The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-04-17
subsidiz;ne a Monopoly.

1000
In other words, 1919 OF the shipping
on the Atlantic coast to which rebates
are to be paid are owned by great cor
operations.
This trust is guaranteed against com
petition by the law which forbids for
eign owned ships to carry between Amer
lean ports upon any terms whatsoever
| It has guaranteed itself against com
petition by the acquisition of practically
all the dock privileges on the Atlantic
coast. In New York only are there
any substantial number OF municipality
owned docks.
But New York is positively under the
control OF Tammany Hall, and Tam.
many Hall is in close alliance with the
shipping trust.
An independent company would be
rash indeed to take lease from an oc-
casionally reformed administration, be-
cause by the time it had invested money
and established business, Tammany
Hall, back in power, would find a way
to cancel the lease or make it undesira-
BILE.
The seacoast shipping trust is in init
mate alliance with the railroads running
from the seacoast ports.
Even though the Interstate Commerce
Commission might prevent discrimina-
ton 10 rates to benefit the corporation
owned ship companies, it could not pre-
vent the monopoly getting preferential
service and the benefit Of the railroads
local freight agents ia the collection and
distribution OF freight.
The opening of the Panama Canal
will not stimulate competition in sea-
coast carrying. The subsidy to be paid
to these coast carriers will not stimulate
competition in coastwise carrying.
1t is not meant to do this.
1t is meant to foster and feed the only
remaining monopoly which has the
strength to fight openly to control our
government. Chicago Tribune.
This statement OF fact is taken from
an editorial in the Chicago Tribune, a
paper having no reason for being ex-
ceedingly friendly to the Wilson adj
AS the canal law stands to-day, the
United States would be in the position
Of substituting one OF the greatest and
one Of the meanest monopolies that
ever cursed commerce.
The seacoast vessels already have a
in trading, because UNDER
OUR NAVIGATION LAWS no for
sign ship can engage in the seacoast
,rade Of the United States. That is to
'ay, no ship can load cargo at New
York for unloading at Galveston unless
hat ship flies the flag Of the United
States.
Under this privilege the seacoast ships
ong ago formed themselves into trust
ind became part Of the railroad trans
,ortation system.
It will be seen that more than 80 per
emit OF the tonnage Of the seacoast ships
hat would benefit by free tolls through
be canal either belong to the railroads
+ are in a shipping consolidation.
The United States Government might
5 well offer freedom from taxes to
United States Steel, Standard Oil or
ny other one OF the big industrial cor
orations ss to permit these monopoly
ontrolled ships to use the Panama
zee Of charge.
And, mind you, the Panama Canal .
ill be run at a deficit and that deficit
lust be made up by the American tax
ayers.
Now, why should the American tax
aver, the bill farmer, the cotton plant
/ in the delta, the mechanic OF mem
his and the land owner Of Arkansas
pay money into the United
tates treasury for the support Of ca
al through which monopoly fatted
tipping lines would have free toll9
All this talk about turning over the
NAL to foreign control is absurd. The
nited States Government will fortify
lis canal and it will control it abso-
Itely in the event OF war.
The United States Government also
i'll send all OF its warships through the
NAL free and it will charge all other
arships using the canal a toll.
The Panama Canal is bit OF govern
ent ownership, but in taking over the
lterprise the Government finds itself
,und by certain contracts, which con-
acts it must as business concern full
|.
Why should the United States Gov
nment then give free tolls to its gov
nment ownership enterprise, which ID
best business enterprise, to one
CUP Of private interests and charge