| Show OUR TRADE for the reaper by prank frank P litschert we hear a great deal about the importance of our foreign trade and it is indeed important our foreign trade is growing especially in latin america and we want vant to see it continue to grow in every direction some people however who hold up increasing foreign trade as a bait are arc using this only as a screen for a drive on our protective tariff instead of being enthusiastic nationalists seeking to promote uncle sams interests everywhere ery where they are free trade internationalists tiona lists seeking to break down our tariff for the benefit of europe the pseudo expansionists can always be detected because they end up their foreign trade arguments with the statement that in order to get more foreign trade we must lower our tariff and buy more from europe so that europe can buy more from us the real american business booster goes ahead on a different line he believes that foreign trade can best be increased by so increasing production for the american market mark that costs of I 1 production can be lowered to the point I 1 where we can compete in the foreign maikels maik ets he knows that lowering our tariff would only cripple our manufacturers and put them out of business by taking away from them the great home market we want more foreign trade of course but we want to get it constructively one great aid to this will be the building up of our american merchant cb ant marine in pointing out the im iiii of our merchant marine to our foreign trade in a recent address governor brewster of maine called attention to a number of instances where the lack of ships had affected our foreign business instances can be multiplied of prejudice to american commerce by shipping on foreign lines governor brewster said both in cancellation of I 1 I 1 foreign orders on account of increase in steamship rates and by the dis closkie closel e of ti fiade ade connection through bills of lading made on foreign owned vessels the governor then cited an instance where an order of fifty locomotives from argentina had to be cancelled by the american manufacturer because the british steamship line raised its rates to such an extent that the american company holdin holding gr the order could not pay the rate and meet the competition of foreign manufacturers rs if there had bad been an aggressive gres sive american shipping company who could have handled liand led the order the alio american manufacturer would have hare placed it and the money would have come to america here is an illustration showing why american prosperity of the future is bound up with our merchant marine we will need american ships to carry cany our grain to distant ports in time of necessity when there are no foreign ships available and in time of war involving us of course our navy would be sadly the assistance si of a good american merchant hi marine arine recognition of these facts governed brewster continued lay behind the action of the last congress in the passage of a bill that has rendered more aid to shipping than any legislation within our day yet the enactment jentof of the jones white bill only laid the cornerstone it provides measurable recognition for the establishment 0 of f lines upon foreign trade routes but does not give any assistance to a great fleet of freighters which after all is the backbone of any successful foreign trade it will not do for us to feel therefore that the shipping problem is entirely settled the jones white bill I 1 was a big step forward but it is to be hoped that congress will continue to deal with the question in a constructive way as new phases of the problem arise |
