New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-25
gRE NEST AAD TRE MERCHANT MARINE.

III W a-tNh A-fg 4 III " LIZ n ~ ~ 1hA-Ni-s
It Is encouraging 10 note that national senti-
meBt il being mere and more aroused 10 the
necessity az restoring on broadly national
grounds or shrunkei and neglected merchant
marine. While the United States has been dc
Nclopn- WITH uneXampled energy its internal
resources expanding its industries. conquering
it> WASTES anu enormously charging us do
mcsuc trade and means of transportation il
has seen with apparent Indifference its ocean
goag shipping swept from the high seas and
S. foreign commerce falln. more and more
completely into the hands Of foreign carriers.
Efforts io check by legislation the decline Of
oUr merchant marine have been thwarted more
than once by sectional ANITA couiSms In tie in
iani States ans cucouTa cement Of the ocean
carving trade hy federal action has been on
posed from timc - time with noisy hostility
j MADE 10 difference o. the Western farmer. il
was argued. whether his grain was carried
abroad foI sale In foreign or American bottoms
Nhat h" wanted was The cheapest rate obtain
6olo iu The open market. bur this Western dis
trust az shipping legislation as helpful only 70
Sne seaboard States is gradually disappearing
with The realization tuat national interests are
being Lnit more closely together every wear
and tiiat caCI section mus. benefit eventually
frnm what helps any other section.
Sore indication ~ such "a drift Of feeling in
fhe central States. hitherto Indifferent II not
hostile. 20 shipping legislation. is 70 be found
iu the resolutions adopted last month hv the
Trans Mississippi Commercial Congress. That
body. representing twenty ono States and Ter
rit0rle> west ~ toe Mississippi RIyer-not more
than fye % them possessing a coast line or
having any possible prospect Of engaging direct
ly in ocean trade-pas>cd resolutions deplorinc
Sire negiect into which our merchant marine las
fallen AID urging Congress 10 do something 10
put oar merchant TAG once more afloat on every
sea. These resolutions declared.
That the decline 81 our oversee American
merchant marine from carrying 30 per cent OF
our exported products In American bottoms
down % per cent ls a. anomaly IN the in
dustrial development % che United States. and
Tor a nation with . greater coast line and
greater resources than any other. and un-
broken record OF enterprise and intrepidity on
the ocean.
that every ship is a missionary - trade
fhat steamship lines work for their own coun-
fries just railroad lines work for their ter
ln.uai points. and that Il is absurd FOR the
United States 10 depend upon foreign ships q
distribute its products as Il would be for De-
partment store 20 depend upon the wagons OF
n competing house 10 deliver Its goods.
That 81 81 the sense Of this congress that ths
Congress 60 the United States should enact
such laws as VIII tend 70 build I'd the Amert
can merchant marine.
From a body Of this character such declara
tons are highly significant They show tha'
petty sectional frictions are dying out and that
The sense OF uniJn and nationality is beginnins
10 accomplish its final and perfect work. II OIL
merchant marine is 10 be built up. IL must b'
built UP az 2 national venture. and the benefit,
rs restoration brings must Ice unmistaksbl.
national. On this ground ever section can !oiT