Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-09
Ship.purchase Bill and Its Critics

TT Is characteristics that the opponents OF
1 tho administrations ship-purchase bill.
while they admit the existence Of the cmer-
sency which inspired the measure and which
il is designed to meet offer nothing Of their
own, Their criticism is destructive wholly
They have no alternative plan sufficiently
promising 10 commend Il even to themselves
adapted 10 the situation that actually
exists.
We say their attitude is characteristic be-
cause it is OF the identical type OF the oppo-
Sition 10 the administrations Mexican policy
and OF much, though not all, OF the opposi-
tion 10 the Federal reserve banking law. II
Is reminiscent OF the opposition to the measure
OF which the Ship-purchase bill is a corollary.
which provided for the admission Of foreign
built ships to American registry, and to the
bill establishing bureau OF war risk In
surance, il recalls the Republicans captious
hight on the war tax.
An opposition party is necessary under our
system OF government, and heGIthful as we'll.
The measures proposed by the majority are
oettered nearly always by honest criticism
and sometimes even by dishonest and dis
insenuous attack. There is nothing sacred
about the ship-purchase bill. Ii. as some OF
Us opponents say, il will accomplish nothing
:oT the regeneration OF the merchant marine
and provide increased facilities for the
trans po.tation az American goods. it deserves
detez.
That specia! variety OF criticism however
: tbs view only 81 . minority of the minority
The heavier guns discharge arguments to
the ef!ec. ;hlt tse II esSure provides for direct
soTsTrCie1: co-:ce.;tior with private shin
owners. vAjc1 ~esld te true only in the i'm
probable svs-: .sa- TO individual or corpora-
ton could be ioc-i 20 lease and operate the
vessels purchased. sud that this competition
would ba .Giaeusiy destructive OF invested
capital,
Tia, certainly should Tot be true il the
President and his advisers correctly conceive
tha need al additional shipping 10 preserve
existing commerce and open new avenues Of
trade with Central and South American couu-
tries II tho Administrations belief that
this need exists is urjustiied. experience very
shorty will demonstrate the error II the
ships purchased cannot be operated With
profit, they can certainly, az the expiration OF
the great war, when the peace navics OF the
world again spread their wings, be- sold with
! out loss There has been enough destruction
OF shipping BY bclligerent cruisers to make
that conclusion scf-evident
This is frankly an emergency measure II
has the same justification as had the govern
ment grants for the building OF transconti.
mental railroads, and assuredly is much more
wisely conceived and safeguarded than the
acts Of Congress which turned over to these
railroads enormous areas OF the public do
main II has closer analogy and preceden,
in the authorization by the present Congress
OF the construction OF d government
railroad in Alaska
Transportation OF american goods is handi-
capped enormously by the war and its progeny
decreased tonnage, nearly Drohibitiye
freight rates, closed markets and interference
al sea. Mr.. Wilson has q plan 10 broaden
our opportunities and 10 relieve existing con-
gestion. In the absence OF come controlling
objection, and for want of better. 1, Do.
serves at least fair trial