Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-31
Not Big Ships, But Little
Ones Are Needed
To Build Up Merchant Marine,
Congressman Rainey Says.
Asserts Subsidy Is Not Wanted, But
Removal Of the Tariff.

DOSton, Jan. Ju.-Ine SUBJECT VI
ships and the Tariff was presented
to the members of the Boston city
Club tonight by Congressman Henry
r Rainey of Illinois. who spoke at
some length. Charles II. Jones, presi-
dent Of the club presided. Congressman
Ralney spoke in part as follows:
Steel shipbuilding is no longer a
craft. Il is no trouble 70 find in this
country enough men to build ships.
What. we need Is material out of which
TO build thenl-material that can be
purchased here as cheaply as it can be
purchased in England. Compel the
American steel trust to sell steel here
1T its export price-you can do that by
giving Us free raw material for ships
and there will be such a demand for
american built ships that a ship
building plant will spring up near
every enc of our great coast cities. We
will, under these conditions, soon be
again supplying the nations of the
world with ships and It will be impos-
sible to sell them abroad cheaper than
at home. A subsidy would be an ex-
celIent thing for a few gentlemen who
are continually asking aims from the
IL
merchant marine Il subsidy is the very
thing we do not want.
In order to create a great merchant
marine we need first Of all men. We
are not a sea-faring nation. The prob
lem now Is not how to increase enor-
rnousIy the holdings Of a number of
multi illionaires, who in return Will
be willing to add a few 12,000-ton or
16,O00-ton steel ships to our merchant
navy. The real problem is how to get
men trained to the sen with which to
man ships If We had them. Subsidies
and tariffs do not develop men.
The protective tariff has contributed
it's share toward the creation OF swol-
len fortunes. The organized effort now
is to encourage by subsidies the build
ing of a still larger number of these
great floating machines called ships.
These ships do not attract men to the
sea Unless we can in some way en-
courage the building of little ships, the
more big ships we build the worse we
are off Ships that cost six or eight
million dollars do not compete-they
simply divide up the ocean highways
of the world as four or five groups OF
railroads have divided up the United
States.
am not finding fault with modern
industrial conditions. l believe great
combinations of capital are necessary
under the changed Industrial situa
ton. We are beginning now to realize
the Importance of sea power as we
never have before. II is our duty
row as citizens to try to devise means
to attract the best blood of New Eng
land. and the best blood of the South
and the West to the sea.
Smaller sailing vessels penetrating
to the. interior of the country can ef-
feet an exchange of the products of
our interior states for the products of
all the countries that touch upon all
the seas of the world. The boys of
New England can go to sea. as they
did In the days that are gone. feeling
that at some time they may become
masters or owners of ships. In this
way VIC can become again a sea far
ing nation. The great fleet OF smaller
vessels so created could furnish Of
fcers and men qualified to navigate
the larger liners and there would al
ways be present a large body or men
trained in the arts of seamanShip ana
navigation. The country would then
be able at al; times to furnish sui
iicient number of skilled men with
which to man our battleshipS i'll time
of war.
We do not have free raw materials for
ships. we have free raw material foi
ships built for the foreign trade and built
for foreign ownership.
Vessels so constructed for American
owned ships ere excluded from our profit
able coast trade. except during two
months of each year. The protective tar
if has always crippled our shipping In
dustrics In the wooden vessel period w,
maintained or supremacy upon the
ocean We had then an abundance o!
free raw material with which to build
vessels. With the advent OF iron SHIPS
under our protective tariff we were left
without free raw material and our su
prenacy upon the sea quickly fadeo
away.
The cnl,' argument against free ship'
or free raw material for ships is that thi'
policy would prove an opening Wedge
and would furnish soon an argumen
against our protective SYSTEM
But in these days when our industrie:
no longer need protection it is time fo'
the shipping interests 10 adopt sane poil
cies. Our supremacy on the seas VII
return to us If we repeal our useless nav
igation laws as England di6over a nan
century ago. Give US free ships and fre'
raw material for ships. Loosen the bond'
which now confine this great industry
and we will again. as in the old wooder
ship period. build ships not only for our
selves but for all the world.
American Ice Co. Re. elects Officers.
New York. Jan. 30-After the ahnua
meeting OF the stockholders OF the
American Ice Co. in Jersey City today
a meeting of the directors Of the com
pany was held and Wesley Diner
president, John r. Bennett. secretary