The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-12-11

while we vote millions of dollars tc
protect our commerce, there is
great murmuring when an attempt
is made to vote much smaller
sum to upbuild our commerce.
There is no question but that a
conservative ship subsidy bill
should be passed. Every othe,
| great commercial nation has found
ship subsidy laws a necessity. We
are not in favor of extravagant sub
sides; we are not in favor of any
subsidy where it is not necessary,
but just as this community would
be glad and willing to offer sub.
stantial bonus to any large manu-
featuring industry that might come
here, and just as it would be wise
for the community to do so, sc
would it be wise for our govern
ment to subsidize steam ships
which would provide that our for
eign commerce should be trans
| ported direct and in American bot
toms. When we went to Germany
some years ago there were as fell
low passengers several parties en-
route for South, American ports.
They found that they could actu-
ally save time and expense by sail
ing from South America to Bremen,
going by rail to Holland port,
and then re-ship direct for South
America. Their journey was thus
about 5000 miles longer, but it was
at that time the only way in which
the voyage could be accomplished
with speed, comfort and safety.
1t is this fact of direct shipping
facilities that makes the ports of
England and Germany what they
are to-day, the great transfer points
Of the worlds commerce. The
subsidizing of American ships, and
thus building up direct lines of
American commerce would have a
tendency to lower transportation
and open new markets and to in
crease the price to the producer
in old markets this would have the
result of stimulating American
manufactures, and increasing the
price of the products of the farm.
We believe that the people would
very soon regainin the profits much
more than the ship subsidy bill
calls for.
Again we believe there should
be no hesitancy about the building
of the Nicaragua canal; when we
think that the city of Chicago ex-
pended $50, 900, 900 for a drainage
canal, theexpenditure of 500, 900, :
900 for this great trans atlantic
canal which would shorten the dis
lance between the Atlantic and
Pacific seaboards sinks in o
insignihcance. Whatever diplo-
matte difficulties may be IN the
way should be quickly overcome
and the canal pushed to compile
ton as rapidly as possible. We
! certainly favor government owner
ship of the canal, and complete
control over it by the United
States, giving, however, to all
other nations equal rights with our
own save at such times when we
may be at war with any other ma
ton. We believe that this canal
would have been completed years
/ ago, had it not been for the oppo,
! sition of the inland transportation
/, lines. We do not blame them fol
we know of no man who is anxious
to build up a strong competitive
I
factor against himself, but we dc
/ believe that the interests of the
people are paramount to the inter
ests of transportation companie:
and that Notwithstanding any op
/ position the canal should be bail
and at once. 1t would be one o
the greatest achievements OF tn,
American nation, something besid.
which the useless pyramids and tn,
ornamental sphinx of Egypt would
sink into insignihcance as perpetua
monuments of national achieve
ments;