The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-17
Speaker Declares Fede-
raj Commission Leans
Toward Railroads.
GREAT HARMONY
IN CONVENTION
President Droop Makes Strong
Plea for Merchant Marine and
Ships to Garry Our Products
Abroad - Clement Elected
President-Get Royal
Welcome.

causte criticism Of the merchant
marine policy of Congress as Grim
inal," and severe arraignment Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, with
an intimntion that it's members are
so saturated by association with cor
n1ratn affairs that they prefer the
rights of the railroads to those Of
tl,,. people, were the most striking!
features of the first session of tho
National Association Of Piano Dealers
of America yesterday morning in the
jefferson auditorium. Many matters
OF organization detail came up, hut
they were dispatched with rapidity.
! for this convention bids fair to go
| down in the city's annals not only as
| bled here, but as the most business
1 like.
Played Master Element.
That master element of music
/ harmony--was certainly reflected in
the actions and attitudes of the many
members OF the musical trade at the
first session Of their ninth annual
4 convention. There never was melody
that moved more smoothly than tla
meeting YESTERDAY, and the music mas
/ ter. President e. II. proop struck a
resonant, ec1ong key of progress and
optimism. The spirit OF good fellow
ship and gladness that ran through
the meeting found an outlet after
! Mayor Richardson's ringing speech of
| real Virginia welcome. AS he turned
| to take lis seat there YVES a thundcres
| applause. lull. and then another
| greater than the first, SO that the
/ Mayor had TO make his bow. And
then they gave hin, three cheers that
i would drown all the noise that eyer.
was mado at q Virginia Caroline fopt :
, ball fight. The plano men know how.
i and know what's what. They are in
! for a good time
4 Fasors Merchant Marine.
The first hot shot of the day canie
from President Droop in his annual
!report. 1t was in relation to merchant
4 marine and ocean mail.
This question of merchant nariae
| is the most vital that confronts the
people OF the United States to-day,
| This rspublic is absolutely dependent
| on foreign ships for the transporta-
tion OF cur mails and our commerce."
he said.
THE rarsimonious policy that has
been pursued by Congress toward
proper enooura,gement and recognition,
of our needs in connection with our
shipping and naval interests Is. in my
Judgment. criminal. Millions upon
millions are appropriated for building
battlesliips and maintaining them, but
little or nothing is forthcoming for
the purpose of purchasing GOLFERS and
transports for subsidizing merchant
I.vcsse!s that would fly the American
flag,-thAt would be manned by Amer
loan sailors--that would carry oIY
commerce into the markets of the
! world, and in case of war would im-
medlately seoome auxiliary TO our
| navy. The situation is truly appall-
I ing"
| When the United states s2oo,ooo.0od
battleship fleet went around the globe.
| President Droop continued. it had to
depend almost wholly on .oreign ma
tions forts coal supply. II war nad
been declared. he said, when the fleet
1 was thousands of miles away from
4 home international law would have
cut the fleet off from q coal supply.
Japan las to day In the neighhorhood
Of 900 available ships on the Pacific
coast. against not over eight or ten
OF the United states.
/ Must Develop Markets.
| 1--WE cannot develop our markets, WI
| cannot extend our commerce and W<
cannot compete with other nations ,os
the world. no, not even get fair per-
centage of trade proportionate with our
| size and productiveness. as Ions as all
freight and mail for the other South
| American countries must first proceed
to England, or perhaps to the Conti-
nent, and then be brought back ove1
l'the Atlantic and be taken to their des-
Itination in the far South.
rev people have any idea OF tha
lIenormous size of the South American
republics. of the tremendous wealth
that is located there and OF the NaAt
opportunities that present thenaselVea
for the extension of our commerce. But
we must have ships"
Among the lesser matters touched
on in the presidents address were thu
necessity for the e-estahlishment oil
the freight bureau, the advlsahiilty n1
having a "spellbinder" to promote ths
organiza ton work of the association
and broad minded, deliberate action IN
the matter of guessing contests. ~
to this last named matter OF controt
versy, President Droop took the pc.stt
tion that IL such contests are legiti &
mate and Trustworthy they should rot
Eceive the approval of the association
| IL they are found to Impair the best
interests of the trade, they ought 4
be eliminated. He advised the nearest
rsssihle approach TO unihed actton. ss8
tIs Raps Federal Commission.
The Interstate Commerce Conanissioh
| as we'll as the freight and railroad comi
missions of the several states, came y
for sharp censure by f, 8, H. Hoilsni
berg, of Arkansas, chairman OF thl
Freight Bureat.. whilc lie made his re-
port,
Il make no formal charges. he said
"but we can gain little by going het
fore these commissions, The memhfrt
of them. most Of tham long accustomed
10 the viewpoint OF The corporatjona " Il
gained from association with corpot