The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-13
tDEFEAT THE SENATE SUBSIDY
4. BILL.


( For years the United States has been
using the public domain for the subsidi-
cation of railroad projects. For years
1.-THE people have been taxed, that manu-
featuring interests might be fostered
and the inventive spirit encouraged. This
policy has borne fruit in the unprecedent-
ed development of the country and the
rapid rise of the United States as man
the nineteenth century found the nation
with a producing capacity far in excess
of the market demands. The natural
sequence of these conditions was the for
nation of trusts to raise prices and limit
production on the one hand, and the clos
ing of mills, with consequent strikes, on
the ether
+ In this eager fostering of home indus
tries the question of foreign markets has
been wholly ignored.
4 The misfortunes of war took from Us
our carrying trade and left us stranded
'and isolated among the commercial ma
tons of the earth. Time may restore,
hy natural means, this commercial equi-
ubrium, but time is often an expensive
element in a commercial problem. The
ione thing for the government to do to
relieve the present industrial congestion
is to open up new markets in foreign
lands by offering adequate financial en-
couragement to those who will open up
land develop new fields of trade.
f It is admitted by all that the removal
of the tariff laws, which have been in
detrimental in bringing about this over
production, would assist to some extent
10y adding new fields for free goods, and
Thy compelling the great trusts to use
some of their ill-gotten profits in seeking
houtside markets in honest competition.
but that contamination is at least four
years in the future.
& There remains put one alternative-the
Invasion of foreign countries with our
Etrade-disposing of the surplus, that the
ftoilers may be kept at work at home.
4 The position of the G l o b e, in regard
to the subsidies, has been and is this:
fanny subsidy or gift offered by the gov
Eernment to private concerns to engage in
private business is wrong in principle.
but there are times when circumstances
frender an act wrong in principle, expe
dent and for the public good. At the
present time a ship subsidy act would
be expedient, and 9f properly drawn
and carried out would work great benefit
to the country at large. This act, how
ever, should contemplate the opening Of
new markets only. There should be no
aid given on the basis of passenger traf-
fc, nor should speed be considered. Three
things alone should govern-distance
tonnage and destination.
On all these particulars the bill, as it
has been amended since framed, now
before the senate, is wrong. It gives aid
to old and established lines, which are
paying large dividends at the present
time; it gives double aid to boats engag-
ed in the passenger traffic; it proposes to
expend 20 per cent of the 100000 on At
lantic ocean boats, where the least de-
.velopment of trade can be expected.
To the subsidy bill as it is now pend
ing in the senate, the Globe is op-
posed. The bill, as originally drawn and
introduced, was the most bare-faced at
tempt to loot the treasury ever concocted
10y a corporation or set of men. The
various amendments, while making it
less monstrous, do not change in any
particular the underlying principles, nor
do they divert the money from the pock-
cts is was originally intended to find.
What benefit will the shippers of the
United States receive from the millions
proposed to go into the safe of the In
ternational Navigation company? Is there
any pledge that freight rates to the
points made by the ships of that COM
pany will be reduced? The amount to be
expended has been based upon the ex-
port trade of the last few years How
is an exporter to Europe to be benefited
by the increased dividends paid on steam
ship stock?
AS was suggested in a previous article
in the G o e, the markets for the over
plus production Of the United States
are to be found in the South and the
West. Siberia, with it's unmeasured
possibilities, is clamoring for American
goods of all kinds. The initiative Japan
csc are more than willing to welcome
American goods as we'll as American
ideas. China, Inundated and purgeG
will open ner ports to the powers; hel
millions furnishing a market for mod
ern wares, the magnitude of which has
not even been dreamed. The United
States, by situation and by diplomacy
holds the key to this Oriental treasure
box.
The Yankees of South America. Chile
and Argentina, want our products. II
the development of their civilization
they want our machinery or chemicals
and our textiles. A large part of this
South American trade could now be ours
had there been adequate and regular
lines of communication between mutua
ports 1t is owing largely to this lacl
of commercial communication and. corse
quently the lack Of knowledge of thc