Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-12-17

VI duSEuit dllOH upon WI'cn IN pIpit-
able and useful commerce depends? And
now are we to get the ships it we walt
LOT the trade to develop without them?
10 correct the many mistakes by which
we ave discouraged and all but destroyed
the merchant marine of the country. to
fe1race the steps by which we have, 1t
seems almost deliberately, withdrawn our
and there, a ship of war is hidden to carry
1t or some wandering yacht displays it.
would take q long time and involve many
a fraaa xb Items of legislation, and the
hanale would disappear or find other
n while we debated the items.
me case is not unlike that which con-
Ironted us when our own continent was
10 pe 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
70 lag intolerably and wait unfortunately.
We lavishlS subsidized the building of
tTanscortinental railroads. We look back
subsidies led to many scandals of which
We are ashamed; but we know that the
railroads. had to be built, and if we had
II TO DO over again we should of course
oulid them, but in another way. There
lore L propose another way of providing
the means of transportation. which must
precede, not tardily follow. the develop
ment of our trade with our neishbor states
of America. 1t may seem a reversal of
the natural order Of things, but it is true,
tina the routes of trade must be actually
\ SFNhSN-b! MANY SHIPS ana regular Sdll-
streams of merchandise will flow freely
and pTohtably through them.
Hence the pending. shipping bill. dis
cussed at the last session but as vet passed
by neither House. In my Judgment such
legislation Is imperatively needed and can
not wisely be postponed. The government
must open these gates of trade. and open
thcm wide: open them before it is al
together profitable to open them, or al
together reasonable to ask private capital
question of the government monopolizing
the field. 1t should take action to make
1t certain that transportation at reason
abe rates will be promptly provided, even
where the carriage is not at first profit
able' and then. when the carriage has be-
come sufficiently profitable to attract and
engage private capital. and engage 1t in
abundance, the government ought to with
draw. J. very earnestly hope that the
congress will be of this opinion. and that
both Houses will adopt this exceedingly
important bin.
Wants Rural Credits.
The great subject OF rural credits still
remains to be dealt with. and it is a mat
ter OF deep regTet that the difficulties of
the subject have seemed TO render it i'm
possible to complete a bin for passage at
TINS session. But 1T can not be perfected
vet. and therefore there arc no other con-
structive measures the necessity for which
will at this time call your attention to:
but ] would be negligent of a very mani
fest duty were ! not to call the attention
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 it's acceptance
is the last day of the present month. The
conference in which this convention origi-
mated was called by the United States; the
played a very influential part indeed in
framing. the provisions of the proposed
convention; and those provisions arc in
themselves for the most part admirable.
/ II wOll1G hordlV he nnnGic-p,t ,-3t, +hp
part we have played in the whole matter
TO let 1T 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-
clded advance In international civilization.
in a great matter by adding our own ac-
ceptancc of ii.
There is another matter of which I must
make special mention, If I am to discharge
my conscience, lest it should escape your
attention. IT may seem a very small
thing. 1T affects only a single item of
appropriation. But. many human lives and
many great enterprises hang upon it. 1t is
The matter of making adequate provision
for the survey and charting of our coasts.
t is Immediately pressing and exigent
Of Alaska, a coast line greater than that
Of the United States themselves, though
1t IS also very important indeed with re-
gar1 to the older coasts Of the continent.
We can not use oui' great Alaskan DO
main. ships will not ply thither, if those
coasts and their many hidden dangers are
rot thoroughly surveyed and charted. The
work is Incomplete at almost every point.
Ships ard lives have been lost in thread
ing. what We're supposed to be we'll known
main channels. We have not provided
FOR the survey aud charting. We have
used old vessels that We're not big enough
or strong enough and which were so near
ly u~nseaworthy that our inspectors would
| not have allowed nrlVatn owners To Sap6
them to sea. This is a matter which, as ]
have said. seems small. but is in reality
se looked into to be appreciated.
Economy In Government.
Before l close may ] say a few words
upon two topics. much discussed out al
doors, upon which 1t Is highly Important
that our judgments should be clear. def.
mite, and steadfast?
One OF these is economy in government
expenditures. The duty of economy is
not dehatable. 1t is manifest and impera.
tive. In the ap~pronriations we pass w
are spending the money of the great PEG
nile whose erVants we are--not our own
We are trustees and responsible steward.
in the spending. The only thing debatablt
and upon which we should he careful e
make our thought and purpose clear is The
Kind Of economy demanded of us. j as
sert with the greatest confidence that TIL,
PEOPLE of the United States are not zeal
Hns of the amount their government cost
If they arc sure that they get What the,
need and desire for the outlay, that tn,
money is being srert for objects of whicl
thew approve. and that it Is being applia,
/, with good business sense and manage
r uent.
!, Governments grow. rieoerneal. both il
2 their tasks and in the means by whicl
, those casks are to he performed, and yer.
few governments are ORGANIZED. I ventur
to say, IS wise and eNncrienced bushes
! men would organize them # they had
: clean sheet of paper to write upon. Ger
tainly the government of the Unite,
, States is not. ] think tnat it is general.
!, agreed that there should he a systemati
: reorganization and reassenhling of 1t
a parts 50 as to secure greater efficienc
: and effect considerable savings in es
.ierse, Rut tho amount of money save
: IN that wav would. 7 believe. though r
= doubt considerable In itself. running.
!. may be. i,to the millions. be relativel
= s~mal-snall mean. in proportion to tn
! total necessary OUTLAWS of the govern
!. rnept. 1t would be t"oroughlv worth ef
"ecting, rs; every saving would, great O
! small. ON duty ia not altered by tn
scale of saving. Prt my point is that tn
y neo,le of the United States do not wish t
y ~r,rtail the anttv!tics of this government
. they wish. rather, to enlarge them; an
with every enlargement. with the mer
growth. indeed. OF the country itself. Their
must come. of course. the inevitable ir
crease OF expense. The sort OF econon,
we ought to practice may be effected. ar
ought to he effected. by a careful stud
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