The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-24

compete on equal terms with foreign ships unless
they are protected somewhat 80 their fellow
cOuntrymen who do business on land nre pro
tected. We cannot Gs country nhord 10 nave
the wages and the manner OF lfe ~ our seamer
cut down. and the only alternative. II We are
to have seamen at all. is 20 Offset the expense
by giving advantage 20 the ship itself
The proposed law, which has bern introduced
In Congress, IL IN no sense experimental II Is
based on the best and most successful prece
dents. as for instance, upon the recent Cunarc
contract with the British Government
As far South America If concerned, The
measures aim Is 10 provide from the Atlantic
and PACING COASTS better American lines TO the
ports Of South America than the present Euro
pean lines. The South American republics now
see only our warships. Under this Dill our trace
bin proposes the building Of large sized steamers
Of sixteen knots per hour. There are nearly tive
foreign trade and over three fourths Of them
draw subsidies-postal or Admiralty
both.
NEED OF sHIPYARDs
The bin would encourage our shipysrds. which
Is battieships. and the efnciency Of which de
Ponds In large measure upon their steady en-
ployment in large CONSTRUCTION II would De OF
Importance 20 our navy, because Il would give 8
considerable feet 81 auxiliary steamships such
is now almost wholly lacking.
The bill provides for fourteen steamships, sub
sidized TO tie extent OF over q million and q
half. from the Atlantic coast, all 10 run TO South
American ports II provides upon the Pacific
Coast for twenty-five steamer subsidized to the
extent OF two millions and quarter, some Of
these TO run TO South America. most OF them 10
Manila. Australia and Asis- Be II remembered
that, while the shfps would be owned upon the
coast, the cargoes would be largely supplied by
the interior and that the bin would benefit the
Mississippi Valley, much the seaboard,
have laid stress upon the benefit 10 be eK-
pected from our trade with South America. The
lines % the Orient are also Of vital importance.
The commercial possibilities Of the Pacific sre
unlimited. and for national reasons II is impers-
tive that should have direct communication
by American lines with Hawaii and the Philip
pines.
The existence OF our present steamship lines
upon the Pecinc is seriously threatened by the
foreign subsidized lines. Our communics tons
with the markets Of Asia and with own pos
sessions IN the Philippines. less than oUr
communics Hons with Australia. should depend
not upon foreign but upon our own ships The
Southwest and Northwest should alike be served
by these lines. and II this is done they will slso
give 10 the Mississippi Valley through its entire
length the advantages of all trsnscontinental
railways running 20 the Pacific Coast
To fail to establish adequate lines upon the
Pacific Is equivalent 10 procls inning tn the world
that we have neither the ability the disposi-
tfon 10 contend for opr rigbtful share Of the
commerce Of the Orient. II would surely he
more than unwise for 70 surrender 10 orr
commercial rivals the grest commerce OF the
Orient the great commerce we should have with
South America and even our own communics tons
with Hawaii and the Philippines.
earnestly hope for the enactment Of some
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.