The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-12-28
SPEECH OF HON. WIN. p. FRYE.

The Senate having under consid-
Grafton the bill to promote the COM
merce and increase the foreign trade
of the United States, and to provide
auxiliary cruisers, transports and
seamen for government use when
necessary, Mr.. Frye spoke, in part,
as follows:
Our present condition as a great
maritime nation Is humiliating be-
You'd expression. With thousands Of
miles Of seacoast equipped with fine
harbOrs, boundless forests, iron and
coal enough to supply the world, skill
ed mechanics, enterprlsing ship-build-
ers, the largest expectations Of any
country in the world, imports amount
ing last year to Ss40, 000, 900, and abun-
dant capital, we have permitted other
countries-Our commercial rivals. our
interiors in most OF these regardS-tO
seize upon the pathways of the oceans
aud hold them TO our practical exclus-
ion. Last year we carried under our
flag to and from Europe only q per
cent Of our exports and Imports; TO
and from the world a fraction over 8
per cent. We paid foreign nations,
principally Great Britain and Ger
many, $500, 900 day in gold for trans
porting our foreign commerce.
/ fail to see how anyone can be blind
to the dangers of our position in this
regard. Our short and decisive war
with Spain compelled us TO hunt the
seas over for transports and GOLFERS;
to purchase or charter forty ships from
foreign nations. Suppose the war had
lasted a year, or had been with more
powerful nation, and neutrality en-
forced, as 1t should be, we would
have been in most serious straits. AS
it was, our producers paid heavey pen
alties in increased freight rates, Great
Britain in her war with the Beers had
transports enough; but even then rat
eS were seriously advanced in the East.
Suppose there should be European
war or conflict between Great Britain
and Germany, what would become of
our enormous export trade? Who
would be our carriers? Who would
pay the war insurance premiums On
our cargoes, even il carriers could
be found. We should suffer almost as
seriously as either Of the com batants.
Our farmers, manufactures, and wage
earners would pay almost as much as
cost Of the war as they.
From purely commercial point of
view in peaceful hours could anything
be less helpful to us than the employ
ment of agencies whoeS interests were
entirely antagonistic to ours? How
would they help US to find markets for
our products? Could we expect them
to be ambitious to extend our foreign
trade?
l have been trying for many years
to find remedy for this unfortunate
condition. A few years ago, as chair
man of the Committee o. Commerce,
l reported a bill to the Senate, which
became law, removing all statute
burdens from our ships. The decline
still kept o.. | reported an amend
ment to the Post Office appropriation
bill, intended and we'll designed to es-
tablish steamship lines to the South
American Republics and to promote
our trade with them. 1t became
law, but the Pustmaster-Cene refuS-
ed to execute it, resorting to the stat
utes authorizing the Post Office De-
partment to compel our vessels to
take and deliver the mails, receiving
as compensation sea and inland post
age not sufficient to pay the actual
cost Of the service. Congress repeal
ed those statues.
In 1891 | reported from the Com