Evening journal., 1915-02-10

from Democratic sources. Senator dI
"Mr. President: | deem it a duty
not only to my constituents but to
the business interests of the coun-
Try, to make some remarks in oppo-
sitiOn TO the pending bill. S. 6S56, TO
authorize the United States, acting
through a shipping board, TO sub
scribe TO the capital stock of a cor
poration to De organized under the
laws of the United States or of
state thereof or of the District Of
Columbia. to purchase, construct
equip, maintain and operate merchant
vessels in the foreign trade of the
United States, and for other pur-
poses.
"In an address TO Congress made
by the president of the United States
OIL the Sth of December last, the
statement was made that we have
grossly erred in the way in which we
have stunted and hindered the devel-
opment Of our merchant marine
fully agree with this statement. MI
President. and have always voted,
since I have been in Congress, for
the various propositions which sought
10 develop our maritime interests
dies. if for no other reason because
this is a method which other coun-
tries have long and successfully em-
plOyed for this very purpose. In
this connection may be quoted the
highly appropriate remarks of one #
my Democratic predecessors in this
body, Senator James Ashton Bayard
of Delaware, who said in 1852:
"1 am willing to trust American
skill and industry in competition with
any people on the globe when they
stand nation TO nation without gov
ernment interference. But if the
treasury of a foreign nation Is poured
into the lap Of individuals for the
purpose of destroying the interests Cf
my country, or for building up a
commercial marine at the expense of
tn commerce and prosperity of the
United States, /. for one, Will count
no cost in counteracting such gov
ernment action on the part Of Great
Britain or any foreign power
"The Underwood Tariff Act of 1913
contains a provision which discrimi-
Rates in favor Of goods imported into
the United States in American bot
toms, but its terms are such as 10
make it entirely inefficient as a prac-
teal measure for the encouragement
of our merchant marine. and no sug-
gestion in regard TO putting the pro-
vision in question on any effective
basis has been brought forward as
yet by the Democratic party. which,
up to the present time, has contented
itself by uniformly opposing in con
gress all subsidies for the relief Of
American shipping, and by declaring
in the national platform of 1912 its
opposition to 'bounties or subsidies
from the public Treasury for the
development of our merchant marine
Exactly one month after the above
mentioned address TO congress, the
president of the United States, in his
speech at Indianapolis, described the
bill now before us as a temporary
measure of relief but it is not ma
terial whether its professed object as
to permanently develop our merchant
marine, or to devise some temporary
means for the export Of our com.
modities during the continuance d
the present European conflict. The
bill! now under consideration, whe
ther supposed to bring about either
OF both OF the objects just named
cmbodies an entirely novel plan, in
volving an investment of some fftl
millions of the public funds, a larg'
part of which will be money throwI
away. The whole scheme is of verl
doubtful constitutionality absolutel!
vicious in its economic principles
highly dangerous as a precedent TO
future legislation, and fraught witt
infinite peril to the maintenance o
our peaceful relations with othe
countries. Il is proposed that in
government itself should go into tn
shipping business. not directly, bu
by the artiice of subscribing to III
stock of a corporation which con
sress is TO create for that purpose
this corporation to be managed by
shipping board consisting in part o
members of the cabinet, who are q
purchase or build ships and operat
vast transportation business on IN
basis Of moderate charges
"As it is admitted even by the ad
,ocates of the bill that the busines
of the proposed corporation will J.
conducted at loss at least at first
It is evident that the minority stoc
holders, IL any. will be confined q
those who would be willing to los
their money in the enterprise 70
political or even for sentimental rea
sons. When we consider that tn
cost of ship building in America /
from 25 to 80 per cent higher than Il
ether countries. and that il cost
about $4,000 more year to opei
ate a ship of 5000 tons under IN
American flag than under the Britis
flag, it is plain to be seen that n
one would think of subscribing to tn
stock of the proposed corporation .
the basis of a remunerative invest
ment. Further, the pending bill is /
plain disregard of the spirit,
not the letter of the national Demo
cratic platform of 1912. since tn
money which will be lost by reaso
OF the moderate charges or other
wise. in the operation of the vessel
controlled by the shipping board, wi
come out of the public treasury an
is nothing more or less than none
subsidy masquerading under til
euise cf a deficit in the cost of opei
ating
Notwithstanding the various Pre-
tustations made. IL strikes me. NJ
President, that the fsllacious antc