The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-09
Jimmie McCoOl.
 t ].
AMERICA MUST HAVE SHIPS.
Northern New England Asked t@
 Support This Movement.

Support This Movement.
 From Boston Journal Qnd.).
 Those extraordinary terms of the Guns ard and Morgan agreements. binding th1 Atlantic fleet more tightly than ever to the British government, have intenst- fled the alarm already felt in America at the desperate condition of our own deep sea shipping.
 Not for two years now has one new keel been laid in this country for overs seas trade and all but 8 or 9 per cent. of our ocean-carrying is monopoiized by foreigners. We are creating 0 great war navy, but except on the coast, rivers and lakes we are losing our merchana navy. which forty-five years ago was tha largest and most prosperous in the world. Our shipowners and ship-iahld~ CTS have long realized the peril of this situation, but the matter fs now befn@ taken up in earnest by men who have no interest in the shipping trade. save as patriotic citisens of the republic. The 4Sew York Board of Trade and Trans portation, a great commercial body, cofa~ posed of merchants. not of shipou1derA or owners. has appointed a special com~ mittee to urge upon the country "tha imperative need of the revival of Ameras can shipping in the foreign trade"
 ''The American people," declare theaa significant New York resolutions, "mtSa have prosperous shipyards and greAN merchant feet as bulwark of theiH trade and the indispensable reserve oH their fighting navy. Shipbuilding ans navigation, bringing fair gain to capt- tai and labor, are as vital to the nA- tion's defense as armorclads and guns
 The New York Board of Trade and Transportation does not presume to say just what method ought to be adopted as "the best means by which our ahtp- ping may be built up." Its purpose is to arouse a public opinion which shall de- mand that something be done ana doa@ at once to save this great. historic tn~ terest from destruction. The exact, poA- icy to be adopted Is left to be settled by frank and thorough discussion. The board is not a political body. It is genuinely non-partisan. Many of its members doubtless are Republicans. but its pres ident, one of the most eminent NeY Yor& merchants, Oscar s. Straus, was Presa-. dent Cleveland's Minister to Turkey iA his second administration
 Mr. Aaron Vanderbilt. chairman of tht& special committee on the merchant ma rine, has sent out a circular statemenc to thousands of the newspapers or the country, presenting the startling fActs and figures of our maritime weaknezss and inviting the press of all parties t0 join in the discussion and to help to ss- certain the best and surest remedy. La1@ CT the assistance of all the commerc1aN and labor organizations will be invcke0s "The committee" MT. Vanderbilt aaya<x. Twill not turn its back on or Ignore any suggestion that may be made in gooG faith or sincerity" Na
 This appeal of the New York BoaE6s of Trade and Transportation ought tm meet with an especially prompt respong@ from our States of Northern New Enms land. which, now for the first time Ia their history are not building so uauefs as one ship for overseas trade. This movement. begun in the right way and with the right spirit is unquestionahlx the most important and most promisinM effort ever launched for the winning hacts of our old maritime strength and glory. E