The Washington times., 1904-01-24
FIGHT TO CREATE
MERCHANT MARINE
battle-ground in Committee
Rooms Of Congress.
CARRYING PHILIPPINE TRADE
Foreign Interests and Cordage Trust
Chief Enemies American Shipping
Has to Contend With.

The great battle for the upbuilding of
American shipping i'm the foreign trade
is now on. Lined up in opposition are
the agents of foreign shipping. Lined
up in advocacy are the friends of Amer
lean shipping. Congress and the nation
will be given an opportunity TO meas
ure the character of the opposition TO
American shipping legislation. Nothing
could be more pleasing. nothing more
inspiring TO the friends of American
shipping than this battle i'm the open.
The House Merchant Marine and Fish
cries Committee on Thursday. January
II. began a public hearing on the bills
proposing TO create a commission to in
vestigate the condition and needs of
American shipping in the foreign trade.
President Roosevelt in his last message
recommended the appointment of a COM
mission for this purpose. the members
10 be composed of three Cabinet officers
ana such a number of Senators and
Representative. as Congress may desire
This will probably attract but little for
eign shipping opposition. and the meas
ure, therefore. is likely of early pas
sage
Frye Shipping Bill.
on Thursday. January 21. the Senate
Philippines Committee held a public
hearing on the Frye Philippines ship
ping bill, bill that purposes placing the
carrying trade between the United
States and the Philippines under the
American flag. through the application
of our coastwise laws of that trade.
This oill is being bitterly fought by the
New York agents Of foreign steamships.
Already the leading New York organ
or the foreign shipping interests is plan
ming the campaign that the foreign ship
ping agents should conduct. This news
paper. with a frankness born Of repeat
ed successes in opposing American ship
ping interests. calmly points out lust
how the fight should be conducted. 1t is
desirable, this organ points out. that
the foreign shipping agents should not
themselves. and in person. appear be-
Iore congressional committees in oppo-
sition TO this bill. 1t might be thought
says this organ. that the motives of the
ioTelgn shipping agents were selfishi So,
IL goes on to point out that this PhfliD-
pines shipping bill is a dark plot ano a
deep design of one James ]. Hill who
controls several thousands of miles of
trans Mississippi American railroads
through an insufficiency. this organ
1alsely alleges. of American steam ship
ping available for carrying the com
merce between the PHILIPPINES and the
Atlantic ports Of the United States. the
traInc VIII be diverted to the Pacific
coast ports of the United States. and
hsaVy railroad rates overland will be,
charged, and great American rnanufac-
turing interests thus injured So, says
this organ. the Eastern trunk railroads
should step to the front and make the
nght the foreign shipping interests and
their agents remaining discreetlv in the
background. The only fly in this batch
OF ointment fs that there are at the
present time two American steamships
during next year for transportatfon
from the Philippine Islands to the At
lantic ports OF the United States
Lodges "Little Joker"
That is one of the little 5okers" that
Senator Lodge will have up his sleeve
when the foreign shipping agents pre-
sent their case and repeat their false
hoods before his committee. Another
viii be the fact that there are four or
five American sailing ships equally
available for this same business for
every cargo that there will be offer
ing next year. The owners of these
American steamships and sailing yes
sels Will be present before the commit
tee. in person. fortified with proof Of
their ownership. fortified with the facts
OF the tonnage they have available. for
titled with the knowledge Of the volume
and value of the trade to be carried. In
order TO utterly and thoroughly answer
the misstatements of the agents of
the foreign shipping interest.
In the light OF these facts already
well known TO the officers Of the trunk
railroads in the East that have been
urged to become stalking horses for
these agents OF foreign shipping inter
ests. there will be no railroad interests
there opposing, although they may be
there faVoring, the passage Of the FRYE
Philippines shipping bill. But this does
not exhaust the weapons OF intrigue
that the agents OF foreign steamships
expect 70 be able TO use. The Eastern
cordage manufacturers have been led
20 believe that a serious blow will be
struck at their interests II the FRYE
philippines shipping bill is passed; they
have been told BY the agents OF foreign
shipping that there will be a great in
crease in the rates Of freight that
American ships will charge for the car
Boston and New York. And this cor
cage interest. therefore. is expected 10
fire in order TO pluck out the chestnuts
for the foreign shipping interests.
The Cordage Trust.
The cordage trust now enjoys exernp-
tion from export duties on exports or
hemp from the Philippines TO the United
States OF three-eighths Of cent per
pound. an exemption denied to exports
OF hemp destined for other countries
OF 45 per cent upon the manufactures pf
hemp imported into the United States
and thus has "A wall OF stupendous
height to protect it in securing the
most liberal prices for It's manufactures
In the home market Of the United States.
a dual protection that fortiies the trust
90 enlarge it's foreign markets for hemp
manufactures in competition with for
eign manufacturers in the world s mar
kets. and at the worlds minimum
prices-prices. by the way. far below
the prices charged by the cordage
trust for their products consumed in the
United States
From this IL will be seen. as has been
explained, that the foreign shipping
agents will be forced into the open, into
the sunlight. into the clear atmosphere
OF national publicity. there to state their
case and help along their work for the
destruction OF American shipping One
more expedient is available for the for
eign shipping agents. but they will
scarcely dare 20 resort TO that to wit
The employment OF attorneys TO plead
their cause. There is talk OF a disti1-
guished Philadelphia. once an Attorney
C.aUara1 az ad -,