The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-12
Merchant Marine League Plans to
Upbuild United States
Shipping.
MANY MEANS ARE SUGGESTED.
Government Aid Declared NeceS-
sary. and Organization Is
Ready to Furnish Data
TO Congress.

Cleveland. o., Dec. 1.-THE Merchant
sent out statement setting forth the
views of the league in its effort to re-
habilitate the merchant marine OF the
United States. The sentiment of the peo-
hple at large will control. it explains. and
the more interest taken the more nearly
correct must be that sentiment. In part
| the circular says:
The decadence of our foreign marine is
| a fact recognized in political platforms
! and variously on all hands. The evils are
50 apparent as to call only for emphasis
by considering detail.
Two things go hand In hand-a mer-
chant marine sufficient to prevent undue
dependence on foreign help and a navy
adequate in time of peace to furnish the
assurance and. where necessary, the fact
OF protection to our commerce and our
ships
NO ALLIANCE
The Merchant Marine League Of the
United States is not In any wise or in any
degree soever welded to specific method,
nor Is it involved in or with any par
tlcular Interest, but seeks to aid in ac-
compiisaing this result upon lines and by
inethods which shall alike be creditable to
us as a nation and include the greatest
justice and general good.
Low shall this be done? Several meth
ods OF dealing with this question have been
Drought forward from time to time. The
most prominent are perhaps subsidy dis
eliminating duties. bounties or subyentions
simply. postal subsidy or subvention. tom
mage tax from which to secure a fund pro-
Vidlng subvention
The suggestion is permissible that.
without enceavoring in a servile manner
to harmonize incOnsruous elements. it
should be possible to take what seems
best OF the various plans and thereupon
formulate a bill which will at least get
the matter started.
From a study of the evidence taken, it
would seem hardly possible to carry the
matter forward without Government aid.
yet it also seems possible to avoid in the
beginning any charge. and throughout TO
avoid any undue burden. on the general
treasury by imposing tonnage dues SINH
lar to those abroad and permissible BY
precedent and under the laws of trade.
MAILS
Speaking generally. and assuming, as
seems possible, that it can be worked out
equitably. it is clear that any aid should
be devoted to steamers regardless of
speed. and to sail vessels upon proportion
ate basis of actual service, or. to prevent
excessive cost of administration, probably
better to be based on approved statistics
service of sail and steam vessels.
Every ship receiving such aid naturally I
would be required to carry mails. but to en- =
courage specific mail routes. with require
ment Of regular service and stateo sail
mgs, must involve corresponding addi-
donal postal subventions.
while the league in process OF forming
does not bind itself to what the congress
sional commission may put forward. and
may properly reserve the right of sugges-
tion and of not unfriendly criticism Of
what may be put before or be enacted by
Congress- it must be recognized that the
commission is nonpartisan, composed of
men of great ability and large experience
in legislation, who have devoted great
labor to the question and are in possess
sion of more data than has ever before
been gathered on this subject in this
country.
The officers of the league have made
some provisions for furnishing unbiased
and will be glad in response
to inquiry addressed to the league at
Cleveland to give such aid as they may be /
able to in that direction