Show TILE THE SHIPPING G BILE WOULD HAVE YI DO DONE E. E I c S Colonel John F. F Finerty of Chicago said saltI In a recent v speech before the United l J Irish societies that ho wished S the United States had a n fleet Heet of or a hundred gunboats on t the the- e. e Pacific PacH c wIth wh which Ich S to drive from the seas any enemies wh who might offer Mr Ir Finerty was formerly a congressman congressman congress congress- man man from Illinois and ho remains a a. l. l strong strong- factor In lit the political and social life of ot the prairie state f t l But his wish can not be granted There Thero are no fleets Heets 1 of of battleships or other defensive o craft of an any consequence o othe the Pacific and If this government were to rush nish a squadron squad- squad j I. Ton ron around the thc Horn in the tho present state Mato of oC world affairs the action would doubtless be construed as a menace Sj J OJ agal t Japan Japan and and the war It was designed deIgned to prevent would result as a logical consequence t. t no S But Bt It If the shipping bill which was Introduced in 5 5 congress on e g about the time Colonel Finerty 9 was a n member r of or the tho naU national nal le legislature had been enacted into law law S S there would now bo he an Am American rican fleet available on the Pacific It t. t would bo ho a fleet neet of or merchantmen of or course S But every cry ship would bo ho subject to s impressing into the naval service serIce of or tho time coun country r and at nt all times tolerably read ready for lighting And when one remembers tho the value of the Atlantic cruisers in the war with Spain ono one will S S S S t 1 S. S I riot not have to be reminded that the present defenseless con con- dillon of of our nation in tho Pacific could coult have been heen oh Not only ha has Amr America no battleships In thom waters rs hut hilt are am no noi i cl that that could h bo be tr n fO Into Info fighting ships In Jn time of war var Thoro There f r is In every port porta a lot of or c vessels under s of or many nations that are arc carrying tho the commerce of tho the United States to the markets of or the time world American citizens havo have asked the nation to give gl a bonus which would warrant them in putting pulling American ships Into the trade now monopolized by alien and po possibly hostile countries The bonus has hag been re refused refused re- re fused and the comm commerce of ot America ha has continued to tobe tobe tobe be carried in vessels that ma may bo ho used against us whenever whenever whenever when when- ever a war nr ma may arise There Is more than a matter oi of or helping ship builders in this It becomes a means of or providing defense of or making provision against nn any po possible enemy The shipping bill should have been heen passed ten years ago nEo Then Ihen the Interests of or the United States In HawaII and in the Philippines and its Us commerce and its subjects sub suh- in every overy Asian port would not be Imperilled by bj bya a ho hostile nation that is read ready for war |