Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-12-17

passage would nobly crown the record
of these two years of memorable
labor.
! But htink 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 spoken, if we have not
the ships? How are we to build up
great trade if we have not the GER
tain and constant means of transporta-
ton upon which all profitable and use
full commerce depends? And how are
we to get the ships five wait for the
trade to develop without them? To
correct the many mistakes by which
we have discouraged and all but de-
stroyed the merchant marine of the
country, to retrace the steps by which
we have, it seems almost deliberative-
ly, withdrawn our flag from the seas,
except where, here and there, a ship
of war is hidden carry it, or some wan
dering yacht displays it, would take a
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 debate the items.
The case is not unlike that which
confronted us when our own CONT
royf xs,ac - 10 ,x.ox.rJ - - e.&x1~
ment and industry, and we needed
long lines of railway, extended means
of transportation prepared before
hand, if development was not to lag
intolerably and vain interminably.
We lavishly subsidized the building of
transcontinental railroads. We look
back upon that with regret now,
because the subsidies led to many
scandals of which we are ashamed;
but we know that the railroads had to
be built, and if we had to do it over
again we should of course build them,
but in another way. Therefore / pro-
pose another way of providing the
means of transportation, which must
precede, not tardily follow, the de-
velopment of our trade with our
neighbor states of America It may
seem reversal of the natural order
of things, but it is true, that the routes
of trade must be actually opened
by many ships and regular sailings
and moderate charges-before the
streams of merchandise will flow free
ly and profitably through them.
Hence the pending shipping bill,
discussed at the last session but as
yet passed by neither House. In my
judgment such legislation is impera-
lively needed and can not wisely be
postponed. The government must
open these gates of trade, and open
them wide; open them before it is al
together profitable to open them, or
altogether reasonable to ask private
capital to open them at venture.
1t is not question of the government
monopolizing the field. 1t should
take action to make it certain that
transportation at reasonable rates will
be promptly provided, even where the
carriage is not at first profitable; and
then, when the carriage has become
sufficiently profitable to attract and
engage private capital, and engage it
in abundance, the government ought
to withdraw very earnestly hope
that the Congress will be of this opin-
ion, and that both Houses will adopt
this exceedingly important bill.
The great subject of rural credits
still remains to be dealt with, and it
is matter of deep regret that the
difficulties of the subject have seemed
to render it possible to complete
bill for passage at this session. But
it can not be perfect yet, and there
fore there are no other constructive
measures the necessity for which /
will at this time cali your attention
to; but would be negligent of very
/
attention of the Senate to the fact
that the proposed convention for
safety at sea awaits it's confirmation
and that the limit fixed in the con-
vention itself for its acceptance is
the last day of the present month.
The conference in which this con-
vention originated was called by the
United States; the representatives of
the United States played a very in
fuential part indeed in framing the
provisions of the proposed convention;
and those provisions are in themselves
for the most admirable. 1t would
hardly be consistent with the part we
have played in the whole matter to let
it drop and go by the board as if for
gotten and neglected. 1t was ratified
in May last by the German Govern