Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-12-06
Demands the Restoration of
American Flag to Its
Ancient Place
on Seas
is SAFE AND
SAM DOCUMENT
He Points With Pride 10 the
Economics OF His .Ad-
ministration

Washington, Dec g.. demanding
the restoration Of the American ing
TO its ancient place upoa the seas,
President William H. FAT, IN his ~.
nuai message delivered TO Compress
today urged strongly that lcgisIatlo.
be enacted TO establish a ship sGN-
sidy or otherwise guarantee tho estab.
iighment Of the rapid development of
merchant marine in this country.
aside from eager appeals for the
enlargement of the regular army.
reconstruction of American court pro.
cedure and the prohibition OF trlGic
through the Panama canal OF snipa
owned by interstate railroads The
message might nc summed up in the
following 'rin'tv:
National economy, the enlargement
oi opportun:..s + I:cign trade and
the stre!gtacd:.G cc confidence OF
capital III 1cmC,!i~ trvestment. Tho
entire me5na,e * ".afc and sane"
document, strong in its conservatism.
The Presidents most urgent recon
mendation is in favor OF legislation
for the institution OF a mercantile
marine service and possibilities for
its expansion before the Panama ca
nal is finished and one paragraph OF
the speech in this connection reads
II allude to this most important
subject in my last annual message
Unless prompt action be taken the
completion of the Panama canal will
find this the only great commercial
nation unable to avail i'm international
maritime business OF this great con
iribution TO the means 5i the worlds
commercial intercourse. Where could
we find in case OF war the transports
and subsidiary vessels without which
n naval fleet is arms without n body
70" many reasons / cannot urge too
strongly upon this Congress the pas.
go q q mC18uTe by mail subsidy
or o..,. Intervention 10 develop The
American marine"
Next i'm the rank of Importance and
urged only n little less strongly char
the plea for merchant marine Is tho
demand that the trained fighting force
OF the United States be increased hv
laws augmentinR the number OF com
misioned officers and through closer
cooperation between the National
Guards Of the various states and the
Regular standing army
- recommend" says Mr. TAFT that
Congress appoint commission TO de-.
termine aB early a. practicable 81
comprehensive policy for the organi-
zatior, mobilization ana adminisfra
ton Of the regular army, 'hc osgau-
ized militia and the volunteer forces
in the event OF war"
The President urges tho forunca.
ton Of the Panama canal. declaring
that America Is building j. aud that
10 is fitting that America should pro.
tcct It, Mr.. raft is anHious that the
canal become a paying enterprise.
suggesting that the toll Of ono dollar
per net ton be charged ships passu2
through
However, ne adds that this IS only
tentative He says that a rate should
BE- established which would return n
fair profit upon tho investment OF
S4OOO0O.00O
President Taft takes p strong stand
I'm the matter OF ditpoaiue OF public
lands bearing coal urging that the
Government not sell these valuable
mineral tracts but lease portions Of
tho public domain containing 1000
o00,ooO,OOO tons Of coal Mr. Taft dc.
clarcs in favor Of making $500 acres
the maximum 20, t"rGly admits
that Secretary Ha,'ingor Of The Inter.