The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-10-11

THE eaIRMcNf WEST ylBcINiAls.
3own interest ana their MN trade and
commerce. Foreign ships carry %
4 per cent. ot our commerce. when under
wise laws and proper ncouragement,'
4 American ships shouldahaul American
commerce, and. in this way mot only
3extend our trade. but save at least
1.-Two hundred millions annually to our
people, and build up large ship yards,
which would employ thousands Of
working men. besides furnish markets
for our raw material.
In the beginning and for a long
time, we greatly aided American ship
ping, and the result was, our people
carried for nearly fifty years Ameri.
can commerce in American ships. We
then protected American. shipping by
imposing an additional duty of ten per
cent. on all goods transported in YES.
sells not Of the United States. Under
the law we carried 80 per cent. Of our
commerce and without this aid given
to us by the wisdom of our fathers,
our shipping is dying a lingering
death.
If We could only restore AMI re.
enact this old law, drafted by James
Madison. the second law on our statute
books, and designed to protect our
shipping, we would transport our own
commerce in American ships.
We only carry now about eight or
nine per cent. of our commerce IN our
own ships. American shipping is the
one great interest we have neglected
and not aided and protected, when It
is SO important and so necessary to
the upbullding and extending IF our
commerce. Surely II should receive
the same encouragement and the
same protection that other industries
enjoy at the hands Of the government.
The treatment of the great irter
ests of shipping at the hands of the
government, borders on incompetency
and is an outrage on the people.
Mexico and South America, nest
door neighbors, and Mexlco's contigu.
GUS territory. are now occupied almost
exclusively by German and English
merchants and bankers. This is
strange and passes all understanding.
1t should not be, and we should and
we will, when our statesmen become
wiser control the trade of South
America and Mexico.
Bocrrds of trade generally, and
one like this organization, are great
aids towards extending trade and
commerce. This State board of trade
is a step in the right direction, and
should be encouraged by all our peo'
pie. l sometimes think that perhaps
the State ought to make an appropria-
ton to organize and help a non-parti'
san State board of trade like this In
its efforts to extend our trade and find
new markets. We have no national
board Of trade authorized by the gen.
eral government. ! think we should
have one organized under the sane.
ton of federal authority, and make a
bureau in the department Of COM
merce and labor, and be supported and
sustained by liberal appropriations.
If we are TO engage In competition
with other nations. and struggle for
our share OF commerce Of the world,
we must do as other nations. We
cannot sit still. We should natur-
ally and rightfully control the COM
merce, not only of this continent,
but the growing commerce lying on
both sides of the Pacific and the
Orient. Heretofore, our boards of
trade have been made np largely
and confined to associations of bust.
ness men organized to air commerce
and make rules and regulations to fur
Their this purpose and recommend leg
islation, nothing more. These boards
of trade have no relation to the State
or federal government. and receive no
countenance or aid from either. 1t
| is well to consider whether we should
not push for authority from the State
and federal governments to organize
and help our boards of trade.
The markets of the world are @e-
fore us. We have food and other prod.
ucts needed by the people of the earth
| for their comfort. support and prog
ress. VIII the United States reach
out and get its fair share of these mar,
kcts. Paid agents from State and na-
tional boards of trade should go forth,
invade, occupy and work in every