Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-09
A GREAT NATIONAL DANGER.
1t Is Gun Dependence on Foreign Ship
to Carry Our Commerce.

1t Is Gun Dependence on Foreign Ships
to Carry Our Commerce.
The present disturbed condition of
Europe, with reference to far eastern
complications, as well as those arising
in Morocco and elsewhere. has called
attention to American dependence upon
foreign shipping for the carriage of
their foreign commerce. II the ma
tions Of Europe should become involved
in q great war. which many believe
to be imminent, there would be a
wholesale withdrawal of foreign ships
from the channels Of trade to provide
transport for troops and munitions Of
war.
AS nine-tenths of our foreign COM
merce is carried in foreign bottoms. it
is obvious that the withdrawal Of a
large portion Of that shipping for other
than commercial uses would deprive
our people Of their only means for sup
plying our constantly growing foreign
markets. Freight rates would rise to q
prohibitive amount in respect of many
of our commodities. Our surplus pro-
ductions would accumulate upon our
hands in enormous quantities. prices
would fall, wages would be reduced
| and industrial stagnation and loss Of
employment would be widespread. The
conditions existing between 1893 and
| 1896 would be re-established in even
| more intensified form.
| This country is the leading export
nation of the world. and the future
growth of that trade seems illimitable.
provided, always, that we have an
abundance of ships in which to send
our products abroad. But a check at
| this time, when the broad foundation
| for an enormous export trade is being
laid, would have most serious and
far-reaching effect upon our people and
our resources.
The stability Of our foreign trade can
never be assured so long as 90 per
cent. of it is carried in foreign ships.
We send three-quarters Of all of our
exports to Europe. and American ships
carry the ridiculous proportion of but
1.30 per cent! Foreign ships carry a
billion dollars worth of our products
to Europe, and our own ships carry
less than thirty million dollars worth.
United States to-day than that caused
by our dependence upon foreign ships
for the carriage of nearly all of our
exports. OF our exports to all the
world less than per cent. are carried
in American ships. Apart from the
commercial calamities possible, and,
as some people believe, probable,
through the Withdrawal of the larger
part of the vast foreign shipping upon
which we are now dependent for the
auxiliary naval and military uses of
the great powers, our great weakness
upon the sea emphasizes our only real
national danger.
Congress cannot remedy this condi.
tion too soon. Proper provision must
be speedily made for tie attraction of
American capital into ship-building and
ship-owning, so that at the earliest
moment possible we shall become pos
sessed of the ships we may require for
all of the necessities of our foreign
commerce. Our export trade is closely
approaching billion and half dol
lars in value. At its present rate of
growth less than score of years will
find it valued at three billions and re-
quiring double the shipping of to-day
for it's carriage. Foreigners will then
have US all the more at their mercy If
we do nothing to establish our Own
ships upon the seas.
Foreseeing just such possibility as
this, Thomas jeff -rson. as long ago as
1898. in great state paper, predicted
that a nation which allows foreigners
to do the great bulk CT its foreign car.
rying, will be disarmed oe its de.
fense, its productions will be at the
mercy Of the nation which has pos
sessed itself exclusively of the means
of carrying them, and it's politics may
be Influenced by those who command
its commerce" These words were pro
phetic of q condition that actually ex
lists in respect of the United States to.
day.