Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-07-16
THE MERCHANT MARINE.

MOL lDIlE lIltt llC uAloti SANy
raked me with rough hand over not
Goals because of something / said to a
reporter of that paper about the Ametl-
can merchant marine. what SAID 10
the interviewer was somewhat upon the
line of the observations l intend now
to make. / said then -that--our- merchant
Y me except for coastwise purposes,
m ~ a thing of the past, and charged that
e sps fleet we formerly possessed and
was one of the glories OF the
! Republic, was the outgrowth Of Repub-
lican policies, as stupid as they are
selfish. With due respect to the journal,
/ repeat hat statement. 1t is a fact
which none can dispute that outside OF
vessels engaged in coastW1se tratflc we
have no merchant fleet worthy the name,
and it is a fact hat as a ma arr ne
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-
ton and excited the anxiety OF Ihomas
Jefferson concerned our maritime inter-
ests. He was IN ardent advocate OF a
strong merchant marine; He pelleVeo
that nothing would add more to the
prestige of the nation or the prosperity
of the people than a great merchant
fleet, going hither and thither across me
seas, bearing the American nag INTO tne
ports of the world, exploiting markets
and promoting commercial exchanges.
Not only did he regard such a Meet as OF
the highest moment because OF lts sIea'
value as a commercial inStrumentanty,
but he also regarded it as of the greatest
consequence in times of war, for in
times of war merchant vessels may not
only be used for purposes OF mllltarS
transportation, but many may De con
verified into fast auxiliary cruisers. unuel
the wise guidance of Mr.. Jefferson ano
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 al
men, which none will dispute. Undel
democratic policies, which prevailed an
terror to the civil war, the merchant ma
rine grew steadily until it ranked as on
of the first in the world. Under Repub
lican policies, which have prevailed sine
that war, the merchant marine has de
Perforated n wasted until now IL re
mains as little more h a memory Ii
these simple statements OF undispute,
fact, two pictures are presented whicl
any American with eyes and the con
+ scious power of observation may lool
. upon. Even my caustic friend, the edito
J OF the Kansas City Journal, can Sc
: them without the aid of ~spectacles.
True we rave a ,passably good mel
v chant fleet engaged in the coastWlS
trade. This fleet is made up OF vessel
employed in carrying cargoes and pas
sengers along the coast or across Tn
= lakes from one American port to an
/ other. 1 do not underestimate Its value
: although local in its operations; recoe
! nize its Importance and shall Away r.
= joice in it's prosperity. But is It an
= wonder that we have a fairly creditabl
= coastwise service? Under the law ve:s
4 sells engaged in that traffic have an a.
solute monopoly. Only vessels owned an
= quilt in America can obtain America
registry or fly the flag, and none otne
can conve passengers or frelgnt Iroii
one port to another, n sdtua alton
the scope of this monopoly. Under u
= law as 1t stands, no person can go in
u foreign vessel to or from Honolulu {
any port of the Islands to San Francist
n or any port of the mainland without fir
II paying a penalty to the government
le 5000. The Hawaiian Islands are Amer
II can territory, and ports established tne
are American ports. All American port
g whether of the Islands or mainland, a
'r under the operation of the .coastwi
N laws, and foreign vessels are forbidde
II under heavy penalties, to carry passe
g gers or freight between such ports.
in obtained between San Francisco al
ne Honolulu on an American vessel (
~ weeks at a time. Last summer Senat
re Piles Of Washington. Secretary Strans
ne on a semi-official visit. 1t became nece
de sary for the Secretary n one or tN
ke other members of the party. to .retu
IS, without delay, but they. found on inqui
er that no American vessel would sail fire
a Honolulu for approximately two weel
IT. They were obliged, therefore. to a I
ng penalty Of 5000 each, in addition to t
re regular fare, for the privilege of pr
as sage to San Francisco on a foreign sh
Mr.. Piles offered a bill at the last 81
re sion providing that he coastwise la
should be suspended as to- passengt
Ist only, not as to freight, between. !
d. Hawaiian Islands and the mainland
the period of six years, or until an az
ID auate American service was establish
The bill has not been received W