The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-25
SAYS j. s. MISSES
FINE OPPORTUNITY
Should Develop Trade With South
America, Declares c. B. Landis-
Pleads for Ship Subsidy.


the development OF the South Ameri-
can republics were voiced by ex-Con-
gresham Charles b. lands. OF In
diana. in powerful address before
the Bankers club, OF Detroit, In the
Hotel Pontchartrain. Monday evening
The necessity for some action on the
part OF the United States, looking to
the development of her trade with
these countriesswas strongly urged by
the speaker. His address was prac-
tically plea for a ship subsidy.
One OF Mr.. Landis' most significant
utterances was the following:
Unless we awaken TO the gravity OF
the situation, the completion Of the
Panama canal is going to be hind
rance rather than help to the United
States. II will not only enable foreign
nations To get in under our coast line
with foreign products at ballast prices.
but ii will take from our trunk lines
millions upon millions of tons OF trans
continental carriage. Every other ma
ton subsidies Its merchant marine In
one way or another. We VIII have 10
do the same thing or admit ourselves
forever dependent upon other nations
for the carriage of our commerce, sub
embarrassment and suffering all the
humiliations attached"
In this connection, the speaker
spoke of the action OF the last con-
gress in voting down an appropriation
of 100000 for carrying the mail TO
the Philippines, Australia and South
America. and which was sought In
the hope of reviving our dying mer-
chant marine. He pointed out that
shipments from this country to South
American ports must first go to Eu-
rope and be reshipped from there. ne
cessitating two trips across the Allan
tic. Persons desiring to visit the
country must go the same way. There
is no United States bank In South
America. and drafts rendered in pay
ment OF shipments from the United
States must come through Europe, he
said
Some OF the pertinent points from
Mr.. Landis' address follow:
mo statement in commerce Is
truer than that trade follows the flag
Our trade has not gone to South Am
erica because our flag has not gone
to South America. We trust our
commerce to foreign ships.
I'VE are about to complete the Pan
anna canal. There will be one cross
roads at which the commerce OF the
world will meet We will not be there
except with battleships, and we could
not be there with them II we depended
on our own ships to carry the coal.
Every one of the ships that coaled our
splendid fleet on it's trip around the
world sailed under foreign flag.
The trade of Latin America last
year was more than $4,000. 100000. We
got one-fourth of it. We should have
had three-fourths. South America
proper had a trade OF $l.500,00O.OO
we got one-seventh OF II, and Europe
got the rest.
The historian of the future will
marvel at the apparent lack OF inter
est the people OF the United States
have shown in those countries, which
from every standpoint OF our national
interest should be our most intimate
neighbors and our most confidential
friends. Our neglect OF the inviting
opportunities at our very door, which
has Deen taken advantage OF by our
European rivals. may sometime lead
to an international tangle that Will
test the Monroe doctrine.
HOW llttle the peOpic VI lhS ShitSu
States know of Brazil. We could
place all continental United States
within her area and have enough te-
titory left to accommodate the Ger
man empire"
Mr.. lands paid pretty compliment
to Congressman Edwin DENLY. refer.
ring TO him as a likely successor to
Speaker Cannon.
Prof. f. M. Taylor Of the U. Of NJ.
gave brief address, in which he told
the bankers that there would be pam
les for many generations to come. and
that none of the proposed currency
expansion schemes would cure the
evil Nor would any of the bankers of
today live to see the central bank, he
said.
Other speakers were Mayor Brett
meyer, Mayor J. G. Haynes. Of Min
neapolis, and the Rev. y. II. Pence.
The banquet was largely attended.
about 24O members and guests being
present Secretary John w. Stanley
reported that SO new members were
admitted during the year. making a
total membership of 800. A large
number of out-of-town bankers were
present.