Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1909-02-12
BATTLEsfiIPs En-
sSSsssS CHANT Hi

when a ma an opriat lion bill sun
! 5der discussio This time the scare
Twas caused BY the anti Japanese meas
lures pending IA the GA ifornia5 Iegisss
Nature.
This country Isl now facing q hoavys
ldedcit which will increase constantly
lat THE present rate of xpendi ture mn
less the tarifff IS sos amended as to
Iafford greater revenue. IN case II.
Iis not bond Issue will be necessary
tosmeet current expenses, and the PEG.
lple viii be buying revenue stamps iii:
time. The people do not mind seeing
the national revenue expende for use:
full purposes, they want to- see that
but lis 1T necessary % build al couple OF
big battleshdps every yea? Would It.
not be- much wiser to expend the
money IN promoting our merchant mar
line than to build batt1e ships
few weeks az this country
Launched the greatest lighting ship IN
Iextstence. the North Dakota, yet dur
/ Ing the same week witnessed the hu-..
initiating spectacle Of two American
merchant steamships, Finland and,
EKroonland, transferred to the Belgian.
dag because they could not be- operss
(,ated without loss under the American
flag; thus leayfng only six American
steamships in the whole #trans-at lantic
trade. where once America was su-:$S
preme The American navy has be-
come the second naval power, while
the American flag IS being rapidly
driven. from the foreign trade of the
world at "a time when II internatio nal
commerce has assumed Imperial pro-
portions
IN the past year not one keel of an
american ship for foreign trade was
laid during that time not q merchant
ship carryingsthe American flag pass
ed through the suez canal Cur ship
tonnage for forei gn trade has shFunkI
from 2 ,4496. 1874 tons III 1861 80 $40, O9S:
tons in 1908 The American merchant
fleet that once mastered every sea
the nursery and ckground Of onr5i
naval poWeris almost gone.
Wemay thrill with pride when We
think OF our noble feet Of bat leships
Isteaming around the world, but We.
have cause for mourning il contem-1
plating the dWindling away our
merchant marine. ri q 1926 Intnetytwo3
per cent Of our q mnae cree with other
Ecountries was carried on American
ihships and today only ten per cent OF
our import and exports Is borne I'M:
der tie Americ can ia
1t is estimate thar American ship
lspers pay two hund red million dollars:
annually il ocean freight rates and
fares to our rivals IN American trade
and This country has to- hire the carry.
ing Of almost ali OF our foreign mail Of
Emercha ntmen under foreign sfags.5
This Is humilia ting, but What must he:
said oe the fact that this country had
to hire foreign vessels to- carry and
supply coal to our feet of battleships
"a Its trips around the world: II case
ofsWar II we could not rely on foreign
vessels to suppl our sbat ueshIps with
Local they would be helpless. This is
why the American members Of the
Hague internationa conferenc cons
lIinue to plead with other great nations
Ito respect goods CART Ins neutral,
ships during wa
Iss Now, why IS our merch ant5 marine.
ldwindlfng aWay, and how can Sits be
Estopped II is dWind ling away be-
Ecause Of the protective tarifff, III which
We are III ayor, and because congress:
Idoes not alloW sufne lent subsidies To-
eounteract The $prote ctiye tariff
5canses prices Of material and labor to
BE higher II this countr than III for
Ieign# countries our stand ard of living
lIis higher than that of the foreigner,
4 and we Wish Is main ain ii: But it
Erenders If impo ssible for private own
51Ierss 20 operate merchant marine at q
profit and since cons ress 9fxes the tar
If e should make up the loss to- pri-
& vateso owners in ssubsi lies. All the inn
sportant foreign coun tries subsid die
their chant Is rine relatively high
er than does this COUNT and ours IS
The loss
The rye ship ssnbsidy bin made its
app earance IN cong ia $50. The
senate passed sit, but the house drop.
ped the bounty for cargo vessels and
5ctt the mail subsidy down one-third;;,
49, seYss~r~~e~s