The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-30
ARE FOR SUBSIDIES
BOARD OF TRADE MEMBERS WANT
AMERICAN SHIPS PROTECTED.
DELEGATES so INSTRUCTED
NO VOICE NON Vote DIsSENTED
FROM THIS POSITION.

e&ates to the bPunsWIck maritime
Congress to Support Resolutions
Calling Upon Congress 10 Enact a
ship-SubsIdy DiII-DemOcratic Doc
trines Suffered an Eclipse-"NO
Time for Antiquated Sentiment"
Declared MIR. j. II. Williams.
If the shades of Thomas jefferson and
some of the cd fathers of the Democratic
party in Georgia had attended the meet
ing the Board of Trade held yesterday
morning the disembodied spirits would
have been forced 10 the conclusion that
they had dropped down in the wrong pew
Had they fingered for lite while, how
ever and gradually been forced to the
conclusion thai it was a gather
ing of men who have been
Democrats all their lives, most of whom,
in the days when political tenets were
articles of faith and not of business, have
registered intentions to live and die in the
party; had the shades associated this
memory with the fact thai of all places,
all this was happening in Savannah-and
then had heard one of the thirty-nine art
icles of the Democratic creed spoken of
with amused coHtempt, it can be imagn-
ed that jefferson. ct al, to use the ex-
pressive language of the streets, would
have flew the coop.
without one dissenting vote or remon-
strating voice the Board of Trade COM
mitted itself to the movement providing
for ship-subsidies and virtually instructed
its representatives to the Maritime Con-
gress at Brunswick to uphold this side
OF the controversy. The resolutions are
trihe vague, but before they were passed,
discussion had provided everyone present
with clear understanding of just what
they We're intended to convey. That par
ticular tenet of Democracy which de-
clares it to be a monstlous thing for
government to subsidzt private enter,
pulses. died perfectly cam and easy
death 1t went down to its grave so
far as the assembled members of the
Hoard of Trade were concerned, 'unwept,
unhonored aid unsung." and without any
thing mort inspiring than pair of news
paper reporters to pipe a modest requiem
DER its grave.
Capt. d. G. Purse, president of the
Board of Trade, called the meet
ing to order. There were present
Messrs. j. p. Williams, e. S. Player,
Henry Blum, C. Wallace Howard J. P.
Merrihew, c. L. Chestnut, John r.
3 Young. c. Schwarz, H. Wybert, A. B.
Moore, George p. Walker, r. G. Fleming,
c. w. saussy. NJ. P. Usina. Walter E.
Coney, ]. A. G. Carson j. F. c. Myers,
w. c. Powell, j. D. Chestnut, Lawrence
Mcneil, John r. Walsh and a number
of others. Gen. W. w. Gordon. who had
led the fight against the Endorsement of
ship-subsidies at the meeting held on the
preceding afternoon, was not in attend
ance.
In calling the meeting TO order. Capt.
Purse stated its purpose. He said that
there seemed no reason to doubt that the
question of ship-subsidies would be among
those considered at Brunswick's Maritime
Congress and that it was important that
the Board of Trades representatives at
the congress should be instructed what
part they should play and how they
should vote in this matter.
The Subsidy Resolutions.
The resolutions, offered by Mr.. Williams
at the meeting of Monday afternoon, were
read by the secretary, Capt Ches-
4 mutt. These were printed in full In the
Morning News. After reciung the deea-
dence of the American merchant marine
and the necessity of the prompt adoption
of measures looking to its retuvenescence,
the resolutions continue:
Resolved further, That we do not de-
clare our approval or disapprovel of the
subsidy bill now before Congress- but we
do deprecate the intimation that an effort
will be made in the convention to exclude
from the debate the question of subsidiz-
In n Inc -l.sN e.
which VEGAS people, now suffering;
believing as we do that solution of the
perp. extng problem can only be arrived at
by weig hing the relative merits of the
various remedies which may he sug-
gested."
Al,er the resolutions had been read the
chairman declared the subject open for
discussion, and invited those present to
say what they thought. Mr. Will
liams was the first to accept this invita-
tion.
Mr.. Williams began by saying that the
decadence of American shipping began
more than forty years ago in 1867. Up to
that time this country had waged GER
tainly equal warfare with Great Britain
Tor the carrying trade of the globe and
there were promising factors in the
growth of American shipping that SEEM
ed to promise this country would even
tuaily outstrip its rival
Z Then the British began to build metal
ships, in which class of marine architec-
ture this country not then DR. pared
to compete. On top of this came the C vii
War. when Southern cruisers and priva-
teers swept the United States merchant
marine from the seas and when so many
of the merchant ships were trans formed
by the United States government into
vessels of war. From this double blow.
the merchant marine of this country has
never recovered.
In 1867, said Mr.. w l'iams, the United
States paid to Great Britain the sum of
SIP 10000 for FIRE ght; in 1897 thirty years
later this sum had been increased TO
$500 0O00 900. Mr.. Wi lams said it was
probable that the United States pay an
nually to countries other than Great Brit
ain the further sum OF 100000 600 MAX
ing" he exc'a med. 1.-The sum paid for
eign shipowners for the b essed privilege
of carrying our products. the enormous
one of s500000,000 per annum.
Il have heard It said" said Mr. Will
Jams, that legislation is unnecessary to
remedy this state of facts. How any
gentleman, who is willing to disabuse his
mind of prejudice and senu nent, can re oh
such a conclusion, 1 am unable to con-
ceive."
To Strengthen Merchant Marine.
Mr.. Williams then sketched ra pidly the