steamship lines to Asia. while we
are paying S4S, 900; and yet our neces-
sites are as pressing, If not more so,
than theirs.
Our productive forces are greater
than those Of ahy other country. We
raise more wheat, ten times more corn
five times more cotton. p oduce more
coal, more pig iron, more copper, have
cheaper freight rates on rail, by river
and lake, than any country in the
world. Our product from farm, fac
tory, shop, and mine'is increasing en-
ormously. During the last three years
we have exported 100000 900 wort b
more of farm products than dnring the
preceding three years. Our manufac-
lures are showing corresponding
increase. In 1897 we exported $780,,
100, 900 and imported twice more than
we exported. Last year we exported
5000, 000,0 600 more than we import ed.
This increase will continue. and to
us an extension of our foreign mark
cts is an absolute necessity ifprosper-
ity is to continue, for an unsOld sur
plus would prove its death knell. In
some regards there is no nation bet
ter equipped to secure its share Of the
trade of the Pacific than ours. With
our Pacific coast, Hawaii and Pearl
Harbor, the best in the Pacific; Tut
uil.a, with second best harbOr, coal
ing and naval station already COM
pletely equipped there; Guam. a coal
ing and landing place for our cable,
duu Il oluCClGll uOpC budO Juc CdUlC
will be provided for at this session
the Philippine Archipelago, with Ma
Mia for a distributing point for our
products, we lack but one thing ships
to carry our exports. This is a serious
handicap. One OF the most efficient
possible agencies for the extension OF
our markets would be American ships,
Differed by intelligent, active, and
Interested American citizens, seeking
markets for our goods, establishing
abroad all the necessary agencies for
trade.
Why do we find ourselves in this
unfortunate and humiliating condit-
ion as TO our foreign carrying trade?
In my opinion there can be but one an
swer. Our ships costing % per cent
more than those OF England and Ger
many, with operating charges at least
40 per cent greater by reason OF higher
wages and better living, unprotected,
are compelled to compete with those
protected.
We outstrip other rations In nearly
all Of the industries BY law encourag-
ed and protected. This one alone,
more important than any other, be-
cause national, Is left to fight the bat
tie with the world uuaided. We have
today a most magnificent feat OF
onnTrmIrn rfunr and fntn unnnnln iii.