The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-22
FOR A SHIP SUBSIDY
AN ENTHUsIAsTIC MEETING IS
 HELD AT CLEyELAND.
Every Possible Effort Will Be Put For ward by Friends of the Gov ernment---Assisted Merchant
 Marine For Results.

| Cleveland. Ohio. Dee. 2t-For the purpose of bringing every possible pressure to bear upon Congress in the l interest of ship subsidy, the friends of | a government assisted merchant ma | rine gathered here today, to work up enthusiasm in the interest or tne . pro. posed measure and sound the Key note of the campaign to be waged in Wash | ington this winter.
 Speeches were delivered by promin- ent United States Senators and Con gressmen. Nearly every State ana large business interest in the country, especially marine interests of the mall subsidy bill: now pending before con eress, the objective point. yet the gen. eral plan of subsidy for merchantmen was not overlooked.
 The conference was called to order by President Harvey D. Boulder, who fn- troduced Ex-Governor Myron T. Her rick. chairman of the meeting MT :. Herrick spoke briefly of the purpose Of the meeting and introduced Lyman n. Treadway, president of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.. Freeman U. Newberry, Assistant Secretary of the Navy. was then introduced. Mir. New berry reviewed the history of the American merchant marine at length. He pointed out that Admiral Dewey' in the report prepared in 1905 at the rpnnaEG or senator of the Merchant Marine Commission, stated that on the basis of strength of twenty seven battieships. the United States Navy would require from the merchant marine in a serious war ap- nroximately one hundred vessels, In ad- dition to a large number of tugs: The vessels, especially of the larger size' do not exist in sufficient number Tn the American merchant marine. The pres ami cruise of the United States battle ship fleet, the speaker said. is giving sharn and unwelcome proof on this noint. In conclusion, he said:
 ..Never before in the history Of American navigation has the need Of merchant marine been so real: never hefore its true relation to the navy been so apparent. and the deficiency in tbis respect cannot long continue with out inviting calamity. Just as in the nascent period of our government, and in avery conflict to which we have been a party, so now. in the task of pre- serving peace, the relation between the navy and the merchant marine should he one of absolute inter-reliance and cooperation. r,hatruan of the Merchant Marine Com r1itteo in the House of Representatives, followed Mir. Newberry and spoke in part as follows' .,..
 "There is a great sentiment against shin subsidy in the Central Western states. simply because the people or that district do not understand the nmast,on This must be a campaign Of education. It is said by many newspa- ners that this is great graft. That is not so. It is an important business natter of the utmost importance to the neople of the United States. The build ing of a great merchant marine would rnsan almost unlimited labor. yet the labor organigations are opposed to the nronosition. do not undestand 1t. possibly I am too innocent"
 Congressman Green said he was go- ing to exert his every effort to have bis committee in Congress report fa- yorably upon the subsidy bill.
 Lewis Nixon, of New York, spoke at length on the details of shipbuilding, the vast undertaking 1t entailed. the employment and the great amount of