The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-21
LEGISLATION FOR
 MERCHANT MARINE A. R. Smith of New York Ois-
 cuSses the Subject SOUTH'S INTEREST IN IT Visiting Member of Merchant Marine League Says Public Opinion In This
 Section Favors Definite
 Action By Congress.

Alexander R. Smith. of New York, mem
 Der of the Merchant Marine League of
 the United States, while in Birmingham
 yesterday had this to say regarding the
 movement to build up an American mer-
 chant marine by means of governmental
 encouragement:
 ..The merchant marine commission, composed of five senators and five repre-
 sentatives, will meet in Washington this
 month to present anew It's report and bill
 at the opening of the session." said MT. Smith.
 Already seven members agree on every feature of the bill; all ten members agree
 upon three of its four great features.
 The differences are not political nor par
 tisan. The three minority members rec
 ommend a protective plan as to the one
 feature, but the majority regard 1t as | impracticable, and the minority of three csnnkt be induced to say that they be- | lieve the plan they propose is very prac- ticable one considering the manner in | which they wish to abridge it's operation. The majority desires to establish cargo I carriers sail and steam, by paying their owners flat bounty of $5 per gross ton. | The minority would reduce the duty on dutiable imports brought in American yes sels, but 1t would also reduce the duty l by the same amount upon such dutiable | imports as come here in ships of the l countries that grow, produce or manu- 1 fracture such dutiable imports. As to our 1 non-dutiabe imports, constituting one | half in value and two-thirds in bulk of | our total imports, they would do nothing. | But think the minority so thoroughly | realizes the uncertainty of any real prac- tical benefits arising out of their plan | they may ipt suggest 1t at the coming | session.
 AIabama's Interest,
 q should think that Alabama, more l than any other state in the Union, and | this particular section of Alabama more | than any other single section of the coun- l try, would feel the deepest interest In | this legislation. I have 1t upon good authority that shipbuilding company is
 projected the investment in which will aggregate several millions of dollars, to | be located in Mobile bay, where modern | steel steamships will be built upon a | large scale if the merchant marine com
 missions bill goes through at the coming
 session of Congress. Your port Of Mobile | possesses every advantage for the loca-
 tion of such shipyard-plenty of water | easy access to the sea, an unrivalled cli- mate the year round, labor conditions al | least as favorable as anywhere else In I the country and materials for shipbuild- | ing in greater abundance and at much | less cost than they can be laid down in
  | if not in the world The only thing that l holds back the erection of a number of modern shipyards. which would draw al of their chief materials from this sec | ton of Alabama is the absence of a de- | mand for American-buit vessels, such as 1 will arise if this bill passes such as will !, be continuous so long as the bill remains ! in operation. I look to see a shipyard, | not only at an Alabama point In Mobile | bay but another erected in Pensacola. | and so does Senator Mallory I expect l to see still others erected In Georgia | South and North Carolina and Florida | ports, all drawing their shipbuilding ma | terials from this section With the bill | in operation for ten years I should ex-
 pect to see more steel ships built south | than north of the Mason and Dixon line should expect to see lines of moderate 1 speed cargo-carrying steamships running 1 from every South Atlantic and from every l gulf port to the West Indies, to Mexico | and to Central and South America. Event 1 uallv I shall expect to see moderate l speed steamship lines under the American l flag established between our southern and | European ports the materials of which | they are built and large portion of the l cargoes they carry being furnished right | from this section In which I now am I And this Is why feel that Alabama and ! the Birmingham district so-called has | such deep interest in this shipping leg l islation.
 1 Awakened Southern Interest. | "I find all through the south the ] strongest kind of feeling in favor of pro- tecting shipping legislation. That feeling 1 has long existed among your business I men; it has begun to reach your senators