Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-08


have already passed the House Of Repre-
sentatives and are ready for immediate
| consideration and action by the Senate.
| With the deepest earnestness I urge their
prompt passage, In them both we turn
our backs upon hesitation and make
shift and formulate a genuine policy OF
use and conservation, in the best sense
OF those words. We owe the one meas
ure not only to the people of that great
western country for whose free and sys-
tematlc development, as II seems to me,
! our legislation has done so little, but
also to the people of the nation as n
whole; and we as clearly owe the other
In fulhllment OF our repeated promises
that the water power OF the country
should in fact as we'll Rs In name be put
at the disposal of great industries which
can make economical and profitable use
Of It, the rights of the public being ade-
quately guarded the while, and monopoly
In the use prevented. To have begun such
measures and not completed them would
indeed mar the recofd OF this great Con-
gress very seriously. I hope and con-
hdently believe that they will be COM
pleted
And there is another great piece Of leg
islation which awaits and should receive
the sanction OF the Senate: I mean the
bill which gives a
larger measure OF
Philippine the people OF the
Self-government Philippines. HOW
better, In this time
OF anxious question
Ing and peplexed pol
icy. could we show our confidence in the
principles OF liberty, as the source as we'll
as the expression of life, how better could
we demonstrate our own self-possession
and Fteadfastness in the courses of JUS
tice and dislnterestedness than by thus
IV,alxr rd frN FtfIGII ,ttr
ises to a dependent people. who will now
look more anxiously than ever to see
whether we have indeed the liberality.
the unselhshness. the courage. the faith
we have boasted and proTessed. cam
not believe that the Senate will let this
great measure of constructive Justice
await the action of another Congress. Its
passage would nobly crown the record of
these two years of memorable labor.
But think that you will agree with me
that this does not complete the toll of
our duty. How are we TO carry our goods
TO the empty markets
OF which have
Opening spoken II we have
oppn,ta, not the ships? How
are we TO build up a
of Trade great trade IL we
have not the certain
and constant means
OF transportation upon which all profitable
and useful commerce depends? And how
are we to get the ships IL we wait for the
trade to develop without them? To cor
rect the many mistakes by which we have
discouraged and all but destroyed the
merchant marine of the country, to re- |
trace the steps by which we have, Il seems |
almost deliberately, withdrawn our flag
from the seas, except where, here and |
there ship of war is hidden to carry It |
ppa arsV,
would take long time and involve many |
detailed items OF legislation, and the trade |
which we ought Immediately to handle +,
would disappear or find other channels /
while we debated the items.
The case is not unlike that which con- I
fronted US when our own continent was |
to be opened up to settlement and indus
try, and we needed long lines of railway, !
extended means of transportation pre-
pared beforehand, IL development was not /
TO lag intolerably and wait nterminably. I
We lavishly subsidized the building of
.ranscontinental railroads. We look back
lpon that with regret now, because the
subsidies led to many scandals of which
we are ashamed; but we know that the
'ailroads had to be built, and IL we had
I to do over again we should. of course
'uild them, but in another way. There
ore / propose another way of providing |
he means of transportation, which must
'recede, not tardily follow. the develop
nent OF our trade with our neighbor J.
states OF America II may seem a re-
'ersal OF the natural order OF things. but
is true, that the routes of trade must
'e actually opened-by many ships and
eguIar saillngs and moderate charges T.
'etore streams OF merchandise will flow
RELY and prohtably through them
Hence the pending shipping bill. dis
ussed at the last session. but as yet
assed by neither house. In my judgment
uch legislation is imperatively needed
nd cannot wisely be postponed. The
Government must open these gates of
rade, and open them wide; open them
efore II Is altogether profitable TO open
hem. or altogether reasonable to ask
rivate capital TO open them at a venture.
is not a question Of the Government
nonopolizing the held. II should take
ctlon to make II certain that transporta-
ion at reasonable rates will be promptly
rovided, even where the carriage is not
I hrst profitable; and then, when the
arriage has become sufficiently profitable
o attract and engage private capital. and
ngage 1t in abundance. the Government
ught 10 withdraw l very earnestly hope
hat the Congress will be Of this opinion,
nd that both houses will adopt this ex-
aedingly important bill
The great subject of rural credits stil
emains 10 be dealt with. and II is mat
n OF deep regret that the difficulties
OF the subject have
seemed to render It
Rural Credits impossible to com
Safety saEe a. 9bis mi ,os os.sIas pas
at Sea But 1t cannot be per-
fected yet, and there
fore there are no
her constructive measures the neees- 4,
ty for which l will at this time can :
our attention to; but / would be nesli- =
ant OF very manifest duty were not !,
call the attention OF the Senate 10 the !
-et that the proposed convention for =
Hety at sea awaits its confirmation and =
lat the limit hxed In the convention IT =
III for its acceptance Is the last day OF 4
10 present month. The conference In =
hieh the convention originated was :
He'd BY the United States; the repre- =
ntatives OF the United States played a
ny influential part. indeed. In framing N
e provisions OF the proposed conVen- I,
on, and those provisions are In them | y
Ives for the most part admirable, It A
ould hardly be consistent with the part ii
9 have played Ia the whole matter 20 let h
drop and so by the board as Il forgot a,
n and neglected It was ratified In May o