The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-10-11
SECRETARY SHAW MAKES
A MAGNIFICENT SPEECH

the Mlssissippi-who urge that we
need do nothing more than gracefully
surrender portion OF our 25,O0o.-
100000 OF domestic commerce. and
then, by logic which do not un.
derstand, we will get so much larger
share Of the worlds 10000, 0oO, 900
export trade as to fully compensate
ourselve.,. that in addition we will
make the wori~ ny. / quite agree
with them that ,uld make our
competitors happy. But l will no:
discuss that question. desire to
confine my remarks to the impor.
lance of merchant marine.
Over one hundred years ago Con-
gress passed an act giving to the
American shipbuilder and the Ameri-
can shipowner monopoly OF our
coastwise trade. Since then political
parties have passed into forgetful-
ness and others have come and gone.
Administrations have changed again
and again, but that old law remains
intact. 1t has been often assailed,
but no party has dared to repeal 1t.
1t, therefore, has the stamp of non
partisan approval. AS a result we
have the largest and cheapest coast
wise trade in the world. The Detroit
river floats more tons of American
freight than all the foreign commerce
that enters London. Liverpool, and
New York City combined, and under
every ton is ship built of American
materials, by American workmen,
owned by American capital. operated
by American enterprise, and over ev-
cry pound floats the stars and stripes.
This country certainly possessed
some measure of craftsmanship in
the days of James Madison, and wis
dom did not die with the fathers or
the law ere this would have been re-
pealed.
Practically half century ago the
present minority party inaugurated
and the present majority party adopt
ed, policy of lberality to the pro-
moter. 1t gave subsidies of money,
or subsidies OF land, or both money
and land, to encourage the construc-
ton of translate and transcontinen-
tai railways. The Union Pacific, the
Southern Pacific, and the Northern
Pacific railroads each received gov
eminent aid. These roads opened an
empire of matchless resources, and
here our ever-increasing population
found ample room and abundant OPP.
portunity. They improved farms, de-
veloped mines, and builded States
yielding commerce which has made
these roads in turn self-supporting, so
that no county, State, or the General
Government, longer grants aid to new
roads. We not only have the largest
and best railroad system in the world
but the cheapest rates in the world.
Not only has the general govern
ment subsidized domestic commerce
by direct appropriations for the i'm
provement of rivers and harbors. No
difficulty is ever experienced in pass
ing river and harbor bill If its bene-
fits are sufficiently distributed.
The government is now enlarging
not only the scope but also the
amount of its bounty. 1t has paid If
teen millions for the right to dig a
ditch in aid of international COM
merce. and proposes to pay two hun
bred millions more, or five hundred
millions more, II necessary, in the
construction of that international
ditch, other millions in its mainte.
nance, and no end of millions, II nee.
esary. in its defense. Then after all
this outlay We are under contract to
grant its use, for all time, to all the
world, on the same terms as to the
people of the United States. At first
blush one might expect partisan oppo-
sition instead of nonpartisan co-opera.
ton. But so manifestly wise is the
enterprise. so abundantly able is the
government to bear the expense, and
so many are the advantages to be de-
iNeu theieiioiI, That throughout tne
length and breadth of the nation no
voice is heard against it.
You may find it necessary to glance
at the map before you appreciate that
it is about the same distance from
the principal ports of Europe to San
Francisco via Cape Horn as from
| New York to the same mort. Ii Is
about the same distance from the
principal ports of Europe to San Fran
cisco via the Suez Canal as from New
York to the same destination via the
Straits of Magellan. Cut the 18th
milan Canal and 1t will be about the