The farmer and mechanic., 1914-09-29
SIMMONS WORK FOR REGISTRY
OF FOREICN-BUILT VESSELS
Senior Senator Made Able Argument for Bill, Taking
Position that Needs Of Farmer in Connection With
Ocean Transportation Demanded Such Legislation

American registry for the foreign !
trade and other purposes, showed that |
the senior Senator was looking to the |
need which the Southern cotton far |
mer would have to get his cotton |
promptly carried across the ocean to !
any place where there might be some |
demand for it, TO the end that the
price should not be depressed to ruin
Gus figures. Mr.. Simmons took the
view that the proposed law would
greatly help the cotton grower and
argued vigorously for its adoption.
In opening his address he said:
Mr. President, Il feel impelled,
rather reluctantly, to occupy the time
Of the Senate in the further discus
sion OF this measure. The situation
of my section of the country and. 1
think Of the whole country. with ref
erence to this matter of emergency
transportation is far more serious, in
my Judgment. than some Senators in
this chamber seem to think.
"A few days ago the brilliant Sc
nior Senator from Mississippi tMr.
Willams) took the position that in
order TO relieve the present situation
as an emergency matter the govern
ment should acquire and operate suf-
fcient ships TO accommodate the ne
cesSities of our commerce. On yes
terday the genial and whole-souled
Senator from New Jersey tMr Mar
tine) went step further and advO-
Gated as a permanent government pol
Icy the ownership and operation of
our deep-sea merchant marine.
The Senator from Massachusetts
tMr. Weeks) in commenting upon
tho position Of these two Senators,
called the attention of the Senate to
our experience in dealing with a SINH
lar emergency during the Spanish
American war. He told the Senate
that in order to supply the navy with
sufficient colliers and transports it be-
came necessary for the government
to invest about s17,000,000 in the
purchase of that character of vessels,
and that when the war closed and
the emergency had passed it was nee
essary to sell those vessels at about 25
cents on the dollar. so that the gov
ernment lost probably eleven or
twelve million dollars.
Save Farmers From Disaster.
Mr.. President. | want to say that
while not at all committing myself to
the suggestions of the Senator from
Mississippi or the Senator from New
Jersey. if means cannot be provided
In any other way by which the farm
ers of this country can be saved from
the imminent disaster which con-
fronts them unless they can send their
surplus products to the European
markets | would, as an emergency
measure, favor the interposition of
the government for the purpose of
preventing such national calamity.
In that situation | believe it would be
the duty of the Government to come
to the relief of the people, even if it
had to go to the extent of buying and
operating the necessary ships for the
purpose of accommodating our for
eign trade. / hope, however, it will
not be necessary to resort to such ex
treme measures.
IL repeat MIR. President ! am afraiC
the gravity of the situation which nov
confronts us in this regard is no
fully understood by Senators. W.
have probably the greatest crops O.
our history. After supplying our owl
demand. the surplus will be enormous
This Is especially true with reference
to wheat. tobacco, and cotton. If w
can find market for this surplu
abroad at the high prices that will
obtain abroad on account of war con
ditions, it would mean widespread,
prosperity to the American people
But If we can find market for thi
surplus, instead of being an asset o
prosperity it may become an asset o
adversely.
The one condition necessary 70
reaching these markets is ocean trans
portation. If We cannot get thi
transportation and have to rely upo
the domestic demand for these sur
adversely affected that in place 9
profit there will be loss
I'VE have over 900, 900, 900 bushel
OF wheat for export We have be
tween $50,000,000 and $50. 600, 90
worth of tobacco for export. We hav
100000 or 5000, ,000 bales of cotto
for export. There will be a deman
for all of this tobacco and wheat
war prices. While there will not /
rs great demand for raw cotton {
IN normal conditions, still there wi
be reasonable demand. With shiI
TO take these products abroad thel
will be a stream Of foreign gold con
ing into this country which wou
quicken every industry and brif
forth conditions of great industri
activity and business prosperity.
without ships. as / said befOr
this surplus will glut the domest
market and pull down the level
prices to a point where stagnation al
disaster will be inevitable.