The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-01-24
Government Must Aid Trade
Of Ocean, Says President
Points Out How Europeans Have Taken
Commerce Of South America

WASHINGTON. Jan. 2S.-The Presi-
dent sent the following message TO
Congress to-day urging the desirabflity
OF legislation 10 help American ship
ping and trade by encoUrag ing the
building and running OF lines OF large
end swift steamers to South America
and the Orient
I call your attention to the crest desirsbility
81 enacting legislation 70 help American shipping
enc trade by encouraging the building and run
glng OF lines OF large and swift steamers 70
South America and the Orient
The urgent need of our country's making an
effort 70 DO something Ike It's share OF its own
chtfsln6 trsoe on the ocean has been called 70
our attention in striking fashion by the ex-
periences ~ Secretary Root on his recent South
- SET forth IN his address before the Trans
Mississippi Commercial Congress az Kansas city
% November 20 last. an address 20 important
tnat II deserves the careful study of 81 public
The facts set forth by Secretary Root are
striking and cannot but arrest the attention
~ our people. The great continent 70 the
south Of Us which should be knit TO rs BY the
closest commercial ties r. hardly 10 direct com
mercial communication with US ~ all It's com
mercial relations being almost exclusively with
Europe. Between ST the principal South Amer
icsn ports and Europe lines 81 swift and commo-
oiOus steamers. subsidized by their home govern
ments, ply regularly.
EUROPE TAKES TRADE
There Sc no such line of steamers between
these ports and the United States In conse-
ouenee our shipping IN south American ports is
very small For Instance. in the year ending
June so. 1905. there entered the port OF Rio de
Jsneiro over 5000 steamers and sailing vessels
from Europe. but from the United states there
were no steamers and only seven sailing YES
eele, two Of which were IN distress. The prime
reason Tor this state ~ things is that those
who now Do business upon the sea 90 business
IN q world not OF natural competition but OF
subsidized competition
State aid 20 steamship lines Is as much a
part ~ the commercial system Of TO-DAY as sta te
employment Of consuls 10 promote business. Our
commercial competitors IN Europe pay in The
aggregate So. 600. 600 8 year 20 their steamship
Lines. japan psys between three and four mil
lion. BY the proposed legislation the United
States would pay relatively less Than any one
OF our competitors
Three years ago the Trans Mississippi Congress
formally set forth automatic the statement
that every shin Is r missionary ~ trace thar
steamship lines work for their own countries
Just as railroad lines work for their terminal
points and that Il Is absurd for the United
States 10 depend upon foreign ships 70 ols-
tribute It's products q would be for 3 oe-
partnent store 10 depend upon wagons OF q
competing house 20 deliver its goods This
statement is the literal truth.
COMPETITION OVERWHELMING
Moreover II must be remembered that Amer1-
sr ships Do not have 70 contend merely against
=, rehabilitation OF their foreign competitors.
u he higher wages and the greater cost Of main
fanance and crews make II almost impossible
for our people who do business on the ocean 70