Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-22
CONFERENCE HELLO IN CLEVELAND
Merchant Marine League Members
Say That the General Public is
Taking Great Deal of interest in
the Ship Subsidy oues.lon--claim
That IT VIII Benefit All.
lBy Associated pressl

| CLEVELAND, OHIO, Dec. 21-Unt-
| ted States senators, congressman high
/ government officials and representa-
f., tves OF many business interests
gathered here today in the interest
OF ship subsidy. Harvey d. Goulder
president OF the Merchants Marine
League, under the auspices of which
| the convention was held. expressed
u.e opinion that the meeting would
not only have good result. but the
, attendance and enthusiasm shown 10y
/ the delegates from various parts OF
the country indicated that the gener-
al public was taking a greater inter
est in the subject OF the merchant
marine and subsidy for seago
1 craft.
The convention was the beginning
! of a campaign of education, but the
greatest efforts Of the league will
be directed against Congress this
winter in the interest of the Uniteu
/ States mail subsidy for ocean steam
ers.
1t is estimated that the govern
ment will have to donate about $780,.
100000 to place the merchant marine
! in position to successfully COM
pete with the merchant marine OF
other nations, where subsidy exists.
the subsidy that the measure was
not only of interest to the vessel
owners. but OF direct benefit to every
citizen of the United States, and
TIT the ships were entitled to this
assistance as much as the rivers.
harbors and railways.
nc days conference was con-
cluded with banquet this evening
which was a general love feast over
the success of the league in its work
| so far.
Inc star attractions at the ban
ouet were Senator ]. B. Foraker of
Ohio, and Senator ]. II. Gallinger OF
New Hampshire.
! Senator Foraker's Address.
Senator Foraker's address was n
strong argument in favor of building
up an American merchant marine. As
bearing upon his subject he took oc-
casion to discuss the present financial
conditions which he declared were
inequitable because OF many influen-
ces which thwarted the passage of
| the rate bill by the last Congress
making the revenues of 100000 miles
of railroad dependent upon rate
making commission of seven men sit
ting in Washington.
1.-THE application of our interstate
commerce laws to our foreign conf
merce," he said. sis a handicap OF
the most serious character, not only
to our industries at home but other
| great industries. The laws should be
amended in this respect This is
generally fully recognized and I'D
mitted. and yet public sentiment is in
such a state that there is general
hesitation to act"
at is impossible" he said. "for oui
agents abroad to successfully com
pete with agents of foreign nations
Our rates for shipments are fixed and
published all over the world and can
not be changed except upon thirty
days notice. =
We are passing through strange
experiences" declared Senator For
aker. "The plainest common sense
propositions with rspect to great
business propositions are whlstled
down the wind if they do not happen
to suit the excited fancy of lot oil
self constituted representatives
OF an alleged moral regeneration OF
the business world. ALI this is un
natural, unwarranted and injurious
and we are now paving the penalty
The most stupendous panic the
world has ever witnessed has beer
checked 1t will he months probabl,
before we recover, and we never will
recover unless we regain confidence In
the integrity of each other, once more
regain success in business and con
tent ourselves with sane regulation
that will pupnish wrong doors without
bringing wholesale disaster to the in
nocent
II continue to believe that the sur
est and best way to restore our merch-
ant marine is by regulation to dis
eliminating duties and / continue tc
believe that when we shall have done
this our flag will again soon he flying
over all oceans. We should take tina