Gilpin observer., 1916-02-03
By Edward Heating.

u e nag cask on the sea. Commit
tees in house ard ser ate are at work
on q ship-rurcEs 'rg measure, and
they are expected to repcrt in the
near future.
a combir alton Of tie Republican
mircri,y IN the rate and tie in
ternaticral sh:ppir monopoly in the
last congress, robbed this country
&C a golden c2po, tunity to acquire
mercl ant marine. The stcry of this
disgraceful s,liaroe VIII some Cay be
placed befcie tie people in all ttS
sordid d.ta:ls. The ma.er.al facts
are wen known to men in public
life.
The declaration of war between the
gre at powers ct E., rope on August
l. 1914, paralyzed ocean going com-
merce. No Aust German. merchant
ship dared quit Leltral pert and a
sufficient number of Teutonic war
vessels were wandering over tie face
&C the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
10 make English, French and Rus
sian ship owners appoehensive. The
immediate result was to send ocean
freight rates skyward and to knock
tie bottom ort CT t. e value of Euro
psan ships. Verses S Of all varieties
hawked about American ports for a
fraction CT their real worth.
Wilson Saw Opening.
President WiLon was qltok to see
tie opening for American enterprise
end money and he proposed to con-
gress ttat the raticcal governmen
invest thirty or forty million dollars
in these Sip bargains. He pointed
out tlat two bids could lie killed
with one shot-olr country cCuld be
given a real A1:e-i> an merchant mar
Inc and the rr1 dutt Is Of American
mills and faFms oCu'd be transport
ed to market at rea sonab'e price.
We put tie pre-iienrs bill through
tie houee hut 1t as killcd in tie
senate by the Republican, minority,
aided by Ealf en- allied Demo-
Gratis. Private c.pital eveItualiy se-
cured the slip harsa aims and tie inter
national shipping trcst was enabled
to continue to eXtoit from cur people
the highest oco; IL freight rates ,-vEr
charged in tie htstory cf tie civil
lied world. And tie United S a'es
remained witt out merchant marine.
Enormous Profits Earned.
One of the vesse,s offered tie ma
t;oral government while the ship
purchase bill was under discussion
earned its purclaee price ON the
first trip t made across the Allan
tic. Anot her Las red for its own-
ers esglt times the amount for which
it could have been secured.
1t IS es'in: ted :Fat If Uncle Sam
had invested thi.ty million dollars
in ships one year ago and had used
them to carry Anne -ican products to
Europe, at ore Et!f the rates which
have prevailed du: g 1915, the old
gentleman would hive cleared a net
profit CT $4,000. coo ard could now
sell his ships fer $50 600, 900.
Tat was tie kind of deal which
was baked by the Republican MIN
o1,ity in the serate, at tie sugges-
tion of the intern.t' t'onal shipping
trust.
Problem Of Today.
CT course. noting is to he gain
ed by crying over split milk. The
nation still needs a merchant mar
inc. Private capital refuses to in
vest unless 1t is made the recipient
CT government sui sdy and Presi-
dent Wilson takes the position that
government ownership is the more
American way CT dealing with the
problem.
A few weeks ego great Pan-Am-
erican conference met in this city.
Practically every na.icn in North
and South America was represented.
All wanted closer relations with tSeil
big nortl ern brother, but all agreed
that before tfat could be achieved
lines OF steamers must be establish
ed between tie rorts CT tie United
] ot"tes anu StiNVdi anu ooutih AilSi
lea. The countgies of Spanish-Amer-
lea cannot france such gigantic en-
terprises although sone of them have
made very brave b & innings. Brazil,
and l tftnk Peru. have purchaGed
slips to carry their products to our
shores but they ctn hardle crly a
small part Of tie trade.
Tie United States is alone capa-
BILE of meeting the situation, and
Pres dent Wilson WI therefore prob
ably once more g.afp'e with the ship
ping trust. In my Judgment the
hcnse will again make favorable res
ponse to the presidents plea but the
crucial contest will be in the senate.
A Naval Auxiliary.