Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-03-10

shrunk from 2496s94 tons in 1861 to s4O06s tons in
1908 shrnkage of 500 826 tons OF American foreign
shipping in 43 years .. ...
No American steamship line connects us with South
America, beyond Venezuela and Panama. Not single
american steamship goes to Brazil Argentina Chill or
Peru.
The most convenient of travelling from any of
the great Atlantic ports of the United States South
America is by way of Europe, involving two voyages
across the Atlantic oce$n. That too Is the regular
and sometimes the quickest for mail between the
United States and South Americaour greatest
market which defend from foreign spoliaon accord
Ing to the Monroe doctrine. There is absolutely no
American mail service south of the Caribbean sea-
Two years ago the Oceanic Steamship Company San
Francisco withdrew its steamers carrying the American
mails to Australasia Even with the mail subsidy of
$16659 voyage paid by the United States it could not
compete with German subsidies of SAL ,604 a voyage
French subsidies Of $47S14 voyage Japanese subsidies
OF $219l7 voyage and British subsidies of s23O77
voyage.
In three years the number Of American steamships
regularly crossing the Pacific has shrunk fifteen to
Alas for maritime nation and for
the past prestige of our flag in the of even
the most distant countres Where is the American
merchant fleet that once mastered every seattle
cry and background of our naval power.
is almost gone. No American vessels are
being built for the foreign trade and ships
and die. few years under present conditions will see
the American flag disappear from international
merce.
array Of battleships. We cheer the mighty Utah
launched We watch with growing thrill of pride the
digging OF the Panama canal. We a great nation
now. We sit in the world council of the great powers
We are the protector Of the American republics We
saved the Chinese empire destruction We brought
peace to japan and Russia Our foreign has ex
banded to three and third billions of dollars annually
But in 1925. IS years ago, 90 cent of com.
with other countries carried by American
ships and to-day only 10 per cent of imports and
exports is borne under the American flag More than
63 cent of British foreign trade carried in British
ships
We have spent hundreds Of millions of dollars to
hni1d a grpa We adj omDiro to
national territory and hosted in Philippines
Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Panama canal Yet
flags and 1t is estimated that American shippers pay
5000 0000 600 annually in freight rates
rivals in American trade
Not American ship being built for that trade.
the remaining few rapidly wearing out and flag
being hauled down some Of these
But beyond the dwndling Of American ship build
ing trades; beyond the surrender Of $20O.0OO,OO0
freight charges to foreign rivals; beyond
honest and wholesome pride In flag at sea; beyond
notifying lack Of mail service possessed
by other nations-there graver consequences
to disappearance Of the American ship inter
national trade.
We send forth great fleet to show both the civilized
and uncvized world the immensely Of power
That fleet is powerless without COAL Yet all but IS per
of the coal sent to keep battleships alive Is
carried in foreign merchant ships.
1t is a matter Of that the army provided
by United States for the last Intervention in Cuba
was taken there in foreign ships under foreign flags
Philippines carried In Japanese ships under the
Japanese flag; and that while there widespread
newspaper talk of a possible between the United
States and Japan.
It was Washington who declared that ito an active
external the protection of naval force is