Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-25

papers of the country, for the receipts
are that much less than the expendi-
lures for that class Of mall A subsidy
Of nine millions per year Is much more
defensible, in my judgment, In the de-
velopment of our foreign trade. We
spend millions of dollars building ma
val vessels, useful only in times or
war, why not build vessels useful both
in war and peace? Every vessel ac-
cepting the subsidy Is a part of the
navy in time of war. The question Is
not as to the principle of the subsidy
bill, that Is part of our established
policy, both state and national, but 1t
is whether this particular subsidy Is
for the general welfare. Is 1T expedi-
| ent? Is it wise? and I shall devote a
few moments to this aspect OF the case.
There was a time when, by govern
ment aid and encouragement, we had
a merchant marine, and carried 80 per
cent. of our products abroad. Last
year only 8 per cent. was carried In
American bottoms. Why is this?
Europe w. United States.
It is because in this contest of Eu-
rope against the United States, foreign
ship-owners get a subsidy from their
government Of s26,0O0,000 besides the
advantage of lower wages, and have
|
high seas. We pay this subsidy to the
foreign ships in increased freight rates
over and over again. We are drained
of two hundred millions year which
we pay foreign vessels in freights. No
other country could stand such drain.
After all, then, we are paying sub
sidy, and hence it Is a question OF
whether we will subsidiZe American or
foreign vessels. 1t Is useless for me to
discuss before this intelligent audience
the Importance of our foreign trade. If
Europe and the United States are to
be competitors in the markets of the
world, can we afford to put ourselves
entirely in their hands? The power to
fix freight rates gives them the power
to fix the price Of our cotton, wheat
and manufactured products.
Suppose there should be general
European war, and the merchant ma
rine of England, Germany and Nor
way was pressed in for transport SER
vice. What would be the effect on cot
ton and cotton goods? 1 tell you, that
you would see cotton hauled into the
streets of Greenville, and not sold at
three cents, but simply hauled back
home. There would be no buyers, be-
cause there would be no ships to carry
cotton or cotton goods abroad, business
| VI oil WOulu dhu liiSi Z
would be failures on every hand. Con-
ditions have changed. Before the war
we were buyers abroad, now we are
sellers. We are asking foreigners not
to exchange products, but to come here
to buy. Nothing would suffer In case
Of European war like cotton. They
would have to come here to buy wheat,
corn, bacon, mules and horses. as Eng
land did in the Boer war, but they
could do without cotton for year or
so. All the ships would be needed for
war uses. Foodstuffs high and no sale
for cotton, what could hurt the South
worse? What, then, is more depend
ent on American ships than the cotton
crop?
| Does any man Of common sense sup
pose in this great contest for the trade
of the Orient, that the ships Of Ger
many and England are going to give
us the same advantages that they do
their own merchants? AS Mr.. Thur
ber, Of New York, recently said, "Ev-
cry ship is a missionary Of trade, and
steam lines work for their own coun-
tries just as railway lines work for their
terminal points. 1t Is as absurd for the
United States to rely upon foreign
ships to distribute her goods, as 1t
would be for one business house to rely
upon the wagons Of a competing house
to make it's deliveries" There is no
section so vitally interested in ships as
the South. Why, Charleston, Mobile
and New Orleans should rival New
York, so far as harbors are concerned.
We have already felt the benefits Of
our Asiatic trade, and in it's lies the
possibilities Of our future, but we must
have cheap freight, rapid transporta-
tion and the prestige Of the American
/ nz- -I,s n,,n
ports are Disseminated against by the
same great railroads that are fighting
the opportunity for an American mer-
chant marine. We must have South
ern commerce, not a Southern trade.
That same influence has prevented the
construction of the Nicaraguan canal,
and 1 predict that there will be no ca
nal until it's friends and the advocates
Of merchant marine join forces and
work in harmony. The two are insep-
erable. They will either fail together
or succeed together. When that time
comes, freights will move north and
south, instead of east and west. Our
ports will be the gateway, and the
south will develop with unequalled ra-
pidity. Cannot any man Of sense see
that the money power headed by G. P.
Huntington and Hill, with great rail-
way systems running east and west,
do not want freights DETECTED south?
With this change, the Seaboard, Coast
Line and Southern would rival in
greatness the three trans-continental
lines. The producer of raw material
will prosper, just in proportion to the
demand for his product. All that our
Southern people have to do now Is to
be wise and conservative, and favor the
great public measures looking to the
/ M tho material and in6llS-
trial interests of the country and the
honor and glory of the nation.
| Do Your Own Thinking.
Fellow citizens, with so many things
| to talk about, it has not been possible
for me to do more than skim the sur
face, but I hope have been so fortu-
nate as to excite a desire on your part
tc investigate for yourself and not to
let some old moss back, who does not
know that the war has ended, do your
thinking These are practical, vital Is
sues. AS your senator, I have frankly
stated my position. There are two
sides to these questions. / respect an
honest difference of opinion, but no
man can impugn my motives success
fully.
Not An AutomatOn.
I never could answer the ends of an
automaton in politics or business. 1
yield to the dictation of no man. 1t Is
characteristic of a Scotchman to think
and act for himself. 1 have asserted
and will always assert my personal and
political individuality. I have blazed
out my own path more than once In
county. state and national politics, and
followed it without regard to popular
applause. I made peace and unity"
very popular once in this state-too
popular, in fact,-for some of those
who once denounced the Leader Of the
Movement" now grovel in the dust at
the feet of their old-time foe, humbly
content with the curses that fall from
his lips, for the sake of the few crumbs