The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-17

ed before March Ais the shipping bflL
The hardest fight possible is being made
BY the o5suuctionist Democratic party
for political capital. The greatest kiad
OF fight is being made By the Shipping
bills friends for the measure
Why IS the shipping Dill 50 important
Because il viii restore 70 Us cur mer-
chant marine. Why do we need our
merchant marine restored Because AZ
present Of all the vast amount Of Aner-
lean products earned to other countries
only per cent is carried on American
bottoms aud under the Stars and Stripes.
Why 90 the Democrats oppose il so Wig
orousiy? Simply 10 furnish something to
get before the country on in the congress
sional campaign Of 1902 The Democratic
party is neither actuated by a desire 70
De saving Of money. or because it really
believes there is any grab. as It says.
10 head off
The Democrats and other opponents Of
the shipping bin are in sympathy with
the foreign ship-owners and those Nao
now do cur oeean-carrying trade. Il vas
this way with the opponents OF 2fs-
tective tariff. They were. IN sympathy
with the foreign element which opposed
protection 10 American Industries So,
now, the foreign element which at pres
ent profits in our shipping finds ready
symDathizers and uph0lders in the 0ppon-
ents of the shipping bill
There is good deal Of talk about the
loPfy that IS here in behalf Of the ship
ping bill There are, Of course. influences
and friends Of the bill here favoring It's
passage. They are loyal Americans. how
ever. with pride in their country and its
achievements. On the other hand. il is
fact that every influence that can be
brought TO bear Is being exerted in oppo-
sition TO the Dill by the foreign element
now in control Of the country's OCEAN
carrying trade. Representatives OF that
element and other influences. are at
work, and VIII be. up until the time the
oil is law or defeated, as the case may
BE-
There IS some disposition in the middle
wesc tP believe that the shipping bill VII
not benefit any but the classes living on
the coast This same cry was made when
a protective tariff was sought to be en-
acted. It was said in Kansas and else
where in the Mississippi valley that none
but the manufacturers Of New England
and Pennsylvania would profit By a hIgh
tariff. An axiom 70 be remembered in
connection with the real prosperity all
over the country following the passage 81
the Dingley bill is the fact that when
one portion of our country Or its people
prospers every other portion does. ana
its people It VIII be the same with the
mas - =
impetus il the building OF American
ships and restored merchant marine,
and there wiz be an impetus in the trade
abroad This is fact. and the middle
west can dispose Of more wheat. more
corn more beef; the south more cotton.
the New England factories mare manu-
features; Pennsylvania more coaI and
iron, etc, II does not take a theori=t to
recognize such q potent fact IL will be
reality. That IS one reason. and lust
one, why it is to the middle VESTS ad-
vantage TO have the merchant marine re-
stored The question of sentfmeat-of
more; Of loyalty and patriotism also en-
ters- There IS certainly nothing more to
be desired than definitely fixing our thor
ough American ism in every line Of trade
and commerce
There is just one more thought in this
connection. AS strong a. speech as was
delivered IN favor Of the shipping bill
was by Senator McI4aurin Of South Caro-
lima, a bright, able, conservative senator.
He told his side Of the senat-he IS
Dem0crat-wlat the south would gain b.
the restoration Of our merchant marine.
and he told it plainly It will have some
representative. It shows only more
clearly the progreSsiveness- IN business
and trade that the south-the new south
lis endeavoring to accomplish
The question Of our merchant marine
being restored is the great question Of
the immediate future Its contamination
NAV not be in this congress, but il is
soon to come. It's supporters should not
be confined to east alone. nor TO Pacific
coast; nor yet to south: but 70 west and
the whole country. II should enlist the
practically which is now dominant II
this country and the sentiment which
belfeves-and Justly so-that wherever
American products 20. they should go
under the Stars and Stripes.
The Calderhead bili-fathered by the
representative Of the Firth Kansas-may
not become 4 law at this session, bat
sentiment viii be created which VIII M
doubtedly result in good legislation for
the old soldiers at the next session. The
text Of the Calderhead BILL which az
plies 10 what IS known as the act o. 1881
follows;
''An persons who are eligible for pen
sions at the rate % SO per month. under
section > ot the act Of June 2. 1890 re
lating to pensions. who are now ct may
hereafter become disabled by total blind
ness or paralysis or any total disability
FOR manual labor. not the result Of their
own vicious habits, which disabies them
in such a degree IS 70 require the con
slant or frequent and periodical attend
--.-------. -------.- -.