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Show OUR SHIPPING INDUSTRY ji Tho theoretical dreaminess of tho ij administration was moro than ovor apparent In tho recent net for tho regulation of shipping. ' Tho slow procoss of real reform Is Irritating to pcoplo who llko to see things niovo. Processes of bettor-ment bettor-ment have to bo a natural growth, nnd this Is Irrltntlng to hasty people looking for Immodlato results. There ls always ono quick way to reform Icvl'b. That is to kill off tho thing that needs Improvement. Tho dead commit no wrongs. This seemed to be the philosophy of Congress In passing tho shipping bill. Tho American merchant ma-rino ma-rino has been having n tlmo to pro-servo pro-servo mero existence Tho stars nnd stripes have largely been driven off tho sea. Instead of offering somo posltlvo assistance) to n languishing nnd decadent Industry, tho new ship bill Imposed a lot of new and drastic dras-tic regulations. Hence tho rapid J rush to get under tho Japanese, Chi- f j ncso, or any othor flag. Tho admin- p lstratlon has had Ub way, and It g seems to be In a fair way to reform ( American shipping by killing It off. , , Tho dealing with tho tariff wos equally unpractical. Tho American w ' , people were propared for a modorat" ifl reduction of duties. Hut thov did fl not bollevo that a lot of politicians, v'l who nover saw tho Insldo of a fnc- tory, could bo all wlso enough to tell Just how llttlo tariff nn Industry ''' could Hvo on without Btnrvatlon. I Tho politicians felt that thny know r. It all, however. They lowered duties In many Industries Indus-tries to a point where competition :ih Europe would bo Impossible These Industries liavo been saved to. day by the wnr, which has upset ovcry ov-cry European factor.'. Hut w.ien tho war is over, olther tariff rntes must bo advanced, or Europo will get tho business. One of the most ludicrous things about Democratic history, Is tho promlso and performance of tho party par-ty In tho matter of appropriations. Every Democratic platform for fifty years has denounced tho Itcpubll-cans Itcpubll-cans for extravagance Yet as soon as tho Democrats gain power, they turn around nnd spend $100,000,000 more. Is a party that so belles Its pledges worthy of nny conlldenco |