The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1910-03-11

shrunk from 2496S94 tons in 1861 to s4OO6S in
1905 shrinkage of 1556S26 tons of American foreign
shipping in 43 years.
No American steamship line connects with South
America beyond Venezuela and Panama. Not single
American steamship to Brazil. Argentina Chill or
Peru.
The most convenient means travelling from any of
the Atlantic ports of the United States to South
America is by way of Europe, involving two voyages
the Atlantic That too is the most regular
and sometimes the quickest for mail between the
United States and South America-our greatest natural
market which defend from foreign spoaton accord
Ing TO the Monroe doctrine There is absolutely no
American mail service south of the Caribbean sea.
Two ago the Oceanic Steamship Company of San
Francisco withdrew its steamers carrying the American
mails to Australasia. Even with the mail subsidy of
$16,659 paid by the United States could
compete with German subsidies of S416O4 a voyage,
French subsidies of $4S14 voyage Japanese subsidies
of $21917 voyage and British subsidies of $23O77
voyage.
In three years the number of American steamships
regularly crossing the Pacific has shrunk from fifteen to
six
Alas our renown as maritime nation and for
the past prestige of flag in the commerce of
the most distant countries! Where is the American
merchant fleet that mastered every nurs-
cry and background of naval power.
1t is almost gone. No American vessels are
being built for the foreign trade and ships
and die, few under conditions will
the American flag disappear from international
merce.
Our hearts beat high when we think of our noble
of battleships We cheer the mighty Utah is
launched. We watch with growing thrill of pride the
digging of the Panama canal. We are great nation
We sit in the world council of the great powers.
We the protector Of the American republics We
saved the Chinese empire from destruction brought
peace Japan and Russia foreign trade has ex-
panded to three and third billions dollars annually
But in 1925, IS ago, 80 per cent of our COM
merce with other countries carried by American
ships. and to-day only 10 per cent of imports
exports is borne under the American flag More than
63 cent Of British foreign in British
ships.
We have spent hundreds of millions Of dollars to
build great navy. We have added empire to our
national territory and hosted flag In the Philippines
Hawaii Porto Rico and the Panama canal zone Yet
ninetenths of all foreign under foreign
flags and it is estimated that American shippers pay
rivals in American trade.
Not new American ship being built for that trade
the remaining few rapidly wearing out and flag
being hauled down some of these.
But beyond the dwindling of American ship build
ing trades; beyond the surrender of 5000 100000 in
freight charges to our foreign rivals; beyond
honest and wholesome pride in flag at sea; beyond
the notifying lack Of mail service possessed
by other nations-there graver consequences
to the disappearance of the American ship from inter
national trade
We send forth great fleet show both the civilized
and uncivized world the immensely of our armed power
That fleet is poweress without COAL Yet but 10 per
cent of the coal keep our battleshps alive ia
carried in foreign merchant ships.
1t is matter of record that the small army provided
by the United States for the last Intervention in Cuba
taken there in foreign ships, under foreign flags
Even American material sent recently to the
Philippines carried in Japanese ships under the
Japanese flag; and that oo while was widespread
newspaper talk of possible between the United
States and Japan.
1t was Washington who declared that "to an active
external commerce the protection of naval