Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-10-01

develop it quickly and n the llght
way, and | know no better method of
securing such Il result than by a prop
erly constituted commission.
Il am especially Interested in Alas
Ia because her development has been
delayed by Il lack of appropriate lesis-
ton and because | know something of
the needs of Il land so far distant,
Free trade with the Philippines
has now established between the is
lands ana this country viii develop an
exchange of business between the two
countries, which Will be greatly to
the advantage of both. .
The Panama canal will be com
pletcd on or before the first Of Janu-
airy 1915, and with its completion the
trade between the eastern and west
ern coasts of this country will be r.
V-olutioniZed, for the carriage of
heavy bulk merchandise between the
Pacific and the Atlantic coasts is al
most certain to be by water. This viii
reduce the transcontinental business
70 the carriage of the more valuable
classes of merchandise. which can
p%rolitably pay a higher rate OF rams
nortation. More than this, it will
change the n of international
trade, Will bring the eastern coast of
America closely in touch with the wcs-
torn coast of South America, and will
greatly facilitate the direct transport
tation from the west coast of America
To European ports.
China is waking up. She Is app
preaching Il period OF development
that cannot but increase her trade
and augment her Importance as Gus
toner and as q trader with this Coun-
try while Japan and all the other ORR
entail countries are moving onward
with giant steps in the commercial
competition of the world. Under those
conditions it behOovrs us Americans
to tax steps to repair a condition that
exists in respect to u merchant ma
rinc that is humiliating to our ma
tional pride and most burdonsome TO
us IN competition with other nations
in obtaining international trade.
I'VE maintain IA protective tariff To
encourage our manufacturing, farming
ana mining Industries at home and
within our jurisdiction. but when we
assume to enter into competition on
the high seas in trade between inter-
national ports our jurisdiction to con-
troll that trade as far as the vessels
of other nations are concerned. of
course eases. The question which we
have to meet Is now we shall enable
that merchant marine to compete with
the marine of the rest Of the world.
we carr a profit from our foreign
mails from SO, 600, 000 to $1,000, 900 a
year. The application of that amount
would be quite sufficient to put on a
satisfactory basis W or three Orien-
tai lines and several lines from the
east to South America.
From my observation | think the
country is ready now to Try such a
and to witness its effect in a COM
paratively small way upon the foreign
trade of the United States. Ii it is
successful, experience will show how
the policy can best be expanded and
enlarged and the American CONNER
cial flag be made to wave upon seas
as il did before our civil war"
This is not the only question oi-
ther, for il win be found on cxamina-
ton of the methods pursued in other
countries with respect to their mcr-
chan marine that there is now extend
ed by way of subsidies by the various
governments to their respective ships
upwards of $50, 1000, 600 and this offers
another means 10y which. in compcti-
ton the American merchant ship is }
driven out of business and finds itself
impossible to bid against its
competitors.
Were we compelled to go into a
war today our merchant marine lacks
altogether u sufficient tonnage of aux
Hilary uuarmed ships absolutely neces-
sary to the proper operation of the
navy and were q war to come on we
should have To purchase Such vessels
from foreign countries and this might.
under the laws governing ncutrals. he
most difficult.
The trade between the eastern
ports OF the United States and South
America is q most valuable trade ana
now equals something like S3J0. 600 re-
J40. hut European nations hdvc by
50 increased the sailings OF
and well equipped vessels from
Europe to the ports of South America
rs to visibly affect the proportion Of
which is coming 10 tho United
Il need not tell you OF the made
luacy OF Tho American shipping ma
Inc on the Pacific coast and the
growing power for commercial pur-
poses in this regard OF the empire of
Iup.n. Japan il nf the most ac-
aud generous countries in the
OF subsidies to its merchant