The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-08-03
NATIONAL BODY
Will INQUIRE
Congressional Committee on
Merchant Marine to Ar
rive in This City To-Day
WISHES TO HEAR ALL
w. II. Mills, an Authority
on Traffic Matters, Issues
an Interesting Statement

The commission appointed by the
; Congress of the United States to In
quire into conditions of the merchant
marine service and ascertain what
measures are necessary for its eXpan-
sion will arrive in San Francisco to-
day. Senator Gallinger of New HaTnp-
shire is at it's head and several prom
inent national legislators are among
the party The aim of the commission
is to ascertain the needs and demands
OF ocean shippers on the Pacific Coast
to the end that proper legislation may
be passed by Congress for the upbuild-
ing of sea-faring commerce under the
flag of the United States.
During the last and present week
conferences have been in progress be-
tween the business men of this city and
the traffic managers of the transconti-
Mental railway lines and the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company. These meet
ings were held for the purpose of ad-
justing freight rates for shippers. The
governmental control of the Panama
Railroad has given the shippers of the
State an opportunity to unshackle the
bonds which have made them slaves
to the transcontinental railroads in the
matter of exporting their produce
Fortuitously the visit of the Con-
gressional Commission on Merchant
Marine is contemporary with the an
nouncement of the opening of the PAN
anna Railroad to all shippers. Its.mem
bers viii spend two days in this city,
gathering information that will tend
to frame national laws for the benefit
of marine commerce. The commission
has announced that 1t wants fact, not
history. To that END it has asked that
not only steamship men and traffic
managers generally be invited to talk,
but that men representative Of those
who stand before the mast and tell
their troubles in the forecastle be in
vited to the meeting. Among these will
be Andrew FuruSeth, the eloquent sec
rotary of the Coast Seamen's Union.
William H. Mills gave out a state
ment last night emphasizing the i'm
portance of the independent marine
service on this coast. His statement
follows:
general subsidy measure to all ocean
transportation is unpopular. No law be
enacted that would meet the views of the en-
tire nation. The interior OF a country does
not believe sufficiently in the direct benefit Of
such measure to favor 1t. The question
which is being considered by the Congressional ,
committee and on which a report is to be
made the first day OF the coming session
of Congress is, how can the Government pro-
mote the growth OF shipping under the Amer /
lean flag?
Though a general subsidy is not or may not
be possible. a restricted subsidy is not amen
able to the charge of impracticability. 1t is
competent for the Government to subsidize in (
terterritorial communication under the pro-
vision of the constitution which gives Con- /
gress control of interstate commerce. sub I
sdy to steamships carrying interstate ]
commerce between interterritorial ports would I
be in line with the policy OF internal i'm /
provements. Railroads have been subsidized 4
to promote interstate commerce: likewise !
steamships may be subsidized TO promote in /
We have in the Pacific Ocean many groups |
Of islands,; the principal Of these are the /
Philippines. with a population of 5000. 600 I
nitude are the Hawaiian Islands; but there are I
other groups such as the Caroline Islands, I
Ladrone Islands, etc, also the Territory OF I
Alaska Commerce demands and deserves. the 3
fostering care OF the nation. bill to subsi- I
die steamship lines under the American flag :
plying between American ports should be pop
uIar because IT will cheaper ocean TRANSPORTS !
products to American territory. This would I
give to the people OF America a measurable |
monopoly OF the trade with the colonial de-
pendents OF this country, and in this way all l
portions OF the country would share equally
IN the benefit of Government munihcence
AS experimenting the foregoing outlined poll
should address itself to the question OF recip-
rocal relation with the Orient. analogous to I
that recently established with Cuba. 1t is the
consensus of opinion among far-seeing states
men that the Oriental countries to have an
awakening. We have strenuously demanded
door policy with reference to China
The best way TO secure and maintain open
door policy with that vast reservoir of human
life, ultimately to become object of most
profitable commercial relation. will be TO en-
courage a trade relation by reciprocal duties.
Reciprocity between China. japan and America
would be the beginning of commercial rela-
ton which would inevitably expand.
In this view we have two perfectly tenable
propositions; first: the encouragement of in