The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-02-11

duction and Manufacture from the
lowest possible bidder. unless the
President shall in any case deem
the bids or tenders therefor to be
exorbitant or unreasonable; thus
carrying ont the policy of protection
to American labor and American en-
terprise. which is probably the only
right one 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 sig
nificant exception. is thoroughly
American in every way. and that ex-
ception is that all the goods are be-
ing transported in foreign vessels,
under foreign flags. by foreign sea-
men. and the profits therefrom all
go to the foreign shipping corpora
tlons.
As a result OF this in the harbor
at 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 should happen to be
there.
The 100000 or 100000 tons of
coal now being used annually on the
lsthmus the lumber. the machinery.
and supplies of all descriptions, not
conveyed by the few steamers of the
government line, are being carried
entirely by foreigners.
II an American manufacturer asks
$4,000 or 100000 for given
piece of machinery. and it can be
purchased in Europe for $4,000 or
$4,000 less, the American is given
the contract. But if a foreign ship
bids $1,000 for carrying that nil
chinery from New York or any other
American port to the canal. and an
American ship bids $1,100 or ST.
goo for carrying it, on account Of
the higher wage scale in this couu-
try. the foreigner gets the business
every time. That is to say, protec-
ton rules one transaction and free
trade the other. with the result that
the construction of the Panama canal
instead of serving American maritime
interests. Is actually killing OFF and
destroying what little is left of our
American Merchant Marine in these
waters; form addition to the rea-
sons already given, these foreign
ships. having outward cargoes to CO.
Ion guaranteed, are thereby enabled
to take return cargoes from West
India ports away from such Ameri-
can vessels as might have already
had the trade.
The Telegram wishes to ask If.
this is square deal? Is it Just that
American laws should protect Amer
lean labor and industries on land
and deny protection to American In
terests on the high seas? If Amer
lean manufacturers, mechanics,
farmers. miners. lumbermen. etc..
are entitled to preference from their
government in this national work OF
building the Isthmian Canal. why
are not American ship owners, sail
ors and ship-builders also given
some measure of support, instead of
the building of the canal with Ameri-
can money being used as weapon.
as already stated. to ruin what little
we have left of the American Mer-
chant Marine?
The committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce has reported IA
vorably to the House of Representa-
tives resolution, which passed
without any division whatever in
the senate. applying to the transport
tation of materials and equipment
for the Panama Canal exactly the
same principle of protection or pref
erence which regulates the purchase
of materials and equipment.
1t is asserted by European steam
snip companies and their agents,
who have influential representatives
and attorneys at Washington lob
bying against the passage of this res
olution. that its adoption would he
at least double the cost of trans
porting materials and equipment to
the Canal Zone. 1t is not only pos
sible, but may be true, that Amer
lean ships would, in the beginning,
at least, have to charge little
more for the same reason that Amer.
lean machinery and other articles
cost more; but it is also doubtless
true that if congress were to adopt
this resolution, there would quickly
be such competition for the bust
ness among American shipping COM
panies. backed by American enter
prises and ingenuity. that before
very lOnU vasual, n,a.oa4, a.,