The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-18
REvIvlNG AMERICAN SHIPPING.

4
The American flag afioat in every
harbor of the world American bottoms
carrying.-the products of mill and field
to distant ports, the seamen of the Ma
ton spreading the fame of the colin-
try in all lands which deal with the
Yankee trader, has been the dream Of
the latter day statesman. Steadily has
the merchant marine declined under the
influence of competing foreign bounty
raid bottomss until it's recovery was
seen to be a matter for strong renisSl4es.
Then it was that the Republican party
took up the matter seriously, and the
dream now promises to become reality.
The shipping bill which bears the
name of the president protein of the
senate, Frye, and not that of the Junior
senator from Ohio, as the opposition
press insists, will be one of the fore
most Of party measures in the coming
session Of Congress, and that 1t will
become law very soon is more than a
. hope. With the amendments when
have been prepared during the recess,
there seems no block IN the way but
the opposition of the Democracy, ana
that, while it may delay action, viii
during this long term. There will be
the same fractional opposition which
was aroused during the last session,
but the fighters against progress have
been practically disarmed by the
changes suggested, and the bill will
command the entire Republican vote
when it comes up.
The point upon which the greatest
amount of fighting was done during
the last session was the high limit
placed upon the speed of the ships
which might earn an added amount of
freight charge. There was, of course,
much opposition when the speed was
put as high as sixteen knots. At that
figure there was objection that the most
of the millions appropriated would go
to the fast liners, which as express
ships, carry only mail. But the speed
of ships will be lowered, the crews will
have to be Of American sailors and the
supplies will have to be bought in our
own country, in so far as possible.
With these changes there will be little
opposition which may be urged to the
bill, and the arguments in it's favor
will be so many and so solid that there
promises to be early passage for the
measure.
What the bill will do for American
shipping seems to be easily estimated.
The same kind of tactics have made
merchant navies for Norway and Italy
for France and Germany and will be
as successful in America, Opposed to
1t is the old cry of free ships, but what
this country wants is not so much the
ships, as that they shall be built in
our own yards, that our own mechanics
may be permitted to have the work of
their building. 1t is not too much to
say that the magnificent cargo boats
now plying between this port and New
York are owed to the fact that the
Republican party made its declaration
that all possible advantages would be
given to our own ships.
The great impetus given to the build
ing of vessels for trade in this ocean
is primarily due to this same fact. and
there is every reason to believe that
once it becomes settled beyond perad-
venture that the shipping bill is to be-
come law, there will be a fleet of great
vessels under the Stars and Stripes
blowing the Pacific, which will make
this port the veritable cross roads. and
the benefits which will come to the
business of the city will be In direct
proportion.
This as all other beneficent policies,
Is Republicanfsm pure and simple, and
President Roosevelt stands for il as did
President Mckinley.