The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-29
SHlP-SUBSIUY ISSUE
WILL BE DISCUSSED TODAY BY
THE BOARD OF TRADE.
DELEGATES TO BRUNSWICK.
RESOLUTIONS FAVORING DEBATE
IN MARITIME CONVENTION.

by Gen. Gordon on the Ground
That 1t Gives a Color of Indorse-
ment to the shIp-subsidy Bill.
Action Postponed Until To-day
When the Delegates VIII BE In
structed.
The meeting of the Board of Trade yes
terday afternoon. to discuss the subsi.
delegates to the Maritime Convention at
Bruins wick, tomorrow, was not largely
attended. There was a warm discuss on
of ship-subsidies, nevertheless, which
ended in a decision that the commercial
interests be committed on this important
matter, only after a freer discussion than
the few present at the meeting allowed.
Capt. D. G. Purse presided. Among
others present were Gen. w. w. Gordon,
Mr.. J. P. Williams, Capt. C. L. Chesnutt,
Mr. H. A. Crane, Capt. Henry Bun, Mr..
julius c. Schwarz, Mr.. C. Schwarz, Mr..
J. B. Chestnut, Mr.. John r. Young, Mr..
John r. Walsh, Capt. Geo. P. Walker,
Capt. M P. Usina, Mr.. A. B. Moore and
Mr. e. S. Player.
Capt. Purse stated the object of the
meeting. Mr.. Williams at once moved the
appointment of a committee of three to
arrange business for the meeting Mr..
Williams, Mr.. Walsh and Mr.. Player were
named and after a short elaboration they
reported by resolution as follows:
Whereas, A Maritime Congress is TO be
held in the city OF Brunswick on the
Goth inst,
And Whereas. The subjects appertain-
ing to the deliberations of that body are
necessarily national questions in the
scope and character, affecting. as they
do, alike every section of this great re-
| pubic;
And Whereas. The decadence of the
| American merchant marine has extended
| over a period Of more than 40 years, dur
| Ing which time, despite the prevailing
conditions which have forced exports
| from this country and imports into this
country to be carried in foreign bottoms,
thus paying untold millions TO foreign
ship owners, in the way of freights, which
under wise protective laws would have
teen saved to the American people, new
ertheless, the growth in population anil
| the increase in material development are
| without parallel in the history of ma
| tlons;
And Whereas, AT the beginning OF the
| twentieth century, We, as a people, are
confronted with new and difficult prob
| lens to be solved, because of the widen
ing of our sphere of control and our in
eleasing diversified industries, which
must be fostered and protected in find
ing outlets into new markets for our sur
plus or crude and manufactured products
III competition with other countries, which
n the past have enjoyed almost exclu-
siyely the trade in these new fields:
| Be ii therefore resolved, That we con-
| graduate our sister city in her successful.
| efforts in securing the convention soon to
assemble there, and we p dge our hearty
| cooperation in any mo, ement looking TO
the enactment of equitable laws, which
! will insure a revival of American ship
| ping.
Resolved further, That we do not de-
| clare our approval or disapproval of the
| subsidy bill now before Congress, but we
| do deprecate the jntimation that an effort
| Will be made in the convention to exclude
from the debate the question of subsidiz-
| ing ships, as a remedy for the evil under
! which we, as a people, are now suffering
believing as We do that a solution of the
! perplex.ng prob EN- can only be arrived al
| by weighing the relative merits of the
| various remed es which may be suggested
Resolved, That the South, by reason
of her illimitable diversified resources, al
ready developed and opened up by her
| sp endid.y equipped railroad ines, by her
extensive seacoast, by her numerous wa
terways, with her equable climate, would
| receive immediate and direct benefits
from the revival of Am rican ship build
ing, through the establishment Of ship
yards at her various seaports, and we
| therefore pledge ourselves to unite our
| EFFORTS in coop rating with our represen-
tatves in Congress to speedily bring
| about a revival of the blu lding of ships
In American shipyal DIS to transport Amer
lean products.
After the reading of the resolutions by
Mr. Williams, Mr.. Young moved their
adoption. which was seconded by Mr..
Chestnut. This brought the resolution
up for discussion.
Gen. Go don cid not favor the adoption
of the reso ut o..s e au If the C | r
they gave to an Endorsement of the s, i :
subsidy bill. Gen. Gordon said he did MT
understand that they carried a specified
| Endorsement but they carried favoring
idea, and such as he b l.eved was in
conflict with the sentiment of the com
mercial interests as to the subsi zing of
ships He said he did not know pos tive
y how the people of S savannah felt alb tut
it, but for himself he was unalterably on
posed to the bill before Congress for sub
sidizing ships 1t might have be n
necessary to give subsidies in yea s
gone by but he did not think
such the case now. When the
Russians and others send here for ships
1t Is reason for belev ng that condit ons
have chaneed Shipbuiaing in thi coun-
try has been held back for years by the
high protective tariff on all m at ri +,
that go into ships. The countrys vast
| resources for iron and steel product on
have brought 1t to the front as a pro-
Queer of these p-oiu IS, and the ship
building industry promi 'es to grow In this
country as natural consequence of this
deve opment.
Gen. Gordon said he had seen by
the papers that American companies are
awarding contracts for building ships In
American yerds. which he took as con-
elusive evidence that This country is well
able to compete with others in getting the
business. He cited an instance Of the
awarding of contract for the building of
four steamers to ply between American
ports. He said that this country Is also
getting contracts for the building OF
warships. The fact that other countries
Gre calling upon iron and steel manufac-
turers for their supplies means that
the time 10 near when ships can be bult
in America as cheap as elsewhere Gen
Gordon deprecated the resolutions and
did not believe they represented the feel
ings of the commercial interest of Savan-
nah 10 hnf kn 4