, 1900-07-05
RAREST SIGHTS rs THE AMERI-
CAN FLAG

conducting that trade. That the de-
mand has grown in the South for ma
tional legislation for the u%pbuilding
of our merchant marine seems to Mr..
Edmonds to be logical. He sees In the
realization of the growing hopes of his
pebble in this respect much of per-
ma kut benefit to the section he repre-
senttH. He has made an especial study
of ante-bellum sentiment on the sub
ject ,of American maritime develop
ment. and was surprised to find that.
as far back as
SIXTY YEARS AGO
the sentiment in favor of safeguard
ing Ind promoting our merchant mar
inc commended the thoughtful t.ten-
ton of the most advanced of South
ern statesmen and business men. In
an address before the Cotton Spin
ners' association at Charlotte, North
Carolina. recently. Mr.. Edmonds
stated that in 1S45 John C. Calhoun
presided at a convention in Memphis
at which the subject was discussed. In
1851 a report was made at a Virginia
convention in favor of facilitating the
mails through the establishment of
steamship lines running between
Hampton Roads and European ports.
Another convention in Memphis held
in 1853 favored
GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGEMENT
AND PROTECTION
In the establishment of steamship lines
between Southern and European ports.
The Charleston convention of 1854
urged congress to encourage the es-
Enlistment of mail steamships, even
to the extent of granting state boun-
ties in the form of rebates to ship
pers employing American vessels. In
1856 Louisiana's legislature passed an
act paying s. per ton bounty on all
ships exceeding 100 IONS burden built
in the state. A report made to the
legislature of Alabama as far back as
1888 showed that her citizens contrib
uted $1,000, 900 a year to get their cot
ton to Europe, and contained the
query: IF this mount must be paid.
why should it not be paid to our own
citizens?" No wonder a score of years
later Alabama's legislature passed an
act granting a bounty of 81 per ton on
all steamers built within that state.
AT CHARLESTON IN 1899
Robert Y. Hayne discussed the sub
ject before a commercial convention
held in that city, in which he said that
southern and southwestern states were
producing nearly three-quarters of the
domestic exports of the Union, al
though importing not to exceed one
tenth of the foreign merchandise en-
tering the United States. and that for
eign commerce was causing cities of
other states to flourish while Southern
cities were falling into decay" Lieu
tenant NJ. F. Maury. famous for his
invaluable aid to mariners upon the
oceans, was impressed with the
IMMENSE BENEFITS SOUTHERN
STATES
would derive from the establishment
Of steamship lines between Southern
and European ports. For many years
he urged the investment of Southern
capital in such lines, showing the
great and growing power her rich for
eign m was giving to New
York. and deploring the fact that the
South was missing its opportunities
to share therein. He saw for Norfolk,
Virginia. possibilities of development
which have never been realized, but
which it seems possible are likely of
fulfllment through the growing scar
city OF European coal n the newt
able dependence of the world in the
future for the greater part of its coal
supplies upo the United States. In
OUR TRADE WITH OTHER AMER
ICAN REPUBLICS
Maury saw advantages even greater
than those possible through our COM
mercial intercourse with Europe. and
he was never lone urging upon the
people of the South the wisdom of
generously encouraging American
maritime development through the es-
Establishment of steamship lines to the
West Indies, Central and South Amer
lea. He advocated a ship canal across
the American isthmuG and predicted
enormously beneficial results 10 our
trade and shipping to follow.
Away back in 1858 the assembly of
Virginia incorporated a
$50, 900, 900 STEAMSHIP LINE
under the name of the Atlantic Steam
Ferry company, but which failed to
carry out its designs because OF the
sectional differences between the North
and South. The scheme involved the
immediate construction of four ships
of the Great Eastern class. to regularly
run between Southern anu European
ports. Their great value as auxilaries
to our military resources were then
clearly pointed out, as well as their
usefulness as nurseries for American
seamen who would be ready to espon
to their country's call II needed. No
wonder, in these circumstances Mr..
Edmonds in his speech made It very
clear that the revival OF our foreign
going shipping is
NOT A SECTIONAL OR PARTISAN
QUESTION.
but is a purely Industrial. commercial