Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-25
CHAMBER ENDORSES
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
Virginia Representatives Called Up'
On to Support Measure Re.
commended BY Commission.
QUESTION DISCUSSED IN DETAIL
Interesting Debate Between MIR. Bick.
ford and Captain Berkeley over Res.
oIution Offered by the Former Dur
ing Special Session Called to Con.
slider Merchant Marine.

AT q special session held last night
for the purpose of considering the
merchant marine question" The
Chamber of Commerce adopted a
lengthy preamble and resolution Of
fered by Mr.. R. G.. Bickford. endors-
ing the bill recommended in the Con
gressional merchant and marine COM
MISSIONS report.
Before the adoption OF the resolu
ton, there was an interesting debate
between Mr., Bickford and Captain C..
| c. Berkeley. Captain Berkeley op-
| posed the consideration CT the aues-
ton on the ground that it was po.
litical matter and, therefore. was bar
red from discussion by the bylaws of
the chamber. Being overruled in this
contention the captain responded to
Mr.. Bickfords argument in support
OF the resolution.
Tho chamber met with President
Holmes In the chair and 4 large num-
Der of representative citizens present.
Below are the preamble and resclu-
tioii. which were adopted with only
Captain Berkeley voting nay:
Whereas, the Chamber of Com.
merce OF the seaport city OF New
port News, Va, has observed with
peculiar interest the rapidly increas-
Ing growth of the ocean commerce
CT the United States. but has noted
with grave apprehension that coin
oident with this increasing trade the
American merchant marine has di-
Unfinished 10 the vanishing point: and,
Whereas. this lamentnble decline
| In cur decp-sea shipping has been
caused hot only by = lower wage
scale in foreign construction and
operation. but by the lower freight
rate following the large subsidies
which every maritime nation, except
the United States, has long granted
Its merchant marine, in direct conse.
quence OF which American ships
now carry only ) per cent. of our
sea commerce. and the people of
the United States now pay 5000.
100000 annual freight tribute to
those foreign nations who have em.
braccd the advantage which our
apathy presented; and,
Whereas, this chamber. in 1902,
expressed by resolution its convic.
tlon that the payment of such q
tremendous annual sum to foreign
leh.ps essentially constituted an enor.
nous subsidy TO foreign sea power
and was a reckless and dangerous
dissipation Of American wealth; and
Whereas, this chamber recogniZ.
cd that sound business policy, as
well as the gravcr considerations OF
self-defense, demanded that Ameri
can ships should carry American
commerce, for when our ships carry
our commerce, that commerce will
reach peoples who will otherwise
never see an American product; and
Whereas. this chamber further
recognized that the defense of the
nation, the preservation OF its pow.
e. and the prosperity OF ITS peoule
were not TO be regarded from the
narrowness Of partisan standpoint,
but In broad and patriotic spirit,
and.
Whereas, when Congress- appoint.
ed non-Eartisan commission 10 en-.
quire into and report the best means
of providing for an efficient merchant
marine. this chamber felt that n step
had been taken of inestimable i'm
portance to the entire nation; and,
Whereas. after an enquiry extend.
Ing over many months, a report was
presented to Congress by the commits.
sion recommending bill No. S. 500
entitled, "A bill to promote the
national defense, TO create force OF
naval volunteers, to establish Am.
erlcap ocean mail lines to foreign
markets, to promote commerce, and
to provide revenue from tonnage:
and,
Whereas, accompanying said re-
port was minority report, declar.
Ing an attachment to the system of
discriminating duties, which minor.
lity report. however, further declared
that that system would not bring
relief unless the present tariff was
increased in many cases, and q
| Continual an pana sonor