The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-22


roads. but everything else that was sue
cessful must be put under surveillance
and be hedged about by laws that re-
stricted rather than regulated II was
useless to predict consequences. No one
would heed. but at last these conse-
quences are upon us"
Predicts Great Prosperity.
He charged that in ten years the force
Of IS7 special agents had been "sweIled
to an army OF more than 5000" at an ex-
pense Of about slO,OoOOOO annually, and
with a sole occupation of turning on the
light"
They have all been busy" he declared.
The pulling, hauling, inspecting, hector
ing. and prosecuting that have followed
have done their well nigh perfect work.
But at last results are teaching that men
cannot do business under such conditions.
Reason will assert itself
Another year, at most, and we shall
be once more on the highway to a pros
perity greater even than that which we
have been enjoying. Our natural condi-
ton, our resources. our business facili-
ties, our opportunities and coming events,
all unite 70 give this guarantee for the
future
Need of Merchant Marine.
Referring directly to the merchant ma
rine, Senator Foraker said:
What American read Of the sailing
Of our fleet of battle ships for the Pacific
and the Orient with pride in our navy
and the great strength and power and
glory OF our people and government
which it represented who did not at the
same time feel a sense of reproach and
modification when he also read that the
Golfers that carried the coal. without
which the fleet would have been helpless,
were foreign bottoms, hired for the oc-
casion. not one of which could be utilized
without its consent in the emergency Of
war?
we have what is indeed a great navy.
but, as this incident painfully indicates.
we have no nursery Of seamen for times
Of peace. and no auxiliaries for times of
war.
Supported by Figures.
Coming now more directly 10 the sub
ject this convention has had under con-
sideration, some one has prepared a chart
showing the rise and fall Of our mer-
chant marine as measured by the per-
centages of our imports and exports car
ried in American bottoms.
1T starts with 1853 and ends with 1907.
At a glance it tells the story OF a cen
fury. Rapidly mounting upward from
practically nothing to 90 per cent, it sub
stantialIy held its own, except during the
war OF 1872. Tor half a century, and then
plunged downward to the point Of begin
ming where it remains to-day.
In other words, in 17S9. something i'm
parted life and prosperity to our mer-
chant marine, and caused It to grow
until in 1877. only eight years later. il
had reached the point where il carried
80 per cent of all our exports and i'm
ports.
The Decline Continues.
1T maintained this supremacy with
slight fluctuations until 1917, when a pre-
cipitous decline commenced that has con-
tinued until we are now carrying less
than 10 per cent And the end is not yet
The decline continues.
This very moment marks our deepest
humiliation. We now have less satisfac-
tory conditions than any that have ever
yet been known. and there is less promise !
Of Improvement, except as we find it in |
the hope and belief that the extremity 10 |
which we have come may, for very shame |
compel attention and precipitate action.
Notwithstanding the subsidies we have |
been paying. we have only eight ships in 4
the transatlantic line, and within the |
last year fifteen ships that crossed the |
Pacific IN trade with China, Japan. the /
Philippines, and Australia have been re- /
duced on one account and another until !
to-day we have only eight OF them left.
These, with the Ward Line to Cuba !
and the South American Line to Ven /
ezuela, and the Pacific Mail Steamship I
Line make up our entire marine except /
the Panama Steamship Line. owned by /
the government, the whole a mere frag-
ment of what we should have"
Senator Foraker paid high tribute to /
the memory of Marcus A Hanna. and |
spoke feelingly of his efforts to effect |
ship subsidy legislation.
McCIeary Draws Comparisons.
Second Assistant Postmaster General
also was an ardent supporter
of the merchant marine. He spoke in
part as follows:
In addition TO a fleet of war vessels
there must in actual war be a vast num-
Der of auxiliary vessels for use as supply
ships. scouts. Golfers. hospital ships. and
so on. That is. there must be a naval
reserve. This naval reserve IS absolutely
essential; without it our war vessels