The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-05-22

Of railroad and steamship
lines by government aid was advocated.
South Carolina subsidized railroads before
the war. Two million dollars were gwen 10
never been completed. think that l can say
that nearly every line OF road constructed IN
this State before the war was subsidized,
either directly or ind! !rectly: Ihe LeglsIature
OF Louisiana granted q subsidy OF 500 per
ton for every vessel Of more than lOO tons
bull In the State. Alabama gave s4OO Ton,
and exempted from taxation all goods I'm.
The National Government connected the
Atlantic and the Pacific by subsidizing rail-,
roads. and by this policy we have unequaled
railroad facilities, and have developed our In
ter state traffic to such an extent thai we are
now forced To seek an outlet for our surplus
products. All that is proposed. is 10 folloW
in developing our foreign trade the same
principles that have succeeded In our inter-
nal development. Is there anything new or
strange in this? 1t is good common business
sense. What difference in principle Is there
between the State Government subsidlzlng
railroads, and the Federal Government
steamship lines?
WHAT DOES BRYAN THINK OF HIS PoLITI-
CAL PARTNER OF 1896?
have in my hand an article advocating
au bsidies by Mr.. Sewall, who was on the
Bryan ticket In 1896. 1 would like to know
what Mr.. Bryan thinks OF the Democracy OF
his recent political partner, since he has at
tackled mine" Twenty years ago, when we
wished to develop manufacturing In South
Carolina, did we not subsidize every cotton
mill by exempting IL from taxation? Whai
progressive town or county has not subsid.
lied railroads or other enterprises essential Ia
it's development? never saw an individual,
who ever amounted to anything, who was
afraid to spend money on himself, and 40 1t is
with towns, counties, States and govern
ments.
VOTING SUBSIDIES TO RAILROADS AND
NEWSPAPERS.
Why should the Southern people. in the
face OF these facts, repudiate the spirit OF six.
ty years ago? What gross inconsistency for
Senators andRepresentativ yes to denounce the
subsidy principle and endeayor to @ arouse nt tne
one OF them from the South each year votes
subsidy to the Southern Railroad for carrying
the fast mail to New Orleans.
Why, fellow.citizens, they voted for POST
with q subsidy Of thirty-flve million dollars
for carrying the mails. 1t ia really q subsidy
10 the magazines and newspapers OF tne c0nn.
try, for the receipts are that much less IMAM
the expenditures for that class OF mail.
subsidy of nine millions per year is much
more defensible, In my Judgment, IN the de.
velopment of our foreign trade. We spend
millions of dollars building naval vessels
vessels useful both In war and peace? Every
vessel accepting the subsidy is part OF the
navy In time Of war. The question Is not al
to the principle OF the subsidy bill, that is o
part OF our established policy, both State and
National, but IL Is whether this particular
subsidy is for the general welfare. Is 1t ex.
pedIent, is 1t wise, and ! shall devote few
moments to this aspect OF the case. Ihere
was 4 time when, by governmen aid and en-
couragemept, we had merchant marine
and carried ninety per cent. Of our products
abroad. Last year only nine per cent. was
carried in American bottoms. Why is this?
EUROPE VS.. UNITED STATES.
It is because In this contest Of Europe
against the United States, foreign ship'own'
ers get a subsidy from their Governments ol
twenty.six million dollars, besides the adyan
tage Of lower wages. and have thus driven the
American flag from the high seas. We pay
this subsidy to the foreign ships 10 increased
drained OF two hupdred millions year Whlcn
we pay foreign vessels In freights. NO other
country could stand such drain. After all
then. we are paying a subsidy, and hence II is
a question Of whether we will subsidize
American or foreign vessels. II Is useless for
me to discuss before this intelligent audience
the Importance OF our foreign trade. II Eu'
rope and the United States are to be com peti'
ford to put ourselves entirely in their hands
The power to fix freight rates gives them the
power 10 fix the price OF our cotton, whea,
and man ufactured products.
Suppose there should be general European
war. and the merchant marine OF England
Germany and Norway was pressed In fol
transport service. What would be the effect
on cotton and cotton goods? / tell you. that
you would see cotton hauled Into the streets
of Green willie and not sold at three centa, bui
simply hauled back home. There would be
no BUYERS, because there would be no ships to
carry cotton or cotton goods abroad, business
OF :,il kinds would lsnguisb, and there would
be failures on every hand. Conditions have
changed before the war we were buyers
abroad, now we are sellers. We are asking
foreigners not to exchange products, but tc
come here to buy. Nothing would suHer ln
case of European war like cotton. They
would have to come here to buy wheat, corn
bacon, mules and horses, as England did In
the Boer War, but they could do without cot
ion for q year or SO. All the ships would be
needed for war uses. Foodstpns nigh ana .,1S nc
worse? What, then, Is more dependent on
American ships than the cotton crop?
COMMON SENSE AGAINST NATURAL BORN
FOOLS.
Does any man OF common sense suppose In
this reat contest for the trade o. the orient
that ihe ships Of Germany and England are
going to give us the same advantages tha
fhev DO their own merchants? As Mr.. Thur.
Der, of New York, recently said, every SNIP
ia a missionary of trade, and steam lines
work for their own countries just as railw
absurd for the United States to rely upon for
eign rhipa to distribute her goods. as 1t would
be for one business house TO rely upon the
wagons OF competing house to make It's de-
iiveries.n There is no section 40 vitality in
teresi ed In sh ips as the South. Why, Charles.
ton. Mobile and New Orleans should rival
New York 80 far rs harbors are concerned.
THE RAILROAD LINES AGAINST INCREASED
SHIPPING.
We have already felt the benefits Of our Asi,
etic trade. and In 1t lies the possibilities OF
our future, but we must have cheap freight,
rapid transportation. and the prestige OF the
American flag over our own ships. Our
Southern ports are disorimlnated against py
the same great railroad lines that are fight
inc the opportunity for an American mer-
chant marine We must have Southern
commerce, not a Southern trade. That same
influence has prevented the construction OF
tbere me wv will be 10 capai until its friends and
the advocates OF a merchant marine join
forces and work In harmony. The two are In
separnble. They will either fall together or
succeed together s Wasn nd pdas soutb te insieed
of East and West. Our ports W. ii be the gate.
ways and the South Will develop Win un-
eounlled rapidty. Cam OF any man Of sense see
tSat the money power headed by c PHuntlng-
ion and Hill, with great railway systems run
Ming East and West, do not want .freighis de-
fiecfed South? With this change, the sea-
board Coast Line and Southern would rival In
oroatness the three trans-eontinental lines.
rhe producer OF raw material will prosper,
inst In proportion to the demand for his pro-
duct. All that our Southern people have TO
do now is 10 be wise and conservatives ana
favor the great public measures looking TO
the promotion Of the material and Industrial
interests OF the country and the honor and
glory OF the nation.
DO YOUR OWN THINKING.
ow.ci,izens, with so many things to
talk about IL has not Geen possible for me TO
do more than skim the surface, but hope l
have been so fortunate as 10 exotic desire on
your part to investigate for yourseii aoa not
lei come old moss back, who does not know