The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1902-01-02
THE COMMERCIAL MARINE.
Complete DcseiopEeas ~ 0eeaG
Trade HampeEed ~ IRinstcmI
LenisIatisa4

IL Is . matter Of regret that Pres.
dent Roosevelt did not In hls message
enter more fully into the question Of
ship subsidies" and al least have
given some suggestion a. to the best
method OF building mp our merchant
marine" More Of the message could
have been most prohtahly employed
had President Roosevelt entered into
historical detail. which. while ~ would,
perhaps, have tTebchrd on the
pet sheory Of the policy af the
republican party, would have solved
the reason why the commercial
marine of she United States
Ia row in dwarsed condition.
II was not always so. within Is years
the commercial marine Of she United
States was not only thc pride OF this
country, bus was the envy of all grO-
ples who, Ia 1885. sent their hardy
saiioI= 90 oil lands IN a commercial
marine. President Roosevelt In that
decade had not made his infant ar
rival. and consequently Il was not pos
sihle for him 10 have personal cxpe-
rience, ~ had other, but nat better,
statesmen. who had been born iI thr
earlier decades of the nineteenth cen
tury.
However, President Roosevelt has.
no doubt, thoroughly investigated the
causes which gave To our country it,
remarkable success In the construc-
tion Of O commercial marine during
the fourth and ffth decades of she
century which closed year ago. lie
IL .>.s.s;..,sr with the fact that between
the years 1850 and 1851 Ia, barka. brig.
Antines, clipper ships, stout three
masters, with spsrH crowded with can
vas, visited all waters, aud bore the
flag of our country 20 the view Of the
peoples of all lands. These flccts we're
not subsidized. They we're not built
In iorrign shipysrds. They PoEseSsed
no advantages over the flects Of other
countries. except the skin ~ csz ahiI-
builders and the exceeding cheappcs,
Of the material used ~ The roustruc.
tion Of our then commercial navy.
Every impurtan; city on our coast
lines had we'll appointed shipyards.
The din of the ,s,iuatry a!lrd ;he air
with the Sound OF hammers closing
-ivcts up."
To n very large degree this active
and profitable Industry iH among 'thr
things that were" Would Il not hc m
exhibition Of wisdom IL President
Roosevelt were to make diiigant IN.
Quiry into the causes which have
brought this sad change about? II Is
believed that the president u n wise
and courageous man-that no fetch
spirit inhabith his mrntsi and physical
make-ap-thAt he Is able and IL com
petent to sound the depths In which
the merchant marine lies buried, and
that he has the courage to set forth
the causes and the means used In the
destruction Of the ships which visited
all seas. and carried the benign in
fiasnce TO all the people Of che earth
that there existed n land known ar
the United States. where ell people
rHlayed liberty. and were untrsm-
msled by restriction laws. says tSe
Cincinnati Enquirer.
Probably no man knows more fully
than does preslden, Roosevelt the rca.
son which caused the decay Of Amer.
lean shipping. Let him cour-Trously
set forth hiS opinions. let him explain
10 the people the chararter and cffec,
Of the operation ~ the navigation
laws" let him seize every opportun.
It's which has never. In the history of
our country, been given to itE chief
ruler. let him meet this opportunity
ful9 and c0uracrOusly.
The trade Of this country, nutwith-
standing the inimlcal influence which
lcglslAtion has conceived 10 hamper a
complete development Of Is. 10 larger
more prosperous and more profitable
than ever IN its history. Why should
not the president aid to enlarge it7
Why should he not recommend that
all barriers shall be remoyed2 WHY
should not the president lessen the
burdens Of indirect taxation. which
Foes To- the benefit Of few men. aud
which is really paid 20 them by the
people who furnish every ounce of
freight which is sent from our ports,
and nins-tenths of which Is carried IN
foreign bottoms. Is not the national
treasury oyerhowing with money
raised from indirect taxation7
Are the people not paying millions
II dollarr by the nonuse of their nat.
uTal materisls7 " the commercial
freight undssired by american ship
nwBersP Can President Roosevelt re-
mangurate the Thipbuilding industry
without briblng the shipowncrs, and
impose = fresh robbery an the pcople7