The age-herald., 1901-11-15
Senator McLauTin Speaks At Annual Dinner of SOuth-
 eTn Cotton Spinners
WEAKNESS AT SEA 4 DANGER
Advocates an American Merchant Marine to Extend the Foreign Trade of the country-Will
 Benefit the South.

session of the Southern Cotton Spinners'
 Association convened this morning in the ballroom of the Kimball House. The att tendance of delegates was large.
 After the welcoming addresses, Dr. J.
 H. McAden, president of the associa-
 tion, delivered his annual address He recommended declaration by the spin
 ners in favor of a merchant marine ''up-
 or basis that will give all American
 citizens an equal chance, prevent favorit-
 ism, being entrenched, and recognize the
 producing classes in the reduction of 1 freight rates"
 l He also favored the building and con-
 struction, as soon as possible, of the l isthmiar canal. On reciprocity, Dr. Mo-
 Alden said:
 "The immense balance of trade in our | favor creates the necessity of our finding
 market for our surplus products. We 1 should do all that we can to advance
 both the letter and the spirit of reciproci-
 ty. We especially desire closer commer-
 cial relations with South America and | the Orient.
 During the afternoon the delegates were
 given an excursion around Atlanta by | was given at which Senator McLaurin
 and Hon. Hoke Smith spoke
 Senator McLaurin Speaks.
 Senator McLaurin said:
 We are the dawning of a new day
 of progress in the history of the world.
 A better era is fast approaching when all
 peoples will have a more perfect under
 standing of the brotherhood of man and
 the independence of nations. For two | thousand years the policies of the world | have been conducted upon the inhuman
 idea of shedding blood. This has served
 a useful purpose in the civilization of
 mankind. awful as 1t Is to contemplate:
 but that purpose has now been accom- plished. Until very recently commerce
 was not deemed a proper subject for gov- ernmental consideration. There is no di-
 rect department of commerce in any gov- 1 ernment except that of Germany. The | moving considerations prompting the set- clement of the Chinese trouble were com- I merciai. The time will come when the | best minds of every country will be called
 upon to adjust the complicated questions | of foreign trade, and the consular officers
 at the leading ports of commerce will
 equal in importance the diplomatic ann
 bassadors."
 In connection with the extension of the
 souths foreign trade, Senator McLaurin
 advocated an American merchant marine.
 Our weakness upon the sea is the one | great danger that confronts the na- | tion," said the Senator.
 .If ships could be built in the United ted .Aor nrrF. l flag as cheaply as they are under ola | flags, it would be unnecessary for our 1 government to do more than to offset the 1 subsidies, bounties, naval reserve re- l tainders and other methods by wnicn tor- | eign governments attract capital into | merchant ships built and managed oy | their own people
 eve must not imagine that American l capital Is dependent upon national legis- l lation in order to make ship owning pay. l We have ample evidence of large Ameri- | can investments in foreign-ouiit snlpss
 manned and operated by foreigners in l our foreign trade. However, much our | people may have invested in foreign ships | they are unavailable under the interna-
 tional law when at war as naval auxila- 1 ries.
 May Be Used Against United Statea | Another thing we should remember. | these very ships ana tne Inen etnpto}t to | on board of them, may be turned against | the United States in the event of our l becoming involved in war with the nation | whose flag they fly.
 | The object of extending government aid | to the upbuiding of our merchant marine | is to secure adequate protection for the nation upon the sea and the mere fact that the investment has been made att tractive to American capital is an inci- dent of the transaction" we do not want to see the isthmian canal become merely foreign highway of commerce" said the senator. i've do not want our millions expended merely to become bounty to foreign shipping It should be an American highway and we should so develop our mercantile ma. rine that with the opening of this great | canal our own flag shall predominate "The South will be the immediate ben. | eficiary of that great waterway when | it is constructed"
 | In conclusion Senator McLaurin said: What we need in this country today | is a non-sectional patriotism and states | manship more devoted to the building up | of our country, than the achievement of 1 party success. Great national or busi- | ness questions involving the glory of | our republic, and the prosperity of our | people should not be dwarfed into mers | party questions"
 | | No Plague In London Hospital.