Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-10-21
Senator Gallinger Sets
Forth Our Sad Position
On High Seas
0UTSTRlPPED BY ALL
NATIONS EXCEPT ONE
Commission Is Meeting and Will Pre-.
pare Its Report for Congress
Gallinger's Views-What Other
Nations Of the World Are Doing.

NutIOIIo vi tuS VOAAu AAAV NSAh6s
NEW YORK, Oct. $50 soon as
Senator Gallinger, chairman, re-
turns from abroad. the Maratime
Commission, appointed by Congress
to inquire into the decline of Amer
icas ocean fleet and the loss of skill
ed officers and seamen, pioneers OF
trade and peace, will hold series OF
meetings, either here or in Wash.
ington, to report another ship sub
sidy bill to Congress.
It is said that the Commission will
sit for several days, hearing addi-
tional evidence on the decadence or
American shipping. The Commits
sion was appointed with the view
OF having It non-partisan body.
Public sentiment throughout the
United States, as the Commission
has heretofore discovered, is prac-
tically unanimous In demanding an
American ocean feet. America now
pays the stupendous sum of $780,
100000 a year to foreign shipping.
Less than ten per cent of our sea
commerce is transported by ships
flying the stars and Stripes. Yet
100 years ago the American proper
ton was 81 per cent, and even SO
late as 1861, IS per cent.
Why Panama Canali
As Senator Gallinger says:
1T Is a condition on which no
patriotic American can look without
smarting sense OF humiliation.
Why build the Panama canal II we
care to see only vessels of foreign
powers passing through It?
Great Britain, pays generous mall
subsidies, Admiralty subsidies to her
swiftest vessels, and retainer boun-
| ties to her iseamen.
Germany Is equally as liberal.
Mail steamship lines must be con-
structed in Germany by German
workmen. Thus. year after year
German shipyards are increased In
working force. State railways give
preferential rates to goods intended
for export by German ships.
France gives mail subventions to
her great steamship lines, construc.
ton bounties TO her snipyards and
navigation bounties to all French
shipping, steam or sail, engaged In
overseas commerce.
"Austria-Hungary gives construc-
tion bounties and mail and naviga-
ton subsidies.
Even Spain Beats Us.
Italy gives mail subventions and
bounties to all her craft, whether
steam or sail.
Holland grants subventions to
her colonial mail service.
Spain does likewise-poor old
Spain pays more attention to the up
building of her shipping than does
great and rich America.
And Russia, financially pressed
nation that she is, has turned from
war to the peace Of the seas, be-
slowing encouragement through sub
sidy for her merchant marine.
Denmark gives modest mail sub
sides, and in addition lends govern
ment moneys to her few lines, in
cludinga West Indian service.
Sweden gives subsidies. lends
ship builders money and pays liberal
bounties.
Japan system Simple.
Norway gives direct bounties,
grants mail subsidies and completes
with Great Britain because of such
system, for trade of northern Eu-
rope.
Japan has comparatively sim
pie system of governmental aid to
ship owners and shipbuilding yards
subsidies to mail lines, bounties
upon navigation. japan is now
third in greatness upon the high
seas, Great Britain being first and
Germany second. Long ago Japan
outstripped America. or late her
shipping interests have increased al
a faster rate than those OF any other
country.
China seems to possess the atti-
tude of the UnitedeStates. She has
done nothing, promises nothing In
the way of aid to her shipyards or
her shipping. Chinese ocean trade IL
not worthy Of attention. Japan has
wrested that interest from her."