The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-03


chant marine is such as to call Tor i'm.
mediate remidial action by the conGvvve.
II Is discreditsble 10 us ~ q nation that
our merchant marine shouid b utser'v
insignincant In comparison " that OF ntn-
er nations which We ovsrtop In ether
form, OF business. We should no loagsr
submit TO conditions under which only
trining portion or our great commsrce -
carried In our own ships. To remedy this
state or things would not merely serve ~
build up our shipping interests. but it
would also result IN benefit TO all whs
are Interested In the permanent establish
ment for American products. and would
provide an auxiliary force for tho navy.
Ships work for their own countries fcst
as railroads work for their terSn,nol
points. shipping lines. IL establish.
cd 10 ths principal countries with
which We have dealings. would be OF PC
litical as we'll AZ commercial beneet.
| From every standpoint II Is unwise Cor
the United states 10 continue to rely upon,
| the ships Oh competing nations for the
| distribution OF our goods. IL should be
| made advantageous 10 carry American
goods in American-built ships.
AT present American shipping Is under
| certain great disadvantages when put In
| competition with the shipping OF foreign
countries. Many OF the fast foreign
J steamships, at a speed OF IA knots or
| above. are subsidized; and all our ships.
| sailing vessels and steamers alike. cargo
| carriers OF slow speed and mail carriers
| OF high speed, have TO meet the fact
| that the original cost OF building Ameri-
| can ships Is greater than Is the case
| aboad; that the wages paid American of
| flcers and Seamen are very much higher
| than those paid the officers and seamen
/ OF foreign competing countries: and that
l the standard or living on our ships Is far
/ superior 10 the standard of living on
| the ships OF our commercial rivals.
Our government should take such ac-
| tion as will remedy these Inequalities.
| The American merchant marine should
be restored to the ocean.
| TIE BANKING LAW.
The act OF March Il. 1900. intended un-
| equivocally to establish gold as the stand
| ard money and to maintain at a parity
| Herewith all forms OF money medium
| In use with US, has been shown to be time
| ly and judicious. The price of our gov
| ernment bonds in the worlds market.
| when compared with the price OF similar
| obligations issued by other nations. Is
! flattering tribute to our public credit.
This condition II Is evidently desirable to
| maintain.
In many respects the National Banking
| law furnishes sufficient liberty for tho
| proper exercise of the banking function:
| but there seems to be need of better safe
| guards against the deranging influences
| OF commercial crises and financial panics-
! Moreover, the currency OF the country
| should be made responsive to the demands
OF our domestic trade and commerce.
The collections from duties or imports
| and internal taxes continue TO exceed
the ordinary expenditures OF the govern
| ment. thanks mainly TO tho reduced army
| expeditures. The utmost care should
be taken not TO reduce the revenues SO
that there will be any possibility OF =
deficit: but. after providing against any
1 a. I,a "a
ed which will bring the revenues more
| nearly within the limit of our actual
| needs In his report to the congress the
| secretary OF the treasury considers all
these questions at length. and ask your
attention TO the report and recommenda-
tions.
L call special attention to the need OF
strict economy In expenditures Tcc
fact that our national needs forbid us to
be niggardly In providing whatever Is
actually necessary to our well-being.
should make us doubly careful to hus-
band our national resources. as each Of
| US husbands his private resources. by
scrupulous avoidance Of anything like
wasteful or reckless expenditure. Only
| by avoidance of spending money on what
| Is needless or unjustifable can We legi-
| timately keep our income to the point
| required to meet our needs that are gen.
| uine.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
In 1887 a measure was enacted for the
| regulat ation of interstate railways, COM
monty known as the Interstate Commerce
act. The cardinal provisions OF that
act were that railway rates should be
just and reasonable and that all shippers.
| localities and commodities should be ac-
| corded equal treatment. commission
| was created and endowed with what were
| supposed to be the necessary powers to
execute the provisions of this act.
That law was largely an experiment.
| Experience has shown the wisdom OF its
| purposes, but has also shown. possibly
| that some of its requirements are wrong,
| certainly that the means devised for the
| enforcement OF its provisions arc defec-
| tive. Those who complain OF the manage
ment Of the railways allege that estab-
| lished rates are not maintained; that re-
| bates and similar devices are hAbitually
| resorted to- that these preferences are
usually I'm favor OF the large shipper:
that they drive out OF business the small
er competitor; that while many rates arc
} too low, many others are excessive. and
that gross preferences are made. AFFECT
ing both localities and commodities
Upon the other hand the railways as
sert that the law by It's very terms tends
TO produce many of these illegal practices
| by depriying carriers OF that right OF
concerted action which they Claim Is
necessary TO establish and maintain non
discriminating rates.
| The act should be amended. The rail-
| way is public servant. Its rates should
he just 10 and open TO all shippers alike.
The government should see to IL that
| within it's Jurisdiction this Is so and
should provide a speedy, inexpensive and
effective remedy 70 that end. At the same
time ii must not be forgotten that our
railways are the arteries through which
!. the commercial lifeblood of this nation
flows. Nothing could be more foolish
than the enactment OF legislation which
would unnecessarily interfere with the
development and operation of these COM
mercial agencies. The subject Is one OF
, great Importance and calls for the earn
est attention OF the congress.
DEPARTMENT or AGRICULTURE.
The department. OF agriculture during
hte past j. years has steadily broadencd
its work on economic lines, and has ac-
con plished results of real value I'm up
building domestic and foreign trade. It