The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-01

appointed by the President and to act in contunction with the Governor of Alaska.
 Opposes Local Governme,t.
 T cannot deny that the conditions in Alaska are such as in my judgment to prevent the extension of local self government safely to that territory" continued the President. The future of Alaska is big with prosperity and great productiveness. but 1t needs in- dependent legislation to develop it quickly and in the right way. and I know no better method of securing such result than by e properly con- stituted commission.
 There is no opportunity for Con- gress to aid in the construction of csr- tain railways that will largely develop the territory and which private enter prise Is not able or willing to under take unless 1t receives some sort of guaranty from the government. That 1 would unhesitatingly recommend. be- cause Alaska Is territory in which private capital cannot be expected to build the first railroads.
 since have last visited the coast. l am glad to say that the Philippines have had extended to them in the mat ter of tariff law. measure of Jus tice which ought to have beeen adopt- ed nine years ago. If 1t had been adopted
  whole Pacific coast would have profit ed by its enactment.
 "Erse trade with the Philippines. as now established between the islands and this country win develop an ex- change of business between the two countries which will be greatly to the advantage of both. Trade in the Phil ippines has long had one trend and 1t will take some time. perhaps.stwo or three years to effect change. even no wthat the law Is passed, but . fa- mtliarity with the situation in the is- lands makes me confident that the Pa cific coast will come to value more and more highly the trade from the Philip pines which will fall to 1t.
 The Panama canal will be complet- ed on or before the first of January, 1915. and with its completion, the trade between the Eastern and Western coasts of this country will be revolu- tionized as this carriage of heavy bulk merchandise between the Pacific coast and the Atlantic coast Is almost certain to be by water. This will reduce the transcontinentsl business to the car riage of the more valuable classes of merchandise which can profitsbly pay higher rates on transportation. Also 1t will change the avenues of interna- tional trade. will bring the Eastern coast of America closely in touch with the Western coast Of South America and will greatly facilitate the direct transportation from the west coast of America to European ports.
 China Waking Up.
 'China is waking up. She Is ap- preaching g period of development that cannot but increase her trade and aug ment her importance as customer and as g trader with this country. while Japan and all the other Oriental coun- krl~ anA rryt< rto opt steps in the commercial competition of the world.
 The many prophecies that have been made that in the next half century. the commercial progress of the world Is to be seen more decidedly in the Pacific than anywhere else are certainly well founded, and under these conditions 1t behooves us Af&ericans interested in pushing our trade into every quarter of the globe to take steps to repair 8 condition that exists in response to our mercha ant marine that is humiliating to our national pride and most burden some to us in competition with other nations in obtaining International trade.
 we maintain a protective tariff to encourage our manufacturing. farming and mining industries at home within our Jurisdiction. but when we assume to enter into competition on the high seas in trade between international ports, our Jurisdiction to control that trade as far as the vessels of other na- tions arc concerned of course. ceases. and the question we have to meet Is how with the great wages that we have to pay, with the moro stringent laws that we enact for the protection of our sailors and with the protective system making a difference in the price between the necessaries to be used in the maintenance of a merchant marine, we shall enable that merchant marine to compete with the marine os the rest of the world.
 This is not the only question, eith- CT, for 1t will be found on an exam ination of the methods pursued in old countries with respect to their mer- chant marine that this is now extended by way of subsidies by the various gov ernments to their respective ships up wards of thirty-flve million dollars and this offers another means by which In the competition the American merchant ship is driven out of business and finds itself utterly unable to bid against US foreign competitors.
 Not only this, but so inadequate Is the American merchAnt marine today that in selecting auxiliary ships with which to make our navy an instru- ment of offense or defense or indeed in sending 1t around the world as a fleet, we have to call on vessels sailing under foreign flags to carry the coal and to supply the other needs Of such A Journey. Were we compelled to go into a war today our merchant marine lacks altogether a sufficient tonnage of auxiliary unarmed ships absolutely necessary to the proper operation or the navy and were a war to come on we should have to purchase such Ves- sels from foreign countries and this might, under the law governing neu- trals, be most difficult.
 South American Trade. '"The trade between the Eastern ports of the United States and South Ameri- ca is a most valuable trade and now | equals something like $250.000.000 but l European nations appreciatlng the growing character of this trade. have | by subsidies and other means of en- l couragement so increased the sailinRs | of large and well equipped vessels from | Europe to the ports of South America | as vtsibly to effect the proportions of l trade which Is coming to the United | States by the very limited service of 8 | direct character between New York ana South American ports.
 q need not tell you of the inadequa- cv of the American shipping marine on | the Pacific coast and the growing pow CT for commercial purposes in this re- gard of the empire of Japan.
 | Janan Is one of the most active and generous competing countries in the matter of subsidies to its merchant marine and the effect is only too visi- hIe fin an examination of the statis- tics. . .4,-- S%'.A- St@
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