The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-08
Moran Bros. Have Taken Up the Mat
ter of Getting n Fair Division of
Government Patronage - Col.
CIough, Vice President of the
Welfare Requires Distribution.

Middle West, and IS reported to have work
ed up quite sentiment in favor Of tn
project. The St Paul Chamber OF Com
merce has already officially declared IL
sympathy with the uphuilding OF Puge
sound. and the officials OF the Great North
ern are known TO be actively at work To-
the same object.
At the meeting Of the local Chamber o
Commerce yesterday Robert Moran. presi
dent of the Seattle shipbuilding firm. sub
mitted a copy OF letter he sent TO each o
the Washington congressman. and also on
from Col W. p Cough vice president o
the Great Northern. bearing on this mat
ter. In forwarding the correspondence
Mr., Moran asked the assistance of tn
chamber, and Secretary Prosch was &C
cordingly authorized to inform the senator
and representatives that the wish OF Sc
attic was that the Pacific coast should nav
an equitable share OF the naval building
OF the government,
The Governments Advantage.
Mr.. Moran's letter to the delegation reat
as follows:
The last naval appropriation bill had
nothing in 1t fer the protection or IA
cific coast shipbuilders. 1T costs US from
rs cents per 100 pounds upward 10 trans
port material from Eastern mills lot
the construction OF such vessels on this
coast. and further. as II Is decided
advantage to-the- government to have
part OF such vessels built and delivered
here. we believe congress should make
provisions in the appropriation bill for
the protection OF Pacific coast builders,
to the extent of not less than per cent.
OF the estimated cost OF the vessel COM
pleie In other words. our bid should be
allowed 5 per cent. In competition
against Eastern yards, and the appto-
priation bill should specify that a GER
tain percentage, and we believe this
should be one-half of the vessels, SHOULD
be built on this Coast.
We have a plant OF ample capacity
for the construction of any vessel hat
the government may require There is
plant in Oregon that builds naval
vessels. also one or more I'm San Fran
cisco. We should like II you would do
everything possible to have inserted In
such an appropriation bill provisions
that will protect us and other Pacific
coast builders against Eastern yards. or
course Il costs the government large
amount of money to deliver a vessel
from an Eastern yard TO the Pacihc
coast. and this only justifies that that
cost should be given to the Pacific coast
builders.
We further believe II should he tho
policy of the government to encourage
the establishment and maintenance OF
such shipbuiding plants on the Pa
cific coast. especially in the Northwest.
We believe that the senators and rep
resentatives from all OF the interior
states are interested In such measure.
II means not only the transportation OF
the material by the railways through
the various states. but also the purchase
OF supplies for their construction, ana
we believe that such representatives
should cooperate with you In securing
the passage OF such a measure.
Col. CIough's Position.
The letter from Col. Ciough. written Jan
uary TO- was az follows:
Permit me to call your attention TO
the national importance OF an early
and large increase In the shipbuliding
facilities OF the Pacific coast. Prior 10
last year our commercial interests
were mostly In tho Atlantic Now. our
trading people stand faced the other
way, and are looking TO Asia ana Al
RIGA for the largest future increase
OF American commerce. Very soon the
greater part OF our navy viii be per
manently stationed in the Pacific. The
likelihood OF an early use Tor our war
vessels attaches much more 10 those
waters than to amy other.
The growth OF an American merchant
marine win be much more rapid there
than else where. In event or naval
hosilhties In the Pacific our ships must
be able 20 find in American ports the
facilities for prompt Quitting and re-
pairs These facilities must include
not only yards and machinery. but an
adequate corps % skilled workmcn.
take little notice Of these wants.
The best provision Tor such needs
that a government can have Is the ex-
istence az convenient points OF We'll
equipped. well-msnaged and suffic-
ienily manned private yards. plant
afied for and engaged IN a general
shiphulidinE and ship-repairing BUSH
ness FOR both public and private own
ers "a much more useful ana much
more valuable. even Tor government,
than naval yard As a part OF the to-
tai means 81 our public defense. eltnef
Cramps yari or that Of the Newport
News Shlpbunding Company u worth
more TO the country than any three
navy yards combined. The private
yards work fpf all classes 81 patrons,
public ANA private lhis eltasscS tHem
more numerous and efficient working
force than q government coaid afford
60 keep together. They can DO me
work % the government moge prompt
Is and rnoge economically than the
government itself could 40 H. Every
time the building q a wsrship Is lei %
private coneern the government
saves large sum ~ money over tho
cost " ioiug tho work itself
Government Patronage Needed.
But the building up az an efficient.
modern shtphuisdins plant - costly
ana laborious enterprise E2rEe capt
tAL great executive capacity and much
patience "a awaiting results are need
FA INA Guy county atAA FFNaasAF ~
ali others. the patronage az govern
rnent Is essential 10 thA development
- the shipbuiiaipg industry. The ship
haitting business 81 this country, ceul-
pared with SIS vast pTod4ang and
trade development In other lines, IS
backward from many causes, rvt u ia
gact that these countries thar hsva
the most and largest ship yar3s ara
also those having the largest uavies
Tha shtphuil1inr Industries % each u
the large European countries - about
tn proportion 20 the number % ships
owned ~ It's government. In each *
them the government patronage has
been and remains a prominent y not
a controlling, factor In the develop
memt Of is khlphgi3dtng trade. The
Ike ia tho case here.
Leaving cut 81 view the yards GA ere
great lakes. which have grown Up
from local and exceptional conditions
not obtaining On other coasts. the few
large ship yards now operating ia this
country have nearly. II NOT quite. all
been literally patrunized Nv the Cow
eminent. They have been the builders
or he new navy" and the large sums
of money which the government has
already PAID them has been well spent