The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-12-10

OF TRANSPORTATION upon WHICH AT h'tf''.
able and useful commerce depends? And
how are we TO get h ships if we walt
for the trade Ia develop without theIn,S
To correct the many mistakes by which
we have discouraged and ali but destroyed
the merchant marine OF the country, 10
retrace the steps by which We have, II
seems almost deliberately, witl1dTawn u
flag from the seas, except where, here
and there, a ship OF war is hidden TO carry
it or some wandering yacht displays 1t,
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 debated the items.
The case is not unlike that which con-
fronte5 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, If DEVELOPMENT was not
to lag intolerablv and wait unfortunately.
We IavishIy subsidized Shc building of
tTal1Scoptinental 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
it to do over again we should of course
huiId them. bat in another way. There
fore ] propose another way of providing
the means Of transportation. which must
precede, not tardjly follow. tho develop
rnent OF our trade with our netehbor states
OF America. IT may seem a reversal of
the natural order Of thincs, but it is true,
taat the routes Of trade must be actually
CleTleG-bN MANY Sims ana. regular sail
iies and mederate charges-before
streams of merchandise will flow freely
and probably through them.
Hence the pending shipping bill, dis
cusscd at the last session but as vet passed
by neither House. In my judgment such
LEGISLATION is imneratiyclV needed and can
not wisely he postponed. The government
must open these gates Of trade, and open
them wide; open them before it is al
together proftahle TO omen them. or al
together reasonable to ask private capital
to omen them st a venture. 1t is not q
question OF the government monopoItzing
the field. 1t should take action to make
1t certain that TRANSFORMATION at reason
abe rates will be promptly provided, wen
Sb5S. IN 19s +b SaIFi a6o, - +b not % at rria n rs b pro he
come sufficiently profitable to attract and
Abundance, The government ought to with
draw. very earnestly hone that the
r0ncrass will no of this onini6n and that
both Houses Will adopt this exceedingly
important bin.
Wants Rural Credits.
The great subject of rural credits still
rem ains to be dealt with. and it is a mat
ter of deep regret that the difficulties of
The subject have seemed to render it i'm
possible to complete a bill for passage at
this session. But it can not be perfected
YET, and therefore there are no other con-
structive measures the necessity for which
l will at this time call your attention to-:
but I would be negligent of a very mani
lest tGlN were L lltlj 10 CAN IlG aILeiIlOl
of the Senate to the fact that the pro
| posed convention for safety at sea awaits
its confirmation and that the limit fixed
in the convention itself for its acceptance
il +hn last dav Of +bn rrasant ,,1ontb Tho
conference in which this convention origi-
mated was called by the United States: the
representatives of the United States
played a very influential part indeed in
framing the provisions of the proposed
convention: and those provisions are in
themselves for the most part admirable.
It 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
forgotten and neglected. 1t was ratified
May last by the German government and
in August by the parliament Of Great
Britain. 1t marks a most hopeful and de-
cided advance in international civilization.
We should show our earnest good faith
in a great matter by adding our own ac-
ceptance of it.
There is another matter of which / must
make special mention. if I am to discharge
my conscience. lest it should escape your
| attention. It may seem a yerv small
thing. 1t affects only a single item of
appropriation But many human lives and
many great enterprises hang upon it. It is
the matter of making adequate provision
for the survey and charting of our coasts.
1t is Immediately pressing and exigent
in connection with tbe immense coast line