Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-07

10 the transportation facilities of the
nation to supplement the railways
within OUT borders as we'll as upon the
isthmus. We must revive our mer-
chant marine. too, and fill the seas
again with our own fleets. We must
add to our present poStofice service a
parcels post as complete as that of any
other nation. We must look to the
health Of our people upon every hand
as well as nearten them with justice
and opportunity. This is the construc-
tive work OF government. This is the
policy that has vision and hope and
that looks to serve mankind.
There are many sides to these great
matters. Conservation Is easy to gen
eralize about, but hard to particularize
about wisely. Reservation is not the
whole of conservation. The develop
ment of great states must not be stay
ed indefinitely to await a policy by
which our forests and water powers
can prudently be made use OF. Use
and development must go hand in
hand. The policy we adopt must be
progressive-not negative merely, as il
we did not know what to do.
IMPROVING OUR RIVERS.
With regard to the development of
greater and more numerous waterways
and the building up OF merchant ma
rine, we must follow great constructive
lines and not fall back upon the cheap
device of bounties and subsidies. In
the case of the Mississippi river. that
great central artery OF our trade, it Is
plain that the federal government must
build and maintain the levees and keep
the great waters in harness for the
general use.
The question of q merchant marine
turns back to the tariff again, to which
all roads seem to lead, and to our reg
istry laws, which, If coupled with the
tariff, might almost be supposed TO
have been intended to take the Ameri-
can flag off the seas. Bounties are not
necessary if you will but undo some
of the things that have been done.
Wi,--out a great merchant marine we
cannot take our rightful place in the
commerce of the world. Merchants
who must depend upon the carriers of
rival mercantile nations to carry their
| goods to market are at a dlsadvantag
| in international trade too manlfest 90
need to be pointed out, and our Ier-
/ chants will not long suffer themselves
/ ought not to suffer themselves-to
/ be placed at such a disadvantage. Our
/ Industries have expanded to such a
| point that they will burst their jackets
/ II they cannot find free outlet TO the
/ markets of the world, and they cannot
find such an outlet unless they be
/ given ships OF their own to carry their
/ goods-ships that will go the routes
they want them TO go-and prefer the
interests OF America IN their sailing
orders and their equipment Our do.
nestle markets no longer suffice. We
need foreign markets. That is an,
other force that Is going to break the
tariff down. The tariff was once q
bulwark; now it is a dam. For trade
is reciprocal; we cannot sell unless we
also buy.
! The very fact that we have at last
taken the Panama canal seriously in
{ manu- anu die NlHOlOuSiy pubAliIB IL W
ward completion is eloquent of our re
awakened interest In interna tional
trade. We are not building the cana
and pouring out million upon million OF
money upon its construction merely to
establish a water connection between
the two coasts Of the continent, i'm
. portant and desirable as that may he
particularly from the point of view
Of naval defense. 1t is meant 10 be a
great international highway. 1t would
be little ridiculous If we should build
1t and then have no ships TO send
through It There have been year,
when not single ton OF freight pass
ed through the great Suez canal In al
American bottom, 50 empty are the
seas Of our ships and seamen.
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.
There IS another duty which TIT
Democratic party has shown itsel
great enough and close enough to III,
people to perceive, the duty of govern
ment to share in promoting agricul
tural, industrial, vocational education
In every way possible within its con