The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-13

competing countries. thus placing farther
off the distance which the American mer-
chant marine must traverse before it can
be equal to that of the countries named
I'VE are looking forward to that posi-
ton which we are entitled to as world
power" said Mr.. DepeW, "but as a mat
ter of fact, we are crippled because we
cannot open communications which are
necessary to accomplish that commercial
result without the active assistance of
the subsidized ships of our rivals in bust
ness"
'Tt is a curious fact" said he, that
while our friends, the enemy" referring
to the Democratic senator's, "are so sem
sitive about the expenditure of $2,000,00
a year to perfect our mail service to
places where we hope to have commerce,
they vote for the carrying of mail on
profitable mail lines in the domestic serv-
ice.''
Interrupted by Bacon.
He presented figures to show that the
arguments of the opponents of the BILL
as to the prosperity of American ship
yards were not we'll founded. He de-
clared that vessels aggfegating SO 900 tons
had been constructed in American ship
yards for the foreign trade during the
past ten years, while in Great Britain
during one year-the last year available
in statistics-150 100000 tons of ships had
been constructed. He suggested that the
difference between these figures was so
extraordinary that the opposition SEN
ators ought to pass them up in their
committee rooms as a constant reminder
of the decline Of the American merchant
marine.
Mr.. Bacon, of Georgia, suggested that
in order to be fair and accurate, the fig
nf the American construction OIpht
to include the vessels built for the United
States for coastwise trade. These figures
Mr. Depew did not give, but he said
they would add not very materially to
the total
Referring incidentally to the present
situation in New York, Mr.. Depew said
one of the greatest handicaps to the
national Democracy had been Tammany.
He said great hope had been builded
upon the fact that brilliant and culti-
waited gentleman recently had been
placed at the head of the Tammany or
ganization. This was Lewis Nixon, an
American shipbuilder.
Mr.. Depew then quoted from a paper
read by Mr.. Nixon before a recent an
nual meeting of an association of naval
architects, in the course of which he had
said that when the United States was in
position to build several hundred mer-
chant ships every year this country would
be able to compete with foreign ship
yards. Until such a demand was pre-
sented the United States would be unable
to compete successfully with ship con-
struction in foreign yards.
Give us the Means said Mr.. Depew,
''by which American ships may be run
under the American flag, and then we
will build the ships in competition with
foreign shipyards. a=sr@a-
Would Offer Investors Inducement.
The New York senator said he did not
know whether Mr.. Pferpont Morgan had
purchased the Leyland line of ships OF
not but if he had, it was because the
line could be operated at a profit. He
did not know anything concerning the
statement that Mr. Morgan had expressed
no intention of bringing the vessels I'M
der the American flag and giving them
an American register. AIR. Morgan and
those whom he represented. said Mr.. De-
pew, were acute business men. If they
could afford to fly the American flag over
their vessels they would do so, but they
could not be expected to fly the Ameri-
can flag when by so doing they would be
forced to run their ships at a loss.
During the past decade, Mr.. Depew said
So, goo. 100000 had been invested by Ameri-
can capitalists in manufacturing indus
tries. Vast sums had been invested in
railroads and mines. Similar immense
sums had not gone into American ship
yards because figures could not be pro
duced which would show the investor
that he could get 49, money back, not
to mention fair return upon his Invest
ment.
Takes Lesson From Germany.
Mr.. Depew referred to the subsidie: