The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-08-07
\ GOVERNMENT MERCHANT MA
RlNE

Why should not the American gov
eminent buy, own and operate a mer-
chant marine to carry the European
commerce OF the United States?
Do not existing conditions counsel
such a step on the part OF congressy
What the Confederate cruisers had
left of the American merchant marine
after the civil war was Immediately
protected OFF the face of the waters
by tariff laws and navigation laws.
Monopolistic tariffs have made II
cost so per cent. more to build a ship
in American yards than in foreign
yards, Notwithstanding the fact that
we command the steel trade Of the
world.
Oppressive navigation laws make 1t
cost so per cent more to operate an
American ship than foreign ship.
Hence the American money that is In
vested in deep-sea shipping sails un-
der British and Belgian flags. Under
the pretext of protecting our sailors
we have driven them of the sea.
Every attempt to rehabilitate the
merchant marine is met with a de-
mand for subsidies, not with de-
mand for a modification of antiquated
statutes. In consequence, even the
threat of a great European war In
commerce. We do not have to wait
until hostilities begin. At the first in
timation of hostilities the foreign
ships are at once withdrawn from SER
vice and the European trade of the
United States is left to shift for itself.
No sooner is a proposition made
that the navigation laws be amended
to encourage the immediate purchase
of foreign-built ships than the coast
wise monopoly that so impudently de-
manded broken treaty and a con-
cealed subsidy at Panama issues its
formal protest. I'VE are against ii,
announces the secretary of the Ameri-
can Steamship association, which is
the coastwise monopoly for which Mr..
O'Gorman and other senators are will
ling not only to wreck the Wilson ad-
ministration, but to stain the honor of
the Republic.
1t is inconceivable that the Ameri-
can people will forever rest content
to leave their deep-sea shipping in
foreign bottoms and their commerce
at the mercy of every European threat
of war. If private greed will not per-
init modification Of repressive navi-
cation laws, of monopoly will not toll
crate the thought of even causual
competition, nothing remains but for
the United States government itself
to own and operate a merchant ma
rine. There is far greater necessity
for that than for the construction and
operation of a government railroad in
Alaska.
Government ownership and opera
ton of a merchant marine would Of
fer scanty competition to American
private capital. It would not be like
parcel post which has cut so deeply
into the business of the long-estab-
lished express companies. The COM
petition would be largely between
government-owned ships under the
American flag and private-owned
ships under foreign flags.
We should regard such an inter
prise as last resort, short of paying
outrageous subsidies, but II is infinite
ly preferable to present-day condi-
tions. 1t would be far better than sub
sides; for If the American people are
going to spend public money on al
merchant marine they would control
it and have something to show for
the investment. Certainly if there is |
no other way out of an intolerable !
situation, the United States Govern
ment has the power and the money
and the administration machinery toI
own and operate a merchant marine
under the American fiag.-World.