The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-12-11
A NOTABLE BANQUET
National Issues Discussed by
National Leaders.
HANNA on SHIPPING SUBSIDY BILL
The senator SayS the x@OO,OOO.Ooo
Now Paid Annually tn Foreign
ShipOwners Is a Drain No Ma
tIOn but Ours Could stand.

ttOn Dut ours NOulu 9tuuus
BOSTON, Dec. 11.-In celebration of
its twenty.fifth anniversary the Bos
ton Merchants association met at the
Vendome last evening and were enter
tanned by four men of national reputa-
ton with spirited addresses, chiefly
along political lines. Postmaster Gener
al Charles Emory Smith spoke on reel
procity; Hon. Kogaro Takahira. the
Japanese minister, upon the subject OF
"C0mmercial Relations" Senator Mar
Gus A. Hanna on the ship subsidy bill
and Hon. Henry Wutterson OF Ken
lucky Oh "Kentucky and Massachu-
sets" These were the principal
guests, but at the tables were many
men Of state prominence and also Hon.
L. A. Collins, mayor elect OF Boston;
Congressman Conry and Naphen and
Marion Il. Taylor Of Louisville, ky.
Simple decorations Of a floral cEarac-
ter besides the American and japanese
flags lent beauty to the banquet hall,
while orchestral music added TO the IN
tprpSt.
Senator Hanna was the last speaker
and confined his remarks entirely 10
the question of ship subsidy ana the
latest bill for that purpose which has
been presented to congress. He re-
ferred to the fact that the American
nation is today supreme in the asr'-
cultural and industrial business Of the
world, but is at the very lowest IN re-
gard to It's merchant marine. lie re-
ferred first to the growth Of the mer-
chant marine on the great lakes and
said that this had been accomplished,
first, by our natural advantages, ana.
second, by the protection given Dy the
United States government.
The cOastwise trade Of this country
has grown almost as rapidly under the
same provisions and the same protec-
ton. In 1889 the First congress passed
laws allowing the increase of the mer'
chant marine. The capacity OF the
American vessels in the foreign trade
at that time was 123,Sy3 tons. After
ten years 1t had increased to 3olooo
tons, In 1921 the American ships car
red SS per cent of the foreign com.
mcrce, In lS2G it reached the high wa
ter mark and carried 81 80 per cent.
In 1861 was the highest point we ever
reached, when the American ships car
red 1865 tons to foreign ports anu
then il began to decrease. 1t decreased
40 ppr cent from 1861 to 1860. From
the highest point in 1861, when we car
rcd % per cent. we have decreased
until today American ships only carry
S per cent of the foreign tonnage
We are building IA magnificent navy
and shall continue until we are second
TO no nation. We should also build
something for that navy to defend. Tie
amount now paid annually by Amerl'
can merchants into the pockets of for
eirp sbipowncrs is $2TD~D,OOO. No
country on the face of the globe could
stand that drain but the United States
And why need we stand it, We can
see how the subsidy is affecting Eng
land and her war with South Africa.
Her vessels have been taken for trans
porting her troops and munitions,
while the raw materials from our
mines, etc. are lying on our docks
awaiting transportation abroad.
Mr.. Hanna spoke of the bill intro
duced into congress last year and de-
clared that the bill that was presented
last Monday had been simpliiied and
modified to meet the objections to the
fnrIupr