The Washington herald., 1909-03-20

Setting forth that the business men Of
this city, or of any other American city.
are In favor Of a liberal ocean mail
policy-and urging protection in the form
of ocean mail subsidies-Senator Jacob
H. Gallinger. OF New Hampshire. writes
to The Washington Herald as follows:
1T is not with 'chagrin,' as The Wash
ingtOn Herald said in it's issue OF the
18th, but with satisfaction, that the advo-
Gates Of ocean mail subsidies point 10 the
enormous tonnage and cheap and efficient
service Of our American lake and coast
wise shipping as proof OF what vigorous
and intelligent national protection viii do
for the merchant marine.
1T is this protected domestic shipping
protected for a hundred years by the alb
solute exclusion Of foreign vessels-that
makes the United States IN total docu-
mented tonnage the second power In the
world. and that is responsible for last
years large output from American ship
yards II protection in the form OF coast
wise law has done all this for one-half
OF our merchant marine. why not Try
protection in the form Of ocean mail sub
sides for the other half. as Great Brit
ain. France. Germany. Italy and Japan
have done 10 their great advantage-sub-
sidizing their mail lines and then requir-
ing that their mail ships shall b built at
home?
Ocean Ships Needed.
The fact that we have two million tons
Of shipping on the Great Lakes does not
provide a decent American mail service
70 the Philippines, nor does the fact that
there are a thousand coal and lumber
barges on the New England coast give US
swift and regular steamship communica-
ton with Brazil and Argentina. We need
ocean ships not merely for the sake OF
building and owning them, not merely.
even. because they would provide an es-
sential naval reserve. but primarily that
we may have as good delivery facilities
for our export commerce as have foreign
governments. our rivals in trade and pos
sible enemies In war.
These foreign governments viii gladly
provide alleged facilities for Us. but they
viii Invariably take good care 20 keep
their best ships and make the best rates
for their own delivery service Thus. a
European steamship trust dominates our
carrying trade 20 the chief countries OF
South America. with the result that
American consuls complain that freight
rates from the United States 10 Rio de
Janeiro are twice as high as freight rates
from the United States 10 Hongkong.
and that it takes twice as long 70 send
a business letter to. and receive & reply
from. New York, as II does 10 write 10
= y ersrNa~ 49,
burg.
Impatient at Conditions.
1t is no wonder that American men OF
business are increasingly impatient at
these conditions They see that We have
lines OF subsidized American mail steam
ers to the Caribbean. the Gulf OF Mexico.
and the nearest ports Of South America
and that in the ports to which these swift
ships regularly run American commerce
has steadily grown until il stands pre-
eminent. while IN the father southern
ports. where We are dependent on the re-
luctant and uncertain service OF foreign
shipping, American trade is actually fan
ing of.
Seeing these things, the National
Board OF Trade. the National Association
OF Manufacturers, the American Bankers.
Association. the American Cotton Manu-
facturers' Association, and similar com
nercial bodies all over the United States
IN the chief commercial cities OF the South
and West, no less than Of the North. have
formally requested Congress TO enact an
ocean mail bill to give Us delivery IA
cilities OF our own 10 countries 10 which
no American steamship lines are running.
Does The Washington Herald know
mat such action has been taken BY Wash
lngton business men? Have your editors
ever read the impressive statement made
after his recent return from a tourney
around the world by their fellOw-rowns-
man. Mr.. S. ". Woodward?
Policy OF other Nations.
What great department store in Wash
ington or any other city would dream OF
intrusting to the men and wagons OF Z
rival department store the delivery Of its
own goods 10 its own customers? Great
Britain, France. Germany, Italy. Japan.
and other nations. our competitors. are
expanding nearly 100000 a year to sus-
tain strong national mail lines OF their
own all over the world. They are doing
this because they have found Il wise and
profitable.
The United States is expanding about
10000 &. year TO sustain mail lines u-der