Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-09

! the routes of trade must be actually
opened-by many ships and regular
sailinSs and moderate charges-before
streams of merchandise will flow free
| ~ and profitably through them.
Hence the pending shipping bill, dis
cusScd at the last session, but as yet
passed by neither house. In my judE-
ment. such legislation is imperatively
needed and cannot wisely be postponed.
! The government must open these gates
! Of trade. and open them wide; open
them before it is altogether profitable
to open them. or altogether reasonable
to ask private capital to open them
ut II venture. 1t is not IL question of
the government monopolzing the field.
1t should take action to make 1t GER
tain that transportation at reasonable
rates will be promptly provided. even
where the carriage is not at first pro-
iitable; and then. when the carriage
has become sufficiently profitable to
attract and engage private capital, and
engage ii in abundance, the govern
ment ought to withdraw. very
earnestly hope that the Congress Will
be of this opinion, and that both houses
will adopt this exceedingly important
bill
SUBJECT OF RURAL CREDITS
REMAINS TO DE DEALT WITH
! 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 ii impossible to complete n
bill for passage at this session But it
cannot be perfected yet. and. therefore,
there arc no other constructive meas
urcs the necessity for which I will at
TINS time call your attention to; but
would be negligent of II very manifest
duty were ] not to call the attention
Of the Senate to the fact that the pro-
1 IN ion fNts FAt,
awaits its confirmation, and that the
limit fixed in the convention itself for
It's acceptance is the last day OF the
present month. The conference In
which this convention originated was
called by the United States: the repre-
sentativcs Of the United States played
4 very influential part indeed In franz
ing the provisions of'thc proposed con-
vention; and those provisions are in
themselves for the most part admir-
able. 1t would hardly be consistent
with the part we have played in the
whole matter to let 1t drop and so by
tho board as If forgotten and neglected
1t was ratified in May last by the Ger
man government and i'll August by the
Parliament of Great Britain. 1t marks
Il most hopeful and decided advance in
international civilization. We should
show our earnest good faith in u great
matter by adding our own acceptance
of il.
There is another matter OF which I
must make special mention, If l am to
discharge my conscience. lest II should
escape your attention. 1t may seem n
very small thing. 1t affects only n
single item of appropriation. But
many human lives and many great en-
tcrprises hang upon it. 1t is the mat
ter OF making adequate provision for
the survey and charting of our coasts.
1t is Immediately pressing and exigcnt
in connection with the immense coast
line of Alaska. coast line greater
than that of the United States them
selves. though 1t is also very import
ant. indeed, with regard to the older
coasts OF the continent. We cannot
use Our great Alaskan domain ships
VIII not ply thither. if those coasts
and their many hidden dangers are not
thoroughly surveyed and charted. The
work is incomplete at almost every
point. ships and lives have been
lost in threading what were sup