The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-03-05
AGAINST OUR SHIPPING
TERESTS.

80
7 Merchant Marine League OF the
United States, writes a very interest
ing letter on the injustice that Amer
lean shipping interests are suffering
In connection with the building OF
the Panama canal. The letter Is as
follows:
This country is spending millions
OF American dollars In digging q
canal at Panama, which will be, In
times Of peace at all events, under
the present conditions, solely for the
benefit Of the merchant marine OF
our German, British, Norwegian,
French and Japanese friends, and
can not be considered In any way
money well spent for the benefit Of
American commerce, American bust
ness interests or the American flag
for the reason that we have prac-
tically no American ships, and the
American flag does not wave from
the masthead Of anything in the way
Of merchant marine.
On the Isthmus there are only
American engineers, foremen and
skilled mechanics. These are en-
ployed exclusively, though at higher
wages than foreigners could be pro-
cured.
The dredges, engines, boilers, loco
motives, rails, tools, equipment and
supplies OF every character are pur-
chased in this country, although the
cost is usually more than that at
which these things could be purch-
ased in Europe. Practically every
thing is being purchased under the
joint resolution Of June rs, 1906,
which provides that the purchase Of
such things shall be restricted to
articles OF domestic production and
manufacture from the lowest possible
bidder unless the president shall in
any case deem the bids or tenders
therefor to be extortionate or unrea-
sonable, thus carrying out the policy
Of protection to American labor and
American enterprise, which is prob
ably the only right enc in view of the
fact that American money is paying
the freight. Everything that has
been undertaken and everything that
has been done down there, with one
significant exception, is thoroughly
American in every way, and that ex-
ception is that all the goods are being
transported In foreign vessels, under
foreign flags, by foreign seamen, and
the profit therefrom all goes to-
foreign shipping corporations.
AS a result of this, in the harbor
OF Colon and in adjacent waters, no
ship will be found flying the flag Of
the United States, unless one of the
four vessels Of the government trans
port service or warship should hap
pen to be there.
The 100000 or 100000 tons of
coal now being used annually on the
Isthmus, the lumber, the machinery
and supplies of all description, not
conveyed by the few steamers Of the
government line. are being carried
entirely by foreigners.
II an American manufacturer asks
$50, or 100000 for a given piece
Of machinery, and it can be purch-
ased in Europe for $4,000 or
$4,000 less, the American is given
the contract. But II foreign ship
bids thousand dollars for carrying
that machinery from New York or
any other American port to the canal
and an American ship bids eleven or
twelve hundred dollars for carrying
1t. on account Of the higher wage |
scale in this country, the foreigner
gets the business every time. That |
is to say, protection rules one trans
action and free trade the other. with
the result that the construction Of |
the Panama canal, instead Of serving
American maritime interests, is ac-
tually killing off and destroying
what little is left Of our American
merchant marine In these waters; for
In addition to the reasons already
given, these foreign ships having out
ward cargoes to Colon guaranteed,
are thereby enabled to take return
from West India ports away
from such American vessels as might
already have had that trade. 4
We wish to ask II. in your judg-
ment, this Is square deal? Is 1t
lust that American laws should pro-
.ect American labor and industries
in land and deny protection toi
American interests on the high seas?
4 American manufacturers. me-
hanics, farmers, miners, lumbermen,
,tc., are entitled to preference from
heir government in this great
ts4a " II 4