The Republican journal., 1907-11-07
THE SUBSIDY BILL.
la paper read by student of the Lawrenceville.
N. j., School

la paper read by student of the Lawrenceville.
NJ. School
In introducing such q subject as the
Subsidy Bill" fully realize its large
ness and intend dwelling on only two
! Of its most important points, Its Ad-
vantages to Commerce" and 'Its Ad-
vantages to the Nation as a Whole"
| Under this bill, ships, both steam
and sail, would be built in American
yards by American workmen, using
different material, iron, lumber, ma
chinery; in fact, one can hardly name
any material which does not go into
the construction of a ship. These ships
would be MANFRED, as the bill calls for,
by American seamen, and the money
paid for the material, labor, and freight
would be retained by Americans and
not go to foreign owners. Also our
flag would be represented in all foreign
ports as before the war of 1861, and we
would be recognized as are England,
Germany, and little Norway as COM
mercial nation of power.
South America is recognized under
the Monroe Doctrine to be close to the
United States; in fact, under its pro-
lection. Closer relations in CONNER
cial sense can be instituted only by
trade. We are sending our different
products as manufactured goods, in
Guiding agricultural machinery and i'm
plements, together with many thousand
tons of binder. twine-a product of the
Philippines-which is now all brought to
the States in foreign bottoms. In fact
at present all of this large trade is be-
ing done by foreigners, there not being
one American line. Hence all of the
freight-money goes to owners in Eng
land, Germany and Norway, whereas
it might all be brought to the United
States.
The Pacific Trade to the Orient, say
to Japan, or to China, the largest of all
Oriental nations, would give employ
ment to half score of American ships
and the only American line has been
obliged to withdraw since the failure to
pass the Subsidy Bill at the last session
of Congress. 1t is, moreover, an &C
knowledged fact that we cannot run
our ships, paying higher wages. as we
do, our ships costing for material and
labor from 5000 to 1000 more than for
eign-we cannot compete with them. In
| Of ,trr
such as Japan, merchant ships would be
used for transports and coal carriers.
Where would we be without them-as
we are today, helpless. The subsidy
ships for the Atlantic and Pacific
trade at profit. The saving of money
paid to foreign nations has been cover
ed in a general way throughout my re-
marks.
In time of peace the money or profit
made would not 60 to foreign builders
and owners but to American citizens
and the money made, large or small,
would be expended in the United
States. The foreign trade if done in
ships built in the United States, carry
ing cargoes to different ports, would
bring return cargoes to the United
States, and all money earned would go
to the United States. Then the mail
system calls for high speed steamers,
which built under the Subsidy Bill
could and would be used in time of
war as army transports, being of
course manned and differed by Ameri-
can citizens. In the time of war we
would have ships for transports and
auxiliary cruisers, as were the est.
Louis" and "Paris" during the Spanish
American War. These were the only
two available vessels, the government
being obliged to buy from different
) nations ships for coal and army trans
ports, though it is a recognized fact
among merchant ship owners that the
; large United States four five and six
3 masted schooners, carrying from three
to six thousand tons of coal to the
West Indies during the Spanish Ameri-
,, can War to replenish the bunkers of
5 our warships, rendered great service
l and in way contributed to Simpsons
great naval victory.
: The Subsidy Bill would make it pos
, sible to build merchant marine which
would give trained men in time of war,
for the navy, which would be manned
by United States citizens trained in
sea-going merchant ships. At present
it would be found impossible to proper