The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1915-02-26
satisfaction.

| think that this amendment ought
to be adopted now by those who be-
lieve in it. do not believe that any
improper Influence was exerted upon
a single democrat in the caucus. I
take no stock in this ward-heeler sys-
tenn of accusing gentlemen who ara.
members of the senate by saying
that they have allied themselves with
this, that, or the other trust. I be-
lieve it was some question of policy,
some question of the misconceptions
of the strength of that institution ands
the friends that it could muster;
some unfounde fear of it's capacity to
arouse into activity influences with
which they feared to combat. OBJ
yiously it ought to be dealt with, and
the people of this country are entitled
to have it dealt with in the right way
by the democratic party. Forming as
it does one of our great industries,
it is not to be ridden down rough
shod, but it has enjoyed it's exclusive
and unfair privileges about long
enough, and one of the new privileges
that it ought not to enjoy is the priv
ilege of keeping out of the ports of
this country by law the ships that
belong to the United States, and
which the money of the taxpayers
have supplied.
I am not particularly frightened
about the proposition of the govern
ment owning ships; but, according to
my idea of things, ships are the very
last utilities that the United States
government ought to take under con-
troll 1t is the very essence of public
control that it shall primarily con-
tribute to internal development.
There are ample opportunities for US
now in connection with the telegraph,
the telephone, and the remainder of
the express business that will test
out all of the strength that we can
muster to bring those utilities under
an orderly and efficient control. The
shipping proposition involves the
Nights, interests, and cooperation Of
other countries. The profits of it are
shared between those who load the
shin at one end and those who pur-
chase te load at the otter. 1t is in
the catalogue of utilities, | venture
the opinion this afternoon, the very
last that should call for governments
control. l know that under existing
conditions government ownership and
operation of ships will result in po-
litical management in the sense Of
a management directed by political
influences, and these, when exerted
in connection with matters of bust
ness, are always wasteful and fire.
quently corrupt.
Our tariff laws have been so adj
iusted that it has been practically I'M
possible for a ship leaving our ports
to go out with a load and come back
with another; but that, also, is top
ic that would require to be enlarged
upon, and I am not prepared to do it
to my satisfaction this afternoon.
sincerely trust that the senate
will put this particular amendment
on this bill, and if the conference
committee will safeguard properly
the matter of neutrality and put in
provision preventing the ships be-
longing to the United States from
Transporting to the belligerents in
Europe today arms and munitions of
war to slaughter by thousands the
best people on this earth, and fix the
membership Of the board as l have in
Dictated, and definitely limits its dur
alton as a temporary relief for a real
or supposed emergency, l am here to
tell YOU that I will make arrange
ments to vote for it without any yio-
lation of my conscience, and under
the definite belief that | have done
something for my day and genera
ton.