Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-31
Democrats Who Will Support the
Measure to Build Up Amer
lean Shipping.
GROWING SENTIMENT N THE SOUTH
improvement Of Rivers and iiarbors
md the Construction Of Larger
ships Viewed with Approval by
Producers and Business Men.
Especial CorrespOndcnce.l

|
When the opponents of the shipping BIZ
came to be finally counted during the clos
ing days OF the debate on the army bill il
the senate, the fact was uncovered that ,
few influential republicans were amonI
them. These men had certain notions tina
the bill was inequitable in It's provisions, an(
| they had been in the habit of meeting anC
comparing notes and assuring each othel
that their suspicious were well grounded
Finally, however, these objections were
brought to light, and, when that was accom-
pished, and the friends Of the bid were
gwen a chance TO discuss these objections,
their apparent force melted away like snow
under a summer sun. The result has been
that few amendments have been agreed to
in the bill that cover every possible point
Of doubt on the republican side, and they
are now all united in the senate in favor
Of the bill as it stands.
When a vote is reached on the shipping
bill there will be disagreeabe revelation
TO the democrats Of few Of their own
members who will support it. Not less than
half dozen democrats have, one way and
another, indicated that they may be relied
upon TO support and to vote for the bill and
they explain, too, tina, this is, largely, in
obedience to urgent requests from their con-
stituents. Nowhere in this country is this
more in evidence than in the south, where,
hitherto, opposition has been so general to
all forms Of government aid, at least on the
part OF the statesmen representing southern
constituencies, as to have caused q feeling
Of despair at times among their more pro.
gressive and up.to.date colleagues from the
north and west.
The improvement Of rivers and harbors in
the south, followed by the construction Of
much larger ships for the carriage of south
ern export products, and the consequent re-
duction in freight rates and increase in d.
rect returns to the producers, have been oh.
jet lessons Of immense value to the south
ern business men, and the fact is slowly
dawning upon those whom they send to
congress to represent them. No longer is
there opposition in the south to the i'm.
provement Of rivers and harbors indeed,
there Is more money likely to 20 into the
Improvement Of the great seaports of the
south, and especially of the gulf, and its
tributary streams, than into the north. The
direct benefits from this have been felt in
every hamlet, village and city in the south,
whether located upon a navigable stream
or not.
So, too, it is beginning to be felt through
out the south that the construction of the
Nicaragua canal will be an undertaking of
the most far-reaching benefit to the south,
and the people Of that section are begn-
ming to appreciate the wisdom of Senator
Morgan's valiant fight for that great water
way The spending Of $3.50, 100000, or even
900, for the construction of the Nj
,aragua canal, it is beginning to be believed
throughout the south, will have benefit
zach year, upon the increased markets
abroad for their surplus products that will
'epay them, and the nation, too, each year
or the total sum of the expenditure.
And, with these thoughts crowding one
mother upon the southern mind, it is quite
asy and logical for southerners to appreci-
tie the value Of ships Of our own, doing our
'wn foreign carrying, and keeping the whole
II the $l75,OOO,0 0 at home that is now spent
very year for ocean freghts that are paid to
oregnship owners, and by them taken from
he country, to the loss Of our national
feath, to the deprivation Of our own peo.
Ne of employment, and to the strengthen
ng OF the auxiliary naval resources of our
orelgn rivals. In these circumstances the
Expenditure Of $9,OOO,OOOO year to save
rom $l75,OOo,OOO to s25O,OOO,o 900 year is not
proposition ether to brighten the average
american citizen or call forth his protest.
n fact, the demand for just this kind of
hing is becoming quite unanimous among
he business men Of the country, south,
vest, north and east. J