Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-16
FOREIGN SHIPS IN DOMESTIC
TRADE

The people of the United States
and the occm-shipping interests IN
every corner of the world would he
extremely gratiicd to see President
Hartman OF the various Pacific rail
road aud steamship lines carry out
ms threat-or, more strictly speak
lhg, his unoilicially announced pur-
liuso-to put the navigation laws of
inc United states To the scvcrcst test
To which they could possibly be sub
jectcd.
THE bars are down." declares the
manager of the operating department
OF the Atlantlc-coast lines of the
Southern Pacific Company. speaking
for his chief. III the United States
government has the right TO charter
foreign bottoms To carry coal To the
Pacific coast. there is no reason why
The Southern Pacific should not do
likewise. am going To send coal to
San Francisco in foreign bottoms.
| And Mr.. Hartman himself has been
quoted rs saying that he does not
see why the Southern Pacific should
not compete with the United States
government and ship coal from one
American port to another in foreign
bottoms"
liy the expression, the bars are
down. President lIarriman's spokcs-
man mpucstionably meant that the
| legal bars" that have heretofore
prevented foreign vessels from en-
gnging In American coastwise and
other domestic commerce have now
been let down by the United States
government In cases whore the gov.
crnment Is Itself the shipper and
benefits by the lower rates of freight
that II can secure from foreign YES
sells. Both spokesman and chief
know we'll enough. OF course, that
the Federal law prohibits this sort or
thing-hut they very naturally would
like to ascertain through test case
whether or not n subject of the Unit
cd States Is less privileged under the
Federal laws than the government of
the United States. Section forty
three hundred and fortysevcn OF the
revised statutes OF the United States
provides:
NO merchandise shall he transport
ed. under penalty OF forfeiture there
OF, from one port OF the United States
to another port of the United States
In vessel belonging wholly or In
part to Il subject of any foreign pow.
err
Wore President Hartman or any
body else to ship n cargo OF coal from
an Atlantic port of the United States
to San Francisco in n foreign bottom.
the vessel would unGuestionably be
held up by American revenue cutters
or warships and It's cargo would be
declared forfeited to tho United
States government But highly IN
! torcsting litigation would just as I'm
Questionably follow this proceeding
an International incident" might be
made OF the act. even. The outcome
probably would be defeat for the
| shipper OF the coal, triumph for the
government in sustaining the validity
OF the law; but the testimony ana the
court rulings on certain points that
would inevitably be made would
serve TO bring out the government S
/ defense OF its acts in ignoring tho
navigation laws.
II Is very bad precedent. Wei
ously bad example. for the govern
mont to set when IL charters foreign
bottoms for carriage between Ameri-
can domestic ports. 1t should quote
the Federal statute whenever n for.
elgn ship.owner offers that sort OF
business and respectfully decline to
tempt It's own subjects into law
breaking.
We're tho government to put the
law" onto itself as test. seize It's
own cargo and then declare It's own
/, coal forfeit 10 Itself, the proceeding
would be too supremacy ridiculous for
sober consideration. Rut any prl
waite shipper who will make the test
will do the American public n dis
,, tinct service