The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-01-31
THE COLUMBIAN, BLOOMSBURY. PA.

instanced the Boer war
in South Africa, where he declared
that the 90, 200, 900 people inhabit.
ing the United Kingdom OF Eng
land, Ireland, Scotland and Wales,
were unable to produce an army
that could cope with $4,000 farm
trained Boer marksmen, and never
would have been able to win the
war had it not been for Great Brit
aims ability to call on her colonies
to furnish men of real stamina from
India, Australia and Canada, where
the ennervating conditions OF city
life had net begun to be felt.
A*A
There is every probability that
ship subsidy bill tf some sort will
he passed at the present session OF
Congress. The President this week
sent to Congress message in
which he gives the subsidy bill his
unqualified support. He points out
that it is impossible with the high
cost of American ships and the
higher cost of American crews to
compete with the other nations OF
the world for the supremacy in sea
power unless the steamship lines
are aided by government subsidy,
The commercial competitors OF this
country in Europe he says spend
an aggregate of S25, 900, 900 a year
in subsidies, while the three and
three-quarter millions, which it is
proposed to have this government
spend in relatively less than even
the subsidy bill paid by Japan. The
President says that our trade with
the Orient aud with South America
depends entirely upon adequate
steamship facilities and that it
would be just as foolish for this
country to depend on having its
merchandise transported by the
steamship companies OF foreign
nations as it would be for depart
ment store to depend on having its
goods delivered by the wagons of a
competing concern.
The bill which the President re-
commends contemplates the build
ing of IA steamships of I6 knots
each for the Atlantic trade and 22
of the same size for the Pacific
coast. The law has been based on
successful precedents, taking as
one example the recent contract of
the Cunard line with the British
government. Its object, so far as
South America is concerned is to
provide facilities for direet Ameri-
can communication instead of as
now depending on sending both
freight and mail to Europe and
there having trans shipped to ves-
sells bound for the South American
coast. 1t is pointed out further
that the government will practical
ly get its money back, not only in
the increased work that will be
given to American shipyards, but
in having at hand powerful auxil-
iary fleet, thing in which the
Navy is at present wholly lacking
Xxx
Representatives of the molasses
interests of the south were given a
hearing at the agricultural depart
ment this week in connection with
certain restrictions that will proba-
bly, be placed upon them through
the enforcement of the pure food
law. The manufacturers assured
Secretary Wilson that it was im.
possible to procure molasses with
out the aid of chemicals ard they
are rather taken back when DR..
Wiley who was present at the hear
ing assured them that he had per.
sonal y run a factory in Georgia
which had turned out IL, 2,ooc gal
Ions of the finest sort of molasses
with nothing except the fire under
the kettle. No order in connection
with this manufacture has yet beer
promulgated by the Department
but Secretary Wilson promises tt
take the matter under advisement