The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-11-19
A VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN SHIP.
The New President-Elect a Frank Cham
pion of Our Maritime Interests, and Mr..
Bryan a Recognized Enemy.

The New President-Elect FRANK Cham
pion of Our Maritime Interests, and Mr..
Bryan Recognized Enemy
The Marine Journal is not political
partisan paper, but it heartily reJolces IN
the election of Judge Taft, JUS! as IL mas
labored for this result, because IL peheves
that his victory means victory Ior tne
American merchant marine, tne cause 70
which this journal in its thirty years OF
existence has been inf1exibly devoted.
OF all of the Republican aspirants for the
/ Presidency before the National convention
of last June, Judge Taft was the most
earnest and outspoken in his advocacy
of the interests of American ocean ship
builders, owners and sailors. Through
out his remarkable series OF addresses IN
all parts Of the country when preceded
the nominating convention, ne declared
aggressively for forward policy IN re-
gard to our merchant marine, and specl-
fically pledged himself, if nominated and
elected. to use his utmost influence
toward an extension of the policy initial
ed in the present Ocean Mail bill. Moro
over we know that when that bill was
under consideration in Congress few
months ago, Judge Taft's most active
and devoted lieutenants worked unceas-
inglv for the success of the legislation
among uniformed and hating Republ.-
can Representatives of the Middle West.
In his letter accepting the Republican
Presidential nomination, Judge Taft de-
clared again most earnestly In favor
of the ocean mail law as the hrst step
toward the restoration of our ocean ship
ping.
The victory of Judge Taft is, therefore,
in distinct and peculiar sense the victory
of the American merchant marine.
The issue on this subject was sufficiently
clear-cut, for Mr.. Bryan has gone down
upon platform condemning any national
aid whatsoever to our shipping industry:
His hostility and the hostility OF most OF
the politicians of his party to American
shipping was so manifest, so pronounced,
that Mr.. Bryan in his canvass, though
protesting to be the uncompromising
foe of combinations and monopolies,
has had the active and generous sup
port of the newspaper organs OF the rich
and powerful steamship corporations
of Europe. His defeat is, therefore,
their defeat-the defeat of the jealous
and vindictive European steamship inter-
ests that dread and fight every effort
toward national legislation for the pro-
lection of our ocean fleet. The downfall
of Mr.. Bryan in the campaign of 1896
doubtless produced no worse rage and
discontinue among the bonanza million
aires of the silver mining ''pocket boro-
ughs'' of the West than his present de-
feat produces among the European steam
ship colonies in the lower part OF the city
of New York.
Just as the whole weight of European
steamship interest in this country was
cast for Mr.. Bryan, so all the influence
of the American shipping interest and
every vote it could command was cast
for Judge Taft and a Republican victory.
congratulate Judge Taft and congratulate
every American citizen afloat or ashore
who is interested in the upbuilding of our
merchant marine. The Marine Journal.