The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-14
continued from First Page.

States for the election OF directors.
These directors will in urn choose the
officers and employees Of the orpora-
ton. BY this means they will he re-
moved from political influences. Just az
the Panama Railroad Company and
Steamship Line. in which the Govern
mcnt Is the sole stakeholder, Is unaffected
by political influences.
THE board should also have authority
to operate them in whenever
suitable lcssecs cannot he found. or
whenever In its Judgment the interests
OF our would be best sub
served by such direct operation through
the medium of n corporation. or corpora
tons. as ] have already described.
The shipping cOard should have
power to reform our navigation rules
and regulations: &c study shipping prob
lens and recommend to the Congress the
necessary legislation to encourage and
develop IA great merchant marine under
the American flag.
The time has come when the Con
gress should consider the creation of
some fundamentally for the regulation
OF merchant marine companies. As 1t
stands to-day no ocean transportation
company Is subject to the least regu-
lation or control by the Government.
Marine companies operate their
ships. change their sailings or dscon-
tinue the operation of their ships when
and as they please and regardless OF
the rights of shippers. They fix rates
and hange rates without notice. ar
"~arily and In total disregard OF the
rights of shippers They determine
what cargo they will or will not carry
and discriminate in favor of one ship
per against another.
The Pacific Mail Case.
what could argue more strongly in
favor OF Governmental regulation OF
ocean carriers thar the recent action OF
the Pacific Mail steamship Company?
Here is a ompan which has operated
a service between San Franc SEQ and the
Orient many years. our business men.
manufacturers and producers have built
up great trade interests with the Orient
upon the faith of this service All of a
sudden and without adequate notice and
with utter indifference to the INJURIES
hat might be done to shippers and the
interests Of this country. the Pacific
Mail Company sells its ships and an
nounces that it will discontinue its SER
vice.
Suppose that the directors Of the
Union Pacific Railroad Company should
decide that they could make more
money FOR their stockholders by tearing
up the ra Is OF their tracks and selling
them and their locomotives and cars to
some belligerent Government because
that Government is willing In time of
war to pay fabulous prices therefor.
what do you suppose the indignant peo-
pie along the line of this railroad would
do to the officers and directors of that
company? No common carer on land
would be permitted to do such an ar
bitrary and injurious thing as our COM
mon carriers ON the high seas may at
amy time do with impunity.
se"me"'s Hill Not cause.
The Pacific Mail people claim that
the Passage Of tn. seameu's bill forced
them 10 discontinue business. am told
that the ,am.n' bill was no, the main
sprinr for the transfer OF the Pacific
Miil vessels. The Panama Canal act,
which denied railroads owning competi-
,iy. steamship lines the right To operate
them through the canal. and the preseut
abnormal rates for cargo space on the
Atlantic. which made IL possible for the
Pacific Mail to sell it's ships at more
than their real value, was. | understand,
the true cause OF their sale.
cit is certain, however. that ADEQUATE
steamship facilities between the Pacific
coas, and the Orient are vital to the in