Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-25
Exports and Ships.

The Evening Post of New York.
cannot follow President Wilson and
his party leaders on the ship purchase
bill. The Post has swallowed much
wisconsin but carefully surveying
conditions, It finds no use for the pro-
posed GOV arnmant ownership fallacy.
1t says: Last nights caucus Of DEM
ocrat!c Senators was ominouS for the
Ship Purchase bill. y final decision
was not reached, and there is to be
another meeting tonight: but so
many strong objections were made to
the bill as il stands, so many I'M
portan amendments were referred
to the Committee on Commerce, and
there was such lack of hearty en-
dorsement of the whole measure, that
It seems to be doomed to failure at
this session. 1t certainly will fail II
the Republicans put up the stout fight
against it which they promise to make.
With appropriations struggling for
right Of way, and less than seven
weeks of working time left, no bill
pf this contentious nature can lie
passed before March 4, if full advan-
tAbSS I'D tihc-l VI tliS sANS "a NAi0 s~~AA
ate to prevent it.
This feeling that,they are engaged
in a hopeless undertaking may have
had something to do with the want
of enthusiasm shown by the DEM
Ocratic Senators last night. And many
may also have been Influenced by
other things. They may have had be-
fore them the figures of the American
export trade for December. These
show a total higher than ever before
reached in that month, except one.
The full details are not yet at hand.
If it be said that the abnormasly hlSh
prices of wheat must have swollen
ahe money value of the exports. 1t can
he replied that the abnormaily low
prices of cotton were at least partial
lof1set Anyhow, there stand the big
figures, strongly tending TO refute the
underlying contention of the Govern
'ment ship purchasers, that American
goods cannot be sent abroad because
there are not enough ships TO carry
them. Much to the same purport is
the reported interview. yesterday. be-
tween Mr. Morgan and the President.
rrhe banker told Mr.. Wilson that the
Isudden leaping up Of American eX-
tports had 50 changed the whole for
teign-exchange situation that il was
no longer necessary to keep the gold
tIool in existence.
All this necessarily gives the Ship
purchase bill the look of a Supertiuous
dagger on the stage. It's original pro-
fessed intent was to meet an emer-
Sency. But that emergency has largely
passed away. This is so generally ad-
nlitted that the ground has been shift
ed now, and it is argued that the
bill gives US q fine chance for making
q beginning of an American merchant
marine But the hill must be one thing
or the other. If it is absolutely neces-
sary in order to surmount crises, the
country might condone IN il some
features which seem ill-consluered
and full Of danger. But if it IS bill,
of a large and far-Slghtod kind. to
restore the American flag 10 the ocean,
then the discussion Of il must be on
another basis. 1t cannot any longer
Justify its dubious provisions as emer-
gency measures. The whole thing Is
up for searching debate. And as soon
HS that begins it appears. as was abun-
tdantly manifest at the democratic
caucus, that the bill is full of holes.