Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-28
HEARING AT DETROIT
BY Merchant Marine Commissioners.
Cleveland Booked for Today,

Detroit, Mich, June ga sub-com-
mittee of the congressional merchant
marine commission held a hearing. tn
day. at the offices Of the Detroit Board
of Commerce. The following membera
of the commission were present: Sena-
tor Penrose of Pennsylvania and Gal
linger of New Hampshire: Congress-
men Grosvenor of Ohio, Humphrey of
Washington. Minor of Wisconsin and
Spieht Of Mississippi, and w. I. Mar
win OF Boston, secretary Of the COM
mission.
). l.. Hudson, president of the De-
troit Board of Commerce was the first
speaker.
subsidy is frightfuI word" said
CONGRESSMAN Grosvenor after MIR.
Hudson had finished, "and yet you
nave not 70 cents worth of property in
Detroit that would have been valuable
without gifts of money from the feder-
al government. The, question now is
whether the great system that has
built up your inland trade may not de-
monstrate some plan and system by
which Congress can accomplish equal
ly good results on the high seas,
VIM. e. Livingston, president of the
Lake Carriers Association, said. "To
me the freight tonnage is the greatest
index oe n nations prosperity"
MIR. Livingston presented interesting.
statistics on the business passing
throug the 500 and Welland canals az
showing the enormous proportion and
phenomenal growth of the commerce of
the Lakes.
Mr.. Livingston said that in his opinion
there was no single form of appropriation
of money by the federal government
which had done so much good to the
country at large as that spent on rivers
and harbors. Referring to the acquisition
of the Panama canal zone. Mr. Living
ston predicted that the tonnage passing
through the Panama canal would not ex.
coed 100000 year in the first 10 years
Of its existence. land that would probably
be in foreign bottoms" interjected Sena.
tor Gallinger.
Senator Gallnger said there were three
points that had to be reckoned with as
disadvantages to America in a COMPARE
son between American commerce and
that of other nations. These were the
additional cost of construction here. the
additional cost of operation here and the
fact that other nations subsldize their
shipping
Attorney Fred A; Baker of Detroit.
read a paper in which he declared that
the people of Michigan are strongly OPP
posed to the granting of any government
aid, bounty or subsidy to any private en-
terpriSe.
George Burd. ex-president of the Trades
and Labor Council of Detroit said he APP
proved of the people of protection being
extended in the direction of substituting
the American merchant marine provided
American wage carriers as a class would
be benefited.
H. p. Morley of Detroit, who is inter-
ested in the carrying trade with Cuba,
read a paper in which he deplored the
fact that trade with Cuba built up under
the recent reciprocity law was falling al
most entirely into foreign hands.
Senator Gallinger interposed that a
clause should have been inserted in the
law requiring the use of American bot
TOMS Senator Gallinger said this was
serious oversight Congressman Gros-
venor said the point was brought up at
the last minute but that insistence upon
1t would have endangered the passage oil
the bill.
Gen. Grosvenor and Senator Gallinger
explained that this point should have
been raised by the shippers along the At
lantic coast. but they did not raise it. and
when attention was finally brought to il
just on the eve of the ratification of the
Cuban treaty it was too late to do any
thing without altering the treaty itself.
which was deemed impracticable at thai
hour.
The commission will meet in Cleveland.
tomorrow.