Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-09-08
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AMERICA MUST HAVE SHIPS.

Cunard and Morgan agreements,
bind the Atlantic fleet more tight
" than ever to the British govern
ment. declares the Boston Journal, and
have intensified the alarm already felt
in America at the desperate condition
of our own deep sea shipping.
Not for two years now has n new
keel been laid in this country for
overseas trade; and all but eight or
nine percent of our ocean carrying
is monopolized by foreigners. We are
creating a great war navy, but eX.
cept on the coast, rivers and lakes
we are losing our merchant navy,
which forty-fve years ago was the
largest and most prosperous in the
world. Our s%hipowners and ship
builders have long realized the peril
of this situation, but the matter is
now being taken up in earnest by
men who have no interest in the ship
ping trade save as patriotic citizens
of the republic. The New York
Board of Trade and Transportation,
a great commercial body, composed
of merchants, not of s%hipbuilders or
owners has appointed a special com
mittee to urge upon the country ''the
imperative need of the revival OF
American shipping in the foreign
trade"
"The American people, declare
these significant New York resolu'
tons, must have prosperous ship
yards and a great merchant fleet as a
bulwark of their trade and the indus
pensable reserve of their fighting
navy. Shipbuilding and navigation
bringing a fair gain to capital and
labor, are as vital to the nations de
Tense as armorclads and guns"
The New York Board of Trade and
Transportation does not presume te
say just what method ought to be
adopted as "the best can by which
our shipping may be built up" Its
purpose is to arouse a public opin
ion which shall demand that some
thing be done and done at once tt
save this great, historic interest from
destruction. The exact policy to b.
adopted is left to be settled by franl
and thorough discussion. The boart
is not a political body; it is genuinel!
non-partisan. Many of its member
doubtless are Republicans, but it
president, one o. lie most eminent o
New York merchants, Hon. Oscar S
Straus, was President Cleveland
minister to Turkey in his second ad
m~inistration.
Mr.. Aaron Vanderbilt, chairman o
this special committee on the mer
chant marine, has sent out a circula
statement to thousands of the news
papers of the country, presenting thu
startling facts and figures of GU
maritime weakness, and inviting TIL
press of all parties to join in the dis
cussion and to help to ascertain tn
best and surest remedy. Later tn
assistance of all the commercial an,
labor organizations will be invoked
THE committee Mr.. Vanderbilt
says, will not turn it's back on 0
ignore any suggestion that may b
made in good faith or sincerity"
This appeal of the New York Boar
of Trade and Transportation ough
to meet with an especially promr
response from Il States of Norther
New England, which. now for tn
first time in their history, are nc
building so much as n ship fc
overseas trade. This movement, b.
gun in the right way and with tn
right spirit is unquestionably tn
most important and most promisin
effort ever launched for the winnin
back of our old maritime strengt
and glory.