Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-06-26
Great National Danger.

foreign shipping for the carriage Of
their foreign commerce. If the nations
of Europe should become involved in a
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 cur foreign COM
merce is carried in foreign bottoms, 1T
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 2,
prohibitive amount in respect Of many
Of our commodities. Our surplus pro-
auctions 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 anC
1896 would be re-established in even a
more intensified form.
This country is the leading export ma
ton Of the world, and the future growth
of that trade seems illimitable, pro-
vided, always, that we have an abund-
ance of ships in which to send our
products abroad. But check at this
time, when the broad foundation for
an enormous export trade is being laid,
would have a 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 80 per cent.
Of it is carried in foreign ships. We
send three-quarters Of all Of our a.
ports to Europe, and American ships
carry the ridiculous proportion of but
1.30 per cent Foreign ships carry
billion dollars worth Of our products
to Europe, and our own ships carry
less than thirty million dollars worth.
No greater danger confrOnts the Unit
ed States to-day than that caused by
our dependence upon foreign ships for
the carriage Of nearly all of our ex-
ports. OF our exports to all the world
less than per cent. are carried in
American ships. Apart from the COM
mercial 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-
ton too soon. Proper provision must
be speedily made for the attraction Of
American capital into ship-building and
ship-owning, so that at the earliest mo-
ment 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 a 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 its 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 q possibility as
this, Thomas Jefferson, as long ago as
1893, in great state paper, predicted
that nation which allows foreigners to
do the great bulk Of its foreign carry
ing, will be disarmed of its defense,
its productions will be at the mercy of
the nation which has possessed itself
exclusively Of the means Of carrying
them, and its politics may be Influenced
by those who command it's commerce."
These words were prophetic of a con-
dition that actually exists in respect Of
the United States to-day.