The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-10-24
SECRETARY SHAW FOR MERCHANT
MARINE.

The secretary of the treasury, in
recent address In Detroit, spoke
in favor of an American merchant
marine, saying that the government
alone could build it up. He spoke in
part as follows:
1.-THE question of markets is one of
paramount importance. We export
annually, in round numbers, 81. $780,
900, 600, but of this amount more than
81, 900, 600, 600 goes TO Europe. The
population of Europe is, i'll round
numbers, 300, 900, 900. How long can
we expect less than one fourth of the
population of the globe to consume
seventy per cent. of our surplus? We
must not only hold the markets we
have. but we must seek new ones I'M
der other skies and on the shores of
other seas. The Republican party
pledged itself to the people of the
United States in its platform adopted
at Philadelphia, that it would give
aid and assistance to the establish
ment of trade carrying fleet 1t did
not pledge itself to any particular
bill; simply declared in favor of
policy, and leaves 1t to Congress to
work out the details of the policy.
IOT6lkH III III W
years has increased 400 per cent, but
the aggregate tonnage OF foreign COM
MERGE carried to and from the ports OF
this country in American bottoms
has fallen off two-thirds. In other
words, we have four times as much
to carry, but we actually carry only
one-t third as much as formerly. We
have the best coastwlse trade ill the
world, but it is, and ever has been, pro-
teeted. We have allowed no ship owned
by foreigner, or built in foreign
country, to register. Thus it is that
more American tonnage passes this
city of Detroit than all the foreign
commerce that enters the port of New
York aud the port of Liverpool COM
blned. And under every ton of it is
ship manned by American labor,
and over every pound of it floats the
American flag. Thus we have Gre
ated an American monopoly of our
coastwise and lake trade. But instead
OF it's resulting in advanced rates. it
has given us the cheapest transporta
ton in the world.
AIDED RAILROADS. WHY NOT SHIPS?
1.-THE government granted aid to
the construction of the first transcon-
tinental lines of railroad. This sub
sidy was sometimes in the form of
money, sometimes in the form of
land, sometimes both. AS a result,
we have the best system of railroads
IN the world, and the cheapest rates.
The time has come when we must
construct, not transcontinental lines,
but transoceanic lines.
"A ship subsidy bill has passed the
Senate. i am not speaking i'll its
favor, but after all that has been
said against it, it is due those who
have labored in it's interest to say
that the drain upon the treasury
would be intinitesimal.
at would cost the people 5000, :
900, 900 a year to carry their trans
oceanic freight, and under the bill as
it passed the Senate, not to exceed
81, 200, 900 can in any wise be paid ont
until more ships are built, and when
ever ship is constructed, ninety
five per cent. of its cost goes to labor,
and have never yet raised my voice
against expanding the public revenues,
which come from the rich and we'll
TODD, in such ways as throw ninety
five per cent. q it to labor. SO,
without discussing the merits of the
bill, | want to urge the importance of
a bill constructed upon very different
lines, one that shall insure regular
steamship communication to South
American countries, South African
countries and the islands adjacent
1t is idle to suppose that steamship
lines will be established to those
ports without government aid.