Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-02
THE SHIPPING BILL,
AS AMENDED AND PRESENTED TO
THE HOUSE BY ITS COMMITTEE.
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT.
WHICH MAKES A PLAUSIBLE ARGU-
MENT FOR THE MEASURE.
Mr.. Grosvenor, of Ohio, Sums Up the
Case in Behalf of the Bill, and
Claims the Proposed Law is the
Only Possible Way of Putting Our

WASHINGTON, April 1.-Represen-
tative G%rosvenor, of Ohio, chairman
of the House Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries, presented to the
House yesterday the amended shipping
bill, and the report in its support by
the majority of the committee, consti-
tuting all the Republican members.
The report says in part:
"Our abundant natural and
our industrious and increasing popula-
ton make it of great value to increase
the means of probably disposing of
u surplus productions and as our
export trade is increased so will be
home consumption and employment.
"Our exporting competitors have for
a long time been devoting themselves
to increasing their export trade and
getting possession of markets. Africa
is an example of the methods pursued
of partitioning territory or recogniz-
ing spheres of influence; possibly east
ern Asia being eventually destined to
receive similar treatment"
China" the report continues, may
be left open to fair and equal COMPETE
ton with respect of trade with the
United States" in which event the
committee believes "one of the largest
if not the largest, fields for the trade
and commerce of other nations will be
open to those possessing the facilities
for taking advantage of the opportun-
ity."
The nation first in the field. with
its own productions and it's own means
of transportation" will achieve the
largest success, for which reason Chi
ma must remove the barriers which
now almost entirely exclude foreign
intercourse. Other parts of the world
in which our M holds SO small
a share would repay particular study.
"The need of abundant establish
ments for the construction, docking
and repairing of ships, an adequate
navy land a great fleet of merchant
vessels" all in readiness for any ext
gency, is asserted by the report to be
"a ~self-evident proposition" on these
grounds other nations have fortified
themselves by increasing their sea
power in all of the ways referred to,
with the double object 'of strength
ening their facilities and power for
carrying on foreign commerce."
After giving the statistics on the ex-
tent of tonnage the world over, the
cost of ship-building, wages, etc., Mr..
dinal purposes of the bill' as follows:
81. To aid in a real practical way
and no doubt, under existing condi-
tons, the only possible way-in bring
ing, to the greatest extent possible,
W foreign trade back into our
own hands, and thus saving to our
country certainly more than 500, 000,-
600 transportation money annually,
which now goes on to increase the
wealth of other nations.
"2. To greatly increase the exporta-
ton and sale of all kinds Of our SUI
perabundant productions, and espec-
tally in the vast regions of eastern
Asia, evidently very soon to be open
ed to the trade of the world. This is
a trade that the nation best prepared
to engage in will necessarily get the
greater proportion of by its own pro-
ducts under its own flag and with it's
own postal facilities and its own COM
mercial establishments for the dispos-
al of its productions.
SO. To bring into existence at the
earliest possible time a great American
feet of merchant vessels, built in our
W. country, with our Own material,
and by our own labor, as a most neces-
sary means of national aid and nation
al safety in times of international wal
and other disturbances, the probable
ity of which is unhappily not small,
even now.
"a. To increase the number of our
citizens who will be educated in sea-
faring work, and who will thus, having
the skill. and be better able to defend
the honor and interests of our country
on the seas, however suddenly the occa-
sion may happen.
"5. The bill, we think, will, If the
proposed compensation is large enough,
accomplish these great and important
purposes"
Gen. Grosyenor's report concludes:
1T will, of course, take a consider
able time to reach the desired end, but
the sooner the policy is entered upon
the sooner and easier will be its ac-
complishment.
The means proposed are open to the
capital, the enterprise and the skill of
all our citizens alike, and on equal
terms. There is no ground for any
form of monopoly. There is absolute
safety to the treasury in the fact that
no payment can be made until In each
and for each voyage the work is actual