The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-23
Called by Committee National
Manufactures Association.
NEED OUR OWN SHIPS.
lis the Burden of the Presidents
Opening Address.
One Speaker Says We Are the
Shame Of the World.

l. =
shipping facilities and communication
with Latin-American republics and
other countries calculated to enlarge
| the foreign trade of the United States
are sought by delegates to the National
Merchant Marine congress. which con-
vened here today. The congress was
called by the committee of one hum
dred of the National Association OF
Manufacturers which has been con-
| Quoting a campaign of education on
| the extension of American manufactur
/ ing interests abroad
/ President John Kirby, jr., in opening
| the congress, said:
I'VE need our own ships as a means
| Of making our trade deliveries to other
/ lands. AS we'll expect big modern de-
/ partment store to depend upon a rival
| fc its delivery service as to ask the
vast manufacturing interests of this
country to- depend on the ships of our
| commercial competitors to deliver our
1 manufactured products to our CUSTOM
ers over the sea.
!. 1.-THE bill now before congress simply
proposes a very small measure of re-
| lief. 1t proposes to take a portion of
| the money which we pay for foreign
| postage and use it in giving US better
postal facilities to the countries of
| lower South America. 1t is a measure
| Of simple honesty
/ Shame of the World.
upon the land our country is the
| envy of the nations. Upon the sea We
| are the shame of the world declared
! Congressman W. E. Humphrey OF
| Washington. I'VE are today the richest
| nation in the world, we have the great
est commerce in the world. We have
| the greatest resources of any nation in
| the world.
/ Last year our trade amounted TO
more than So, 500, 900, 600. The balance in
! our favor will be $61O, 100000 These
/ mighty figures have never been
/ equalled by any other nation in the
i worlds history.
i yet of this vast sum less than per
cent was carried in American ships.
with all our vast wealth. our mighty
i commerce, our inexhaustible resources,
this nation today has 100000 less tons
of shipping on the high seas than we
had a century ago in the infancy of
the republic.
"Our flag has practically disappear
II ed from the seas. It is but a memory
in most of the ports of the world.
1 You may make the circuit of all the
II oceans and not look upon the flag of
yAur country. - ss.s..ss. - -,
Seven hundred and fifty million
dollars in capital is invested in for
1 eign ships (and in foreign ship yards
that build them that carry American
II commerce.) Why is not this vast in
dustry here instead of abroad? Five
hundred thousand men are employed
in building and operating these ships.
L They are receiving $1,000,000 a day in
/ wages. This should be paid to Amer
lean labor.
Engaged in the interoceanic trade
England today has more than seven
thousand vessels, Germany more than
two thousand, Japan, that little island
empire, scarcely fifty years recognized
as a nation, has more than 1000. The
United States, with its 100000 of
people and all it's island possessions
and its mighty commerce and mighty
interests, has ten-six on the Pa
cific and four on the Atlantic ocean.
ave have a naval station on the
island of Samoa in the Pacific ocean
and for years we have been unable to
communicate with our garrison on
that island except by foreign ships. We
are today sending our mail, our diplo-
matte correspondence, our ammunition
and our guns to the Philippines, our
island possessions, in japanese vessels
To-day we deserve the contempt in
which we are held by other countries.
We are the blind and strutting fool
among nations. This is not party
question, 1t is not a question Of politics.
It is a question of national prosperity,
of national pride. of national safety
and patriotism
A Patriotic Duty.
Restoration of American merchant
marine was characterized as a 'patri-
otic duty and mot a political ex-
pedient,'' by Representative Richmond
P. Hobson Of Alabama. He said:
I'm addition to high class vessels for
auxiliary naval purposes our merchant
marine must have large tonnage of
cargo carriers. In the present state of
. international competitions it will be
practically necessary to induce. or
drive cargo into American bottoms.
: ITO be complete this provision should
; provide for a reduction of not less than
!, per cent on goods that are dutiable
an assessment of per cent ad valorem
on goods in the free list. We should
: drive the cargoes now in indirect trade
: into American bottoms by discrimina-
: ton of 5 per cent added upon all goods
t in the indirect trade. In addition to
1 this Involvement, I believe we could re-
2 NIT the head money tax on immigrants
l brought in American bottoms and
! could well pay out of the United States
I treasury the tolls required by the
Panama. canal.
stIn view OF the urgent needs of YES
{ sels I believe a comprehensive meas
ure also should embrace a provision
:. for free ships when owned entirely by
e American capital although of foreign
: build and that only the coastwise trade
e and mail contracts should be denied
0 such vessels as are now in existence
: A measure embracing both cargo car
I riers and high class vessels for nava
: auxiliaries could be drawn to meet tho
essential requirements of both Demo.
!, Gratis and Republicans and thus take
Z the matter out of politics There should
= then be no trouble encountered in hav.
ing the measures enacted into law
Hhi1dTan Grvr