The Washington times., 1901-11-15
THE CONTROL OF COTTON.
Senator McLaurin Resents Eng
lands Power in the Market.
The Trade. He States Before South
ern Spinners. should he Entirely
In American Hands-PIea for Ship
Subsidy and the Isthmian Canal.

IN American hands-flea LOT snip
Subsidy and the Isthmian Canal.
ATLANTA, Ga. Nov Ex-senator John
l.. McLaurin delivered an address before
the Southern Cotton Spinners' Associa-
tion in this city this evening. In the
opening of his speech he referred to the
upbuilding of Atlanta by the union of
Southern and Northern capital. 1t was an
object lesson, he declared, and showed
the possibilities that his hearers could
achieve. With the combined effort of the
East ana the South, they could control
the cotton industry of the world.
Mr.. McLaurin took occasion to reiter-
ate his view on the subject Of ship subsi-
dies. Referring 10 the present position
of Great Britain in relation TO the cotton
market, he said:
GU all know the magnitude of the cot
ton business, and have studied the qucs-
tons pertaining TO The home and foreign
markets for your produce But occupied
as has been your time in solving the i'm
portant problems arising in the handling,
the manufacturing. and the sale Of cot
ton, IL is possible that you nave not taken
the time 10 go into the broader subject
OF what the future viii bring to those who
now meet in this convention.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
world depends upon American cotton for
its raiment the American planter or the
the worlds cotton markets. That this
control is not only possible but demanded
by the natural laws of trade appears upon
the face of the proposition. We should
control the market for American cotton,
and dictate the terms upon which the
world shall be clothed with this great
American product.
I'm connection with the extension of
our foreign trade l desire to refer to an
important matter which should be settled
and settled right. l announced myself
during the last session of Congress as in
favor of a subsidy for American mer-
chant marine. because 1 felt that 1t was
essential to adequate national defence and
Development. Our weakness upon the sea
is the one great danger that coIfronts the
nation.
'If ships could be built in the United
States as cheaply and operated under our
flag as cheaply as they are under other
flags. it would be unnecessary for our
Government 10 40 more than to offset
the subsidies boUnties, naval reserve re-
tainers and other methods by which for
eign Governments attract capital into
merchant ships built and managed by
their own people.
Another reason why the South is in
terested in American ships is that when
the Isthmian Canal is constructed. we
may be able TO utilize it with our ships
and commerce. We do not want to see
the Isthmiau Canal become merely a for
eign highway of commerce, we do not
want our millions expended merely to
become d bounty to foreign shipping 1t
should be an American highway, and we
should so develop oar mercantile marine
that with the opening OF this great canal
our own nag shall prcdominate at the
masthead Of majority of the ships that
it accommodates.
The South win be the Immediate ben
eficiary of that great waterway when
ii is constructed
our Gulf ports will become great
marts of trade and our products will
invade Mexico, South and Central Amer
lea, the West Indies, and the Orient in
ever increasing volume. l believe that
in time the chief commercial and mari
time point of the whole country will CEN
tire at one of our South Atlantic or Gulf
ports. And the time to begin is now, not
when the canal is constructed.
we hear much now OF reciprocity. II
is no new doctrine. II is as old as the
Republic itself. The second act Of our
statute book bearing the signature of
George Washington laid the cornerstone
of the whole system II was carried into
effect first by Andrew Jackson in the i'm
position of discriminating duties upon
foreign ships. and then into active trade
by Franklin Pierce The principle is a
good one, goods are not TO be taken free
Of duty, or at low rate from any coun-
try unless that country takes goods free,
or at low rate from us.
In the earlier days. the tariff was not
a partisan or sectional question. and IT
should not be so now. The first pro-
tectiye tariff bill was introduced into Con-
gress by Lowndes Of South Carolina, and
advocated by Calhoun. Cheves. and Clay.
while it was opposed by Daniel Webster.
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
party success. Great national or business
questions involving the glory Of our Re
public. and the prosperity Of our people.
should not be dwarfed into mere party
questions.
''The business Of raising and .nanufact-
uring cotton should no longer be depend
ent upon British prices and control. The
next decade should bring about a period
of growth which viii far surpass any like
period in the history Of the United States.
In this convention are gathered men with
ample ability to solve the problems which
confront them. and with capital sufti-
cient to carry out such plans as they may
form. We look 10 you gentlemen to take
a very important part in the era Of pros
perity which we have every reason to
hope will be loLg continued"