The Republican journal., 1914-04-16

SHG GiSCllOi1 VI d I0pupliSoii OO'SAS wv
next November.
The passage of the Panama tolls re-
peal bill seems assured, it having passed
the House by large majority and gone
10 the Senate. 1t was stated on the
floor of the House when the bill was
31nder consideration that the real senti-
snent of a majority of the members was
AGAINST repeal, but President Wilson was
able to make them TO do his bidding, and
ia expected to prevail also with the Sem
ate. 1t should not be overlooked that
the Democratic platform declared for
the freedom of the canal to American
vessels and that Mr.. Wilson in his cam
paign speeches was in accord with the
platform. A correspondent of the Ma
rine Journal says of the probable pas
sage of the repeal bill:
NV prediction is that the next move
of the foreign steamship interests will
be to demand the repeal of the 5 per
cent preference clause recently upheld
by the Board of General Appraisers, and
that success in this case would then
probably result in demand that we
1'abolish our obsolete navigation laws, !"
meaning the particular laws that re-
serve our coastwise traffic to our own
flag. You will note that l have used
that stock phrase "obsolete navigation
laws which is the usual argument put
alp by the press in all discussions OF aid
for our Merchant Marine, and in every
case that | have been able to secure an
expression from the newspaper men as
to exactly the laws that they wanted
changed it has always proved that Tree
ships',' and the throwing open OF the
coastwise traffic to the vessels of all ma
tons was the thing that they understood
to be the much desired change that
would "encourage" our merchant ma
rine.
The Democratic tariff bill has struck
fatal blow at most New England indus
tries and the throwing open of the coast
wise trade to foreign vessels would put
many of our people out of business
Conditions are bad enough in that line
now with large and increasing fleet OF
white washed" craft engaged in the
coastwise traffic-vessels really owned in
The British Provinces but flying the
American flag with nominal owner in
this country.
The old coastlng craft, the nursery for
American seamen in the days when our
ships carried the Stars and Stripes to
every port on the globe, are fast disap-
pearing from the marine lists, and steam
and gasoline are taking away the bust
ness of those remaining. Occasionally
one founders at sea or lays its weary
bones on some rocky shore; others lie
xotting at their home ports or are broken
up to furnish wood for the open fires of
summer visitors. Some meet kindlier
fate. The other day the schooner Otron-
to, 80 tons net, built at Surry, Maine, in
1889, was sold to Massachusetts yacht
club to be transformed into a floating
club house. 't'air women and brave
men" will tread her time-worn decks,
:; ar.6 dance the tango, and bands and Or
chestras will make nerrier music than
that of the grooming windlass and clank-
ing pumps. Not so fortunate is the fate
of the schooner Hiram, 81 tons net,
built at Biddeford, Maine, in 1919, re-
= csvshs sold to end her days as floating
shop for selling gasoline to power boats
in Boston harbor. The price paid is said
TO have been $3.50. The Hiram has at
tracted considerable attention as her
skipper, Mrs. George Orr, is the only
woman captain regularly engaged in
navigating a vessel in the coastwise
trade. Her crew consisted of Mrs. Orr,
her husband, who was mate, their daugh-
ter and one sailor. The vessel was en-
gagged almost continuously in carrying
lumber from Maine ports to Boston.
But in age the good schooner Polly, 45
tons net, built at Amesbury, Mass, in
1905, exceeds them all, and is today the
oldest vessel afoat flying the American
flag. With this distinction, with her
present ownership, and with her roman
tic history,it is not probable that she will
StCA oS VIC put " AfsHOO1S A0S VI "a
lowed to die. In turn she has been a
privateer, West Indiamen and coast
.er, and for time sailed out of this port
in command of that veteran skipper,
the late Capt. George F. Ryan. She
now flies the flag of Massachusetts
yacht club and her owner and command
yer, Mr.. Alfred johnson, is daring sailor
and a skilful navigator. At Newport
aast summer the Polly attracted more
attention than the palatial steam yachts
and the latest creations in sailing craft.
Strengthens Weak and Tired Women.
81 was under great strain nursing rela
tive through three months sickness" write
Mrs. J. C. Van de Sande, Of Kirkland. ILL.,. AM
-sTSiectric Bitters kept me from breaking down
II will never be without it" Do you feel tire
and worn QUIT No appetite and food wont di
Rest7 1t isn't the spring weather. You nee
EElectric Bitters. Start q months treatmen
sto-day; nothing better for stomach. liver an
h. s~>>k ~nvsnsr tonic RA1iAf n