The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-09

rine Of the country, 10 rctract
the steps by which we have
IL seems almost deliberately, with
, drawn our iag from the seas
except where. here ami there, shil
III war is hidden carry IL er some
wandering yacht DISPLAYS it, would
take long time and involve many
detailed items OF legislation, and Inc
trade which We ought Immediately
tc handle would disappear or find
other channels while VIC debated the
Items
The case is net .uuiike. that which
confronted Us when our own continent
was to he opened Up 20 settlement ana
Industry. and We needed long zines
of railway. extended means OF trans
portation prepared beforehand, IL do
Velopment was not 10 lag intolera hl}
and whit unfortunately. We lsviShlN
subsidized TIE building of tran$Coni-
mental railroads We look hsck upor
that with great regret nov because
the subsidies led 10 many scandals.
of which we are ashamed hut We
know that the railroads had 10 ne
built and II We had 70 TO DO over
again We should. of coarse bnltd th@nls
but in another way Therefore. ! pro-
pose Ancfi'ss way Of providing the
means OF transportation, which must
precede. NOT tsrdily follow, The devel"
dopmen& OF our trade with our neigh Dor
states Of America u may seem re-
versaI + trc natural order Of things,
/ bat Il IL true, HAT the routes OF trade
must be actually opened-bF many
ships and regular sailinGs and mouer~
ate chargeS~-hcfore streams OF mer-
chandise viii flow freely and prof
tably Through them.
Hence tn pending ship bill. dis
p Rs los Vel
passed by neither House. In my tudg-
meat. such legislation is imperatiyely
needed and can not wisely he post
pnned The Government must open
these gates og trade. and open them
wide .spci fne:n before Il Is alto
gethtr nFofitabi ia open them, or al
together reasona bic 20 ASK private
capital To open them AT venture, II
~ not q question Of the Government
monopoiiylng the field II should take
action to make IL certain that trans
portatinrt al REASONABLE rates Will be
nrprnrtly provided. oven aesA IN"
carriage is not at first profitable;
and then, whsn the carr So has he
cCrin aafEiCcrtjF profitable 10 attratt
and engage private -apltal, and en-
qa424 e. ~ abundance tnc Government
oughi 10 withdraw. very earnestly
aope bat tho Congress viii be u this
opinion. and that both Houses viii
ADOPT this exceedingly important hlN
subject Of Rural Credits.
The great subject of rural re Hts
stin remains TO be dealt with. and
IL rs "A matter of deep regret that the
difficulties of the subject have seem
ed to render it impossible To complete
a bill for p Assage al thts session. Rut
4 c4p not bs perfected vet. aud there
fore there are no other constructive
measures the necessity for which I
witt at this time call vt"ir attention
to; bat ] would be negligent OF a
very manifest duty were-1 not 10 call
the attertlon of the Senate to tie fact
that the proposed convention for
safety AT sea awaits it's confirmation
and that the limit liked in the conven-
ton itself for it's acceptance is the last
daN of the present month. The con-
ference IN which this convention orig
mated WAS called By ne United States.
the representatives OF the United
states played = very influential Part,
indeed in framing the provisions OF
the proposed convention: and those
provisions are in tn ;mselves for the
most part admirable II would hardlS
be consistent with The part we have
played In the whole matter 10 lot it
drop AMI e, ny thu board as II for
gotten and neglected 1t was ratified
in May last by the German Govern
! menf. and in August by tho Parha'
, nent If Great Britain II marks a
most hopeful and decided advance II
international civilization we should
show our earnest good faith in q
great n,atter by adding our own &C
eeptance OF Il.
There is another matter Of which
+ 1 must make special mention, II an
TO discharge my conscience. lest y
ShuulH pSrape Np}lF attention. u MAY
; seem very small thing. II affects
: only a single item of appropriation
; Hut man human lives and many gr"a
enterprises hang upon II. II is th'
r .ualter of making adequate ptoNis 81
Cor the Survey aud charting OF gu
coasts. II is Immediately pressin:
: and extEent in connection with tn
immense coast line of AiasS1. a cfas
= zine greater then that of the nitet
I states themselves, though II is ais
very Important. indeed, with leeart
: Ia The older cnaai ~ the continent
) We eonnot use our great ALASKAN do
main ships win not ply thither
these coasts arG their many hiddei
, dangers arc not Thoroughly SURVEYED
and charted Thr WVrk ia incomplete
, nj almost every point. Ships and I've
have been lost in threading what Wer
: supposed 20 -be weii-huown npaii
channels We have Rot provided ad
euuate Vcss a3g or adequate fnachiu"T
I for inc SurVcV aud c6arjinp VIZ nav
used old vessels that were not hil
enough Vr stituS Aart&n add "hlc'
were - nj srjy UHsea worthy that on
q inspectors would not havn allowed
: private owners la scpd Them 10 sea
; This II a matter which az ! hav
= said seems small but ia in reaiit,
Z Ner-5 great It's importance has onl
= 10 he looked into te he ap31ecla cd