Monroe City Democrat., 1908-07-16
THE MERCHANT MARINE.

Not long since the Kansas City Journal
raked me with rough hand over hot
Goals because of something l said to n
reporter of that paper about the Amerl-
can merchant marine. What l said to
the interviewer was somewhat upon the
line of the observations l intend now
to make. I said then that our merchant
marine, except for coastwise purposes,
was a thing of the past, and charged that
the destruction of the splendid conmcr-
cial feet we formerly possessed, ana
which was one of the glories OF the
Republic, was the outgrowth or RepuD-
lican policies, as stupid as they are
selfish With due respect to the Journal
repeat that statement 1t is a 1act
which none can dispute that outside OF
vessels engaged in cOastwise traffic we
have no merchant fleet worthy the name,
and it is a fact that as a maritime
power we have fallen from the top to
the foot in the list of nations. No sincere,
intelligent man will cOntravene the ac-
curacy of that declaration. But in
former times it was different. One OF the
things that commanded most the atten-
tion and excited the anxiety of Thomas
Jefferson concerned our maritime inter-
ests. He was an ardent advocate OF a
strong merchant marine; He believed
that nothing would add more to the
prestige of the nation or the prosperity
of the people than great merchant
fleet, going hither and thither across the
seas bearing the American flag into the
ports of the world, exploiting markets
and promoting commercial exchanges:
Not only did he regard such fleet as OF
the highest moment because of It's great
value as a commercial instrumentality,
but he also regarded 1T as OF the greatest
consequence in times of war, Tor IN
times of war merchant vessels may not
only be used for purposes of military
transportation, but many may be con-
verted into fast auxiliary cruisers. Under
the wise guidance of Mr.. Jefferson and
those who followed him in the presidency,
the American merchant marine grew
apace until the young republic became
the rival of Great Britain, then. as now,
the leading maritime power OF the WOrld:
These are historical facts, known of all
men, which none will dispute. Under
democratic policies, which prevailed an
terror to the civil war, the merchant ma
rine grew steadily until it ranked as one
of the first in the world. Under Repub-
lican policies, which have prevailed since
that war, the merchant marine has de-
Perforated and wasted until now 1t re
mains as little more than memory. In
these simple statements of undlsputed
fact, two pictures are presented Whlch
any American with eyes and the con-
sCfOuS power of observation may look
upon. Even my caustic friend, the editor
of the Kansas City Journal. can see
them without the aid of spectacles.
True we have a paSSaDly good mer-
chant fleet engaged in the cOastwise
trade. This fleet is made up of vessels
employed in carrying cargoes and pas
sengers along the coast or across the
lakes from one American port to an
other. I do not underestimate its value,
although local in it's operations. recog-
nize its Importance and shall always re-
| jOice in its prosperity. But IS 1t any
wonder that we have fairly creditable
coastwise service? Under the law YES
| sells engaged in that traffic have an alb
solute monopoly. Only vessels owned and
built in America can obtain American
registry or fly the flag, and none other
can convey passengers or freight from
one port to another. The situation IN
Hawaii furnishes a striking example of
| the scope of this monopoly. Under the
| law as it stands, no person can go In a
| foreign vessel to or from Honolulu or
any port of the Islands to San Francisco
or any port Of the mainland without first
paying a penalty to the government of
| 500. The Hawaiian Islands are Ameri-
can territory, and ports established there
are American ports. All American ports,
/ whether of the islands or mainland, are
under the operation of the cOastwise
| laws, and foreign vessels are forbidden,
| under heavy penalties, to carry passen-
often happens that passage can not be
obtained between San Francisco ana
Honolulu on an American vessel Tor
weeks at a, time. Last summer Senator
| Piles of Washington. Secretary Strauss,
and others, were in the Hawaiian Islands
on a semi-Official visit. 1t became neces-
sary for the Secretary and one or two
| other members of the party to return
without delay. but they found on inquiry
| that no American vessel would sail from
| Honolulu for approximately two weeks.
| They were obliged, therefore. to pay the
| penalty of $500 each, in addition to the
regular fare, for the privilege of pas
sage to San Francisco on a foreign ship.
Mr. Piles offered a bill at the last Ses-
sion providing that the coastwise laws
should be suspended as to passengers
only, not as to freight, between the
Hawaiian Islands and the mainland for
| the period of six years, or until an ade-
| quate American service was established.
The bill has not been received with