The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-02-09
Is tllc American Flag lsoycotted?

- llN ttAuSrttAul ANAstts tSufGVtVeus
The Telegram desires TO present
for the consideration OF congress
what it thinks is an injustice to the
American shipping interests,
This country Is spending millions
Of American dollars in digging Ca
nal 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. French and
Japanese friends, and cannot oe
considered in any way money well
spent for the benefit of American
commerce, American business inter-
ests or the American flag, for the
reason that we have practically no
American ships, and the American
flag does not wave from the mast
head of anything in the way OF an
American Merchant Marine.
On the 1sthmps there are only
American engineers, foremen and
skilled mechanics. These are employ
ed exclusively. though at higher
wages than those for whioif foreign
ers can be procured.
The dredges, engines, boilers, To-
comotiyes. rails, tools. equipment
and supplies of every character are
purchased in this country, although
the cost Is usually more than that
at which these things could be pur-
chased in Europe. Practically ev-
erything is being purchased under
the joint resolution of June 25,
1906, which provides that the pur-
chase of Fsach Things shall be res
stricted to articles of domestic pro-
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 out 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
heen done down there, with one sig
nlfieant 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.
80 to the foreign shipping corpora
tions.
As a result Of this in the harbor
at Colon and in adjacent waters no.
ship will he 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
isthmus 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.
If an American manufacturer asks
$4,000 or 100000 for a given
piece of machinery. and 1t can he
purchased in Europe for $4,000 or
$4,000 less. the American is given
the contract. But II a foreign ship
bids $1,000 for carrying that mn
chinery from New York or any other
American port to the canal, and an
American ship bids s1.1OO or ST.
200 for carrying 1t. on account Of,
the higher wage scale in this conn
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 on and