The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-06

ter steamers will carry Chinese ana
Japanese coolies and general laborers
to South American States and return
with cargoes of nitrate of soda and
other South American products to
China and Japan. 1t is fair to infer
that South American governments and
Japan will finally arrange treaties in
their mutual interest.
japanese lines are now carrying
many tons of the exports and imports
of the United States. History presents
a striking picture. America through
Perry and others was the discoverer
of commercial Japan. Today CONNER
cial America finds herself the discov-
cred of Japan. The commerce of for
eign countries bordering the Pacific
last year was more than S3,000.000 000
Who will secure the prize or the larg-
est share of it? Japan, with her sub
sidized steamship lines, or America,
with a large navy and a lethargy in
her merchant marine? Japan is bid
ding for the honor with commendable
zeal Within the last year she has ne
gotiated for the purchase hf almost
every first-ciass American ship on the
Pacific. With her subsidized lines and
cheaper operated steamers, it is only
a question of time before our ships
! must be sold or go under foreign
flag. If American ships can be pur-
chased. the markets by them developed
are either captured or destroyed. With
Japan entirely dominating the Pacific.
the position of Hawaii situated at its
center is easily foreseen. She will be-
come the especial object of attack. It
must necessarily be the policy of any
foreign nation. commercially or other
wise. to weaken her strong strategic
position and prevent and stifie in every
possible manner the development Of
American institutions and trade.
on all sides movements are made to
divert American trade to foreign lines
and American influence is becoming
| either narrowly circumscribed or
actually forced out of it's established
| channels. In searching for foreign
mail subsidies in the Pacific, we find
that the British Government is paying
for her mail lines to Asia and Austria
liza 81 700. 600 to the Peninsular and
| Oriental Steamship Company and in
addition $500. 900 to the Canadian Pa
cific Company. The German Govern
ment for its service to Asia and Aus
| traIia pays the North German Lloyd
| Company 81. $40, 900. The French Gov
ernment pays the Messageries Mari
times Steamship Company for its ser
vices to Asia and Australia S1,666SOO.
The committee in Congress before
whom the recent mail subsidy was
presented. ascertained that ships sail
ing under European flags pay about
one-half. and those sailing under Jap
anese flags pay between one-third and
one-haIf the wages that American
ships nay. 1t costs between 40 and 80
ner cent. more to build ship in this
country.
The Oceanic Steamship Company,
which was formerly engaged in the
Australian service, but was forced out
of the trade by lack of subsidy
ar anv other line which may hereafter
undertake this Australian service,
must run in competition with one
French. one German. one japanese and
three British vessels. all of which are
highly subsidized. With all the for
eign nations paying subsidies, the
United States should protect her mer-
chant marine by a generous subsidy.
The principIe of subsidy is not new
or novel one with the American peo-
ple. By many millions of subsidy we
are building great systems Of irriga-
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