Atlanta Georgian., 1914-03-01
Leader Who Has Been the Presi-
dents Mainstay Differs From Ex-
ecutive on Paramount Party Is
sue Involving American Rights.
"It Will Be a Great Mistake to
Surrender What May Have a
Lasting Effect on Development
Of Our Commerce." He Asserts.
By Oscar w. Underwood.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2S.-The i'm
portaNce of merchant marine to
our country was clearly expressed by
Thomas jefferson. then Secretary of
state under George Washington, in
1891, when he said
THE marketing of our products
will be at the mercy Of any nation
which has possessed itself exclusive
" of the means of carrying them,
and our policies may be influenced by
those who command our commerce.
This statement. made more tnan
l2O years ago, is prophetic Of our
present condition. Foreign govern
nents are almost exclusively possess
ed of our foreign carrying trade, and
to large extent the arrangement of
their shipping routes has excluded
our commerce from the markets OF
South America. and will continue To
60 so as long as present conditions
remain.
No question outranked in impor-
tance the fostering care of our corr
merce in the first Congresses Of the
United States. In the building Of the
American merchant marine we natur- +
ally ask the question: Is it worth
while, and if it is worth while, what
are the benefits to be obtained?
The Vital Facts in the Case.
Almost before the dawn of civil
zatiCn nations were lighting for trade,
and it always has been recognized
that favorable balance Of trade was
q vital factor in the commercial life
Of nations to be conterded for by all. A
country may maintain the balance %
commerce in Its favor by its export
of commodities produced at nome
either agricultural or manufacturing,
or it may maintain a balance In its
favor bv reason Of the work done by
it for other nations.
England. Norway, Germany ana
France are great carriers of com
merce for others than themselves.
'rbev often have an adverse balancg
of trade against them amounting to
hundreds of millions of dollars, but as
great as this adverse balance of trade
is. they easily pay if by carrying IN
their ships the products Of other ma
tions. without their earnings from
their ships they could not, for any
length of time, continue their pres
ent excessive importation Of commod-
tiles from other lands.
Always contended for Commerce.
Transportation must be balanced as
we'll as trade, either by trade, by
transportation. or by the exchange of
precious metals, securities Or invest
ments. 1t has been recognized uni
versally that country that settles
its balance of commerce in gold must
ultimately become a decadent nation,
poorer and poorer as the years go by.
our early statesmen. recognizing
this fact. coutended for fair commerce
between the colonies and foreign ma
tons Benjamin Franklin stated:
Fair commerce is where equal
values are exchanged for equal the
expense of transportation included.
Thus, If it cost A in England as
much labor and charge to raise a
bushel of wheat as it costs in
France to produce four gallons Of
wine, then are four gallons Of wine
the fair exchange of bushel Of
wheat, 4 and 3 meeting at half dis
tance with their commodities to make
the exchange The advantage of this
commerce is that each party in
creases the number of his enjoyments.
having instead of wheat alone and
wine alone. the use of both wheat and
wine"
Shipless Nations Always in Debt.
The balance of commerce in its
trade relations with other countries
is largely the determining factor in
the life of nation. that ascertains
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