Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-28

South but rather that the south is
changing its principles to fit its new
needs and ideals. For the south Is
developing into manufacturing coun-
try with numerous industrial tenters
such as Birmingham, Mobile and At
lanta, This being the case the people
OF the south are beginning to realize
the desirability of some kind of a
protective policy that will permit their
factories to increase in size and num-
Der.
The recent blow dealt the sugar in
dustry in the south death blow and
the south can see that free trade will
do the same thing to its other indus
tries. Therefore, that section, of the
nation Is turning away from its old
doctrine of free trade and is not in
harmony with the free trade bent adj
ministration. That this is true is
shown rather plainly in the following
communication from the New Orleans
chamber of commerce:
Why should the United States gov
eminent itself not respect the strict
neutrality that President Wilson has
imposed on private citizens?
New Orleans opponents of the presi-
dents shipping bill, known as III. r.
1866" which provides for the owner
ship and operation of merchant yes
sells by the United States.
Under cloak of an emergency meas
ure, to provide tonnage for American
commerce, the proposed bill is per-
haps the most pernicious and danger
GUS piece of legislation that has been
before congress in many years.
1t would be difficult to conceive of
any scheme that would be more likely
to precipitate war. between the Uni
ted States and Great Britain and her
allies for the reason that the only
ships that could be purchased ny the
United States at this time are German
vessels interned in American ports.
In view of the close relations exist
ing between the German government
ard it's ship owners, there is 40 Iea-
son to doubt that part of the money
paid by the United States government
for ships would go directly to Ger
many to furnish sinews of war; not
understanding the fact that President
Wilson has entered his objection to
private citizens making loans to a
bel]tgerent.
1t is an actual fact that Great Brit
ain has already notified the United
States government that it would OBJ
ject to the purchase of German ships
irterned in the United States on the
grounds that 1t would be violation
of neutrality, as the funds obtained
thereby would go to Germany.
Strong resolutions of protest against
this bill were adopted by the Nav
Orleans board of trade, calling alton
ticn to the fact that it would he a
startling and dangerous step; that
there is now sufficient number OF
vessels in operation to take care of
Central and South American COM
merce, although there is temporary
scarcity of tonnage to Europe; that it
would destroy initiative on the part
of private capital and would thus be
serious blow to the American mer-
chant marine; and that it would not be
a business proposition for the govern
ment to engage in the steamship bust
ness.
It is pointed out that the operation
of the Panama railroad steamers from
New York has proven an expensive
proposition for the government, not
withstanding the fact that it was in
better position to provide these ships
with tonnage and passengers than any
ate corporation.
New Orleans, as well as New York,
Boston and other American ports,
feel that the enactment of such legis-
lation would be unjust to the shipping
interests that have been built up in
the face of obsolete navigation laws.
In fact, 1t would be the death knell of
an American merchant marine as no
one would think of attempting to
build. buy or operate merchant yes
sells in competition with the United
States government