Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-03-16
LABOR CONSTITUTES
MAIN COST OF VESSELS
Government Aid and a Fostering
Maritime Policy Should Be Given
To American Built
Vessels.

ping bill, which he discussed from the |
point of an American business man. |
His arguments were carefully prepar.
ed. He was always forceful and earn.
est and at times became eloquent. He
commanded the undivided attention Of
the Senate and OF the galleries and
wnen he closed he received congratu.
lations from many of his colleagues.
Hanna's remarks were principally
in answer to Clay's speech of yester.
day. he said that when Clay quoted
from Fryes remarks that all there
was in this question which required
explanation was embraced in the one
question of labor, he was correct.
81 stand by that proposition, but |
go further. The ore In the ground is
wor,n rs cents a ton. After It was
touched by the hand of man It was
labor. Ninety.fve per cent of the
cost of a ship built in American ship.
yards or in any shipyard Is purely la.
Dor. The cost of the construction OF
a ship in the United States as against
that in either England Germany or
France simply measures the differ.
ence of wages and the efficiency OF
American labor"
Hanna then declared that the mer.
chant marine was the only industry in
tLe United States which had not re.
ceived the fostering care Of this Gov
eminent.
will anybody deny" said he, "the
importanceAthe absolute necessity
of having an auxiliary for our navy
in the form of merchant marine.
shaped upon the direction of the Navy
Department and in time of war abso.
lutely in the hands and under the con.
troll of the President of the United
States to use II in the most effective
manner"
An important National Question.
Senator Hanna said that II the
United States failed to profit by the
experience of the older countries of
Europe, who have adopted policy in
reference to maritime matters. II
would make a most serious mistake.
Every merchant ship constructed in
foreign countries was meant to be a
ship of war in time of need. Hanna
cited the feeling of uneasiness along
the Atlantic coast at the beginning OF
hostilities with Spain and the relief
which was experienced when the -four
steamers of the American line were
called on by the Secretary of the Navy
under the conditions of the law passed
by Congress to perform picket ser
vice. He insisted that II was as i'm
portant a national question as an eco
nomic policy to carry with the ex
penditure for building up the navy, the
expenditure for an auxiliary navy and
merchant marine.
There Is something more In this
transportation question than merely
carrying mail matter; there is more In
1t than dollars and cents. He would
like 1t, he said, to be discussed above
party considerations, because every
one felt a like pride in our country's
advance and development and what
ever is best for the interests and safe
ty and the perpetuity of our institu
tions is best for all OF us.
Tillman interrupted to ask for infor
nation in regard to the reports thai
the Morgan syndicate ad bought two
or three OF the European lines o
steamers.
You must ask somebody who
knows" replied Hanna. II do no
know anything about It."
1T was only reported you knew,
suggested Tillman, land thought tina
the Senator, being in touch with tina
class of people"
why does the Senator say ! am II
touch with them?" in.erjected Hanna
Tillman: THE Senator is a man en-
gagged in shipping, is he not?"
\ n
ed Hanna, but why does the Senate
assume that | know what Morgan hal
done?"
81 thought the Senator and Morgan
were friends" replied Tillman.
Philippines the Key to the Orient.
II know nothing about the purchase
of the Leyland line by ]. p. Morgan
Co., said Hanna, ANY more than the
Senator does. That is simply the in
vestment of American capital. Under
the provisions of this bill not a single
J one of these vessels ever will come
; under an American register or ar
, American flag. Capital seeks only in
| vestment from which 1t can get re
turns"
II that be true" inquired Tillman
81 why VII uNht LDhptiOt hoN ~
to England to get his yacht built. In
I" stead of coming to this country"
e Hanna said there were some thing
he could not answer, but he though
, Prince Henry was glad the Empero
/. did not do II. perhaps the Senate
has not heard OF the success and pres
tige OF America in the yachting line,
suggested Hanna, amid laughter. Tn
German Emperor, he said. wanted tn
best yacht made and therefore h
came here.
Tillman wanted to know what kin,
Of yacht IL was and Depew describe
II as a sailing racing machine of tn
same type as beat the two Shamrocks
Hanna declared that not an Amer
can shipyard had contract for anoth
er merchant vessel after the nine O
ten vessels now under contract wer
4 finished.
Everybody knows, continued Hanna
' that the United States is now engal
! ed in a hand-to-hand contest with 70,
\ eign nations to secure the commerc
4 of the Orient, and that the Unite
0 States had been foremost and steaC
S fast in it's policy TO secure the market
n OF China and hold them as an ope
} door, The Philippine archipelago wa