The San Francisco call., 1909-08-23
CONGRESSMAN TO
VIEW IDLE SHIPS
Get Striking Object Lesson in
Advantage of Protection for
Merchant Marine

The visit to this coast of the con-
gressional delegation will give the men
who have just completed the construe-
tion of protective fences around some
of the country's domestic industries an
opportunity to study the subject of the
American merchant marine from new
angle. The fact that the American flag
is fast disappearing from foreign wat
ers has been called 10 their attention.
The ship owners who made the losing
fight against bounty fed foreigners can
and perhaps will show the congressman
the conquered fleet, dust covered and
desolate, swinging to rusting cables in
Mission bay and Oakland creek.
TO GET OBJECT LESSONS
There is another more cheerful and
equally convincing picture that the men
who can help may see on this coast il
they will They can see what protec-
shipping law. has done for the Amer
lean merchant marine as far as the
trade between domestic ports is con-
cerned.
The American merchant marine was
languishing to the point of extinction
when the coastwise shipping law was
passed Inside that barrier of prOtec-
llOn IH6Ic mas SIOWn q great luuuSLEN
which is steadily increasing, but watch,
if the barrier of protection were WITH
drawn, would last about long as a
pansy plant in gopher warren
few years ago the American Ha-
waiian steamship company had not
been thought Of 1t is now probably
the largest concern of its kind in the
United States. This company is at
present operating 19 large freightsrs
and running them on a schedule which
allows the shortest possible time in
port The service is being constantly
Improved and three new and large
steamers are at present under construe-
tion.
ADVANTAGES OF PROTECTION
The Pacific Coast steamship com
pany, which would have died nas-
uraI death if left to its own resources
and without the protection of the
coastwise shipping law, is operating
"a steamers, of which two are prac-
tically new.
The Matson navigation company, am
even more recent growth than the
merican-Hawaiian line is operating
IA vessels between here and the Ha-
waiian islands. Of these vessels three
are steamers, two of them built spe-
cially for this trade A new steamer.
larger than any of the others. is nov
nearing completion.
The Hartman interests have lust
bought one steamer in the east ana
have two others building at Newport
News for the run between here and
Portland which they have been operat-
ing with one ship OF their own and
one chartered from the Pacific Coast
steamship company.
: That the Pacific Mail company is not
losing money on its oriental service
is due to the fact that the Chinese =
Japanese boycott is a subsidy for the
Pacific Mail ships to the extent of the
business it takes away from the Jara
nese line. The Pacific Mail company
also enjoys the privilege denied to
ship owners in other foreign trades OF
manning their ships with Asia ties thus
reducing the cost of operation nearer
to the scale of their competitors.
When the congressman take their
trip on the harbor they will pass deepIv
laden American steamers bound for
American ports. and. If the pilot knows
his business. they win circle a great
feet of American ships that would be
busy carrying American products over
seas if they were accorded the same
degree of protection under which Tie
coastWise trade is fourishing.