The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1902-01-02
Ships Not Subsidized When
They Thronged the Seas.
CAUSE OF THEIR DESTRUCTION.

Roosevelt's Message Made No suE-
Eestion For Building Up That Once
Great Industry - Subsidies Would
Impose Fresh Robbery on the Peo-
pIe--The Remedy Is Plain.
It Is a matter OF regret that President
Roosevelt did not in his message enter
more fully into the question of ship
subsidies" and at least have given some
suggestion as to the best method Of
building up our merchant marine"
says the Cincinnati Enquirer. More Of
the message could have been most prof
itably employed had President Roose-
velt entered into a historical detail,
which, while 1t would have perhaps
trenched on the pet theory of the policy
of the Republican party, would have
solved the reason why the commercial
marine Of the United States is now In a
dwarfed condition. 1t was not always
30. Within forty-fve years the CONNER
cial marine of the United States was not
only the pride Of this country, but was
the envy of all peoples who In 1856
sent their hardy sailors to all lands in
a commercial marine. President Roose-
welt in that decade had not made his
infant arrival, and consequently 1t was
not possible for him to have personal
experience, as had other, but not better,
statesmen who had been born in the
earlier decades of the nineteenth cen
tury.
However, President Roosevelt has
no doubt thoroughly investigated the
causes which gave to our country its
remarkable success in the construction
of commercial marine during the
fourth and fifth decades Of the century
which closed year ago. He Is famil-
lar with the fact that between the
years 1916 and 1861 the barks, brlgan-
tines, clipper ships, stout three mast
ers, with spars crowded with canvas,
visited all waters and bore the flag Of
our country to the view of the peoples
OF all lands These fleets were not
subsidized; they were not built in for
eign shipyards; they possessed no ad-
yantages over the fleets Of other coun-
tries except the skill of our shipbuild-
ers and the exceeding cheapness Of the
material used in the construction of
our then commercial navy. Every i'm
portant city on our coast lines had we'll
appointed shipyards. The din Of the
industry filled the air with the Sound
of hammers closing rivets up"
To very large degree this active
and profitable industry Is among the
''things that were" Would it not be
an exhibition of wisdom II President
Roosevelt were to make diligent in
quiry into the causes which have
brought this sad change about7 1t is
believed that the president Is wise
and courageous man, that no Fetch
spirit iphabits his mental and physical
makeup, that be is able and Is compe-
tent 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 de-
struction of the ships which visited all
seas and carried the benign influence
to oil the people OF the earth that there
existed a land known as the United
States, where all people enjoyed liber-
ty and were untrammeled by restric-
tion laws.
Probably no man knows more fully
than does President Roosevelt the rea-
son which caused the decay Of Ameri-
can shipping. Let him ceurageously set
forth his opinions. Let. him explain to
the people the character and effect Of
the operations Of the navigation laws"
Let him seize every opportunity which
has never in the history of our country
been given to its chief ruler. Let him
meet this opportunity fully and cour-
ageously.
The trade of this country, notwith-
standing the inimcal influence which
legislation has conceived to hamper
complete developm, Mt of 1t, is larger,
more prosperous and more profitable
than ever in it's history. Why should
not the president aid to enlarge it?
Why should he not recommend that all
barriers should be removed? Why
should not the president lessen the bur-
dens Of indirect taxation. which goes
to the benefit Of few men and which
is really paid to them by the people,
who furnish every ounce Of freight
which Is sent from our ports and nine
tenths Of which Is carried In foreign
bottoms? Is not the national treasury
overflowing with money raised from
indirect taxation?
Are the people not paying millions Of
dollars by the nonuse of their natural
materials? Is the commercial freight
undesired by American shIpowners2
Can President Roosevelt reinaugurate
the shipbulldns Industry without brlb-
Ing the shIpowners and impose fresh
robbery ON the people?