Show H P y I ii ENCOURAGE a AMERICAN II Sill SHIPPING i L L. Marvin a thoroughly hl Informed writer Lind friend ot of Urn this gel bill 1111 to lu encourage encourage- shipping writes TIles TIles' to tu The Protectionist t One Omie of of the flu questions which must be 1 squarely met at the present se session lon of or the time ninth fifty congress Is that of the fulfillment fulfill fulfill- ment of or forty Corty years of oC Republican promises to protect and encourage the merchant marino Throughout those tort forty years year's It has heed been all promise and no performance When the Republican national administration came callie Into inlo power In 1 It found a splendid fleet of tons of oC American shipping steam an and sail registered for COI ocean commerce and carrying GG 65 per cr cent centor of or our exports to to and arid Imports from foreign countries Now after four foUl and arid a half decades of or protectionism vigorously vigor vigor- and anti successfully sCully extended to every other national industry this one ono Industry left unprotected our ocean shipping has shrunk to about aboul tons tomis carrying about 10 tier per cent of our oum imports and exports The Tho civil war was directly responsible for Cor the lire loss of or about nu- nu OUt torts tons of or shipping destroyed by tho time Anglo Confederate crul cruisers ors Grant Hayes Arthur Harrison McKinley and amid Roosevelt have havo nil all urged In lii the strongest terms the Imperative Republican obligation to give ive to Am American rican ship owners builders and seamen an on encouragement equivalent to that bestowed upon mechanics mechanics me me- and farmers by the protective tariff A very vory great majority of or H. H Republican senators and tives tive have always alway favored such a policy An Any one who will vili turn lurn back to the roll culls on the several fruitless efforts In iii congress to secure some adequate aid for COI the thet I merchant marine will find that thal these all nil were cre defeated as the time effort to the navy y was wa by bythe bythe the tho votes voles of or a relatively fow uw ow middle western cans who though stout protectionists in nil all V G. h have vo 1 protection Li to time the ocean joined the time solid South In denying this is issue issue is- is states States On shipyards and sailors ot of the tho United majority of or middle western public sue suc however a largo large for the tho protection protection men have always stood with their party part tion Lion of or our shipping and they ther have unquestionably been their helm people It ItIs ItIs ItIs sustained by the best sentiment among and dwindling minority of at middle Is only a minority a n. western Republicans who have been unwilling to aid ahl the merchant marine by the only form Corm of r protection which seemed practicable With a Republican majority of ot moro more than ono hundred hun hun- dred tired In Iii the national house it ought riot not to bo be difficult to 10 secure the tho enactment at al tho the short session of the tIme I shipping bill of the Merchant Marine co commission commis II Is- Is sion which passed the time senate enate on Feb 1 11 t 1 last Jast Even al allowing al- al lowing that some western Republicans will vote vole against ag the tIme bill because they think that their people do not want a n merchant marine marino or because tho they do the time specific method of subsidy or 01 subvention there thero ou ought hl to emain a n. substantial majority for Cor this measure e of lun long justice to tho the maritime and commercial Interests of oC the nation For the first time it Is western lullu- lullu ances inces which are arc conducting the tho most active propaganda anda for this timis shipping legislation The or bill Is a cautious and mo moderate meas mems- ire ure It makes males absolutely no provision for fast fost and luxurious ious Iou steamships of time the tho greyhound class chitS but bul the time entire protection and arid encouragement offered by It arc aro devoted to cargo vessels steam and sail and to new mall mail passenger ger er and freight lines to the West Vest Indies Central and South America South Africa tho the Orient and amid the time Isles of oC the tho Pacific British yards ards are aro now noi building ocean steamers of a total tonnage of On the other othel hand only two ocean steamers of a a. tonnage combined of or 15 Hi- are arc now how under construction In the tho United States State To ro such a pass has national neglect l ht an aim historic industry which was on once co time the proudest in America Either this wrong must be bo corrected or a grave blow will have havo been struck at al the thc entire protective s ss s's stem s- s tem The rhe Republican party part can can not afford to proclaim to the time great commercial states that when it avows Its Us belIer belief be be- lief lIer In lil protection It does so with the n mental reservation reserva reserva- thou tion except to American ships an and amid sailors That would be tho the practical effect of oC a refusal reCusal to enact the Gallinger bill at the tho present session SesSIO l of con con- gress greas I |