Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-09

another way Of providing the means
Of transportation, which must pre-
cede, not tardily follow, the develop
ment of our trade with our neighbor
states of America. 1t may seem a
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 streams or
merchandise will flow freely and prof
itahly 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 1t Is
altogether profitable to open them, or
altogether reasonable to ask private
capital to open them at a venture. II
is not a question of the government
mOnopoliZing the field. 1t should take
action to make it certain that trans
pOrtatiOn 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 ana
engage private capital, and engage 1t
in abundance, the government ought
to withdraw. | very earnestly hope
that the congress will be of this
opinion. 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 a matter of deep regret that the
IL ga. A1
to render it impossible to complete Il
bin for passage at this session But
it can not be perfected yet, and there
fore there are no other constructive
measures the necessity for which |
will at this time call your attention
to; but | would be negligent Of a very
manifest duty were | not to call the
attention Of the senate to the fact
that the proposed convention for
safety at sea awaits its 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 convention
originated was called by the United
States: the representatives Of the
United States played very influential
part indeed in framing the provisions
Of the proposed convention: and those
provisions are in themselves for the
most part admirable. 1t would hardly
be consistent with the part we have
PLAYED in the whole matter to let II
drop and go by the board as If for
gotten and neglected. 1t was rattle i
in May last by the German govern
ment and in August by the parlia-
ment of Great Britain. 1t marks a
most hopeful and decided advance in
international civilization. We should
show our earnest good faith in a great
matter by adding our own accept
ance Of 1t.
There is another matter of which
/ must make special mention, If | am
to discharge my conscience, lest 1t
should escape your attention. II may
seem a very small thing. 1t affects
only a single items of appropriation.
But many human lives and many
great enterprises hang upon it. 1t
Is the matter of making adequate pro-
vision for the survey and charting of
our coasts. It is Immediately pressing
and eXigent in connection with the
immense coast line of Alaska, coast
line greater than that of the United
States themselves. though II is also
very important indeed with regard 10
the older coasts of the continent. We
can not use our great Alaskan do
main. ships will not ply thither, II
those coasts and their many hidden
dangers are not thoroughly surveyed
and charted. The work is incom-
pletc at almost every point. Ships
and lives have been lost in threading