Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-12-12
The Argument Lacks Ccher.
ence.

The Argument Lacks Ccher-
ence.
President Racsevelt's eulogy
on American labur aud lis argu-
ment in favor of ship subsidies
clash with each other. In one
paragraph he tells why American
labor successfully completes with
foreign labor. In another para
graph he tells us that ships should
be subsidized because American
labor cannot compete with for
eign labor.
In that chapter of the message
devoted to the subject of labor the
president says:
American wage-workers work
with their heads as we'll as their
hands. Moreover, they take a
keen pride in what they are do
ing; so that, independent of the
reward, they wish to turn out
perfect job. This is the great
secret OF our success in competi.
ton with the labor of foreign
countries.
Instances of successful Amer
lean competition with foreign
labor are many and appear in all
directions. American steel bill
lets are sold to Glasgow ship
builders at prices considerably
below the price of English steel.
American shipbullders underbid
all foreign ehipbuilders in con-
tracts to construct Russian and
Japanese vessels of war. Amer
lean boots and shoes, sewing ma
chimes, farm implements, bicycles
and many other articles are sold
in all the cities of Europe at
prices lower than the cost of sim
liar foreign products.
|. MIR Roosevelt asks for the pas
sage OF an act substituting Amer
lean ships on the ground that in
ship building American labor
cannot successfully compete with
foreign labor. He says that "the
original cost of building American
ships is greater than is the case
abroad" How is this, if our ship
builders can underbid foreign
shipbuilders in the construction
of war vessels for foreign nations
1t is not exactly true that il
costs more to build an American
ship than to build a ship in for
eign ship yard. Mr. Roosevelt,
), explains the general fact. The
higher qualities of American
workingmen els the great secret
of our success in competition Will
the labor of foreign countries.
This fact applies to ship-buildins
as we'll as to every other industry
In a memorable speech at {
Chicago banquet q year or two
ago James j Hill, the RAILROAD
magnate. described his plans il
building great ships for the trans
Pacific trade in connection will
his continental railway lines. III
said that no subsidies were need
ed to aid ship building in the
= United States. Ii the preposter
, Gus tariff were taken off ship
building materials, mainly steel
, the United States could cover thu
! ocean with their merchant marine
providing ships and carrying car
goes at prices lower than the cos
under any other flag.
Yet, handicapped by the tariff
) Americans can successfully CON
pete with any foreign nation il
bodybuilding. American shiI
yards have more contracts tina,
they can fill. Without subsidies
the industry is extravaganza,
prosperous. We are buildin,
ships for al the world. Paying
higher wages and paying more 70
American materials than foreign
ers pay, we undersell them in tn,
ship market.
Mr. Roosevelt tells why-Ame1
lean workingmen produce NOR
and better articles than are pro
duced by foreign workingmen
That tells the story. No protec
ton is needed through the tariff
No subsidies are needed. Chi
cago Chronicle.
inflammation Wanted