The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-03-28

merce of the world on the high seas,
and where is she today? down nearly
at the bottom of the list with the
other maritime nations of the world
and likely to remain there unless we
get some relief.
The Senate has seen fit to pass the
bill several times, but it has always
been killed when it went to the House.
Only few days ago the Senate pass.
ed favorably on the bill and the world
is awaiting anXiously to see what &C.
ton will be taken in the House.
The ones that have fought the bill
before in the House have been Con-
gressmen who have never seen salt
water and do not realize the needs or
a merchant marine.
The same men do not realize that
nearly all the coal that is being trans
ported for the use of the Navy is
shipped in foreign bottoms, where
American ships should be doing the
work, and the money going into cir
culation in our own country instead
of going to foreign countries. They
say, why should we do it, when the
same work can be done cheaper by
foreign ships. The answer should be,
give Americans the benefits so that
the money can be spent in our own
country instead of going away. Would
England, France, Germany or any
other country give America a chance
/ to carry their coal? No a thousand
times no, and then why should we
give them the chance that they now
very well would be refused us.
Some people say, let us have the
suspension long enough to enable
American ships to be built. What
would happen then American owners
would say nothing doing we want an
assured subsidy which will enable us
to go ahead and build ships?"
One very important matter that not
every one thinks of is, how do all the
other nations manage to pay for their
ships which are running all over the
world. Freight and passengers do not
pay for everything necessary to run
a ship, what does? The large subsid-
les which are paid to other nations
ships.
Take for instance one example
which is only recent, the successful
building and launching of the two
fastest ships in the world, the Cum
arders Mauretania and the Lusitania.
Without the aid of the English Gov
eminent they never could have been
built but England is liberal to her
ships and gives them good coin of the
realm for the carrying of her mails
all over the world.
On the other hand, look at the four
ships of the American line which rep
resent over $10000,000 and which will
be taken off of the Atlantic service
unless Congress sees fit to pass the
ocean mail ship subsidy bill which
will give them a chance to continue
on little while longer.
These four ships would be sold to
some foreign nation, the flag which we
should all hold so dear would be haul
ed down from their trucks, and there
would only be memory remaining.
Ihese same ships as we'll as many
others were used by the United States
Navy during the war with Spain
and all did good work, and in a few
years when our children grow up and
ask where are the ships that were once
under our flag, tho answer would be,
they are now under foreign flags be-
cause Congress refused to give them
money enough to run.
Every true American citizen who
holds any love for his country should
do all in his power by word or deed,
to urge Congress to give Americans
the chance to put their ships once
more on the high seas and regain as
much possible the position she has
lost.