Nebraska Newspapers

    THE BIG &ERQUESTION
GRAVE ISSUE INVOLVED IN THE
PUERTO RICAN PROBLEM.
It I Whether Oar Newly Acquired rot
eislan Are or Ara Not Already In
tegral Purl of the Ilepubllo llepuu
lloana Are Klght.
"Keep the real Issuo In sight, and lot
the president and tho party bo judged
by that," Is tho wlso conclusion of a
very ablo nrtlclo In tho Soattlo Post
Iutolllgencer on tho Puerto Itlcan ques
tion. Obviously this excellent editorial
treatment of a much discussed eubject
Is tho product of somo kuowlcdgo and
Bomo thinking. Unfortunately tho
samo cannot bo said of a vast volumo
of matter that has found Its way Into
print relative to tho Puerto Itlcan
topic. No writer has stated tho Issue
more clearly or more Intelligently than
It Is stated by tho I'ost-Intclllgencer
thus:
"It Is not a question whether wo
ought to Impose n duty of 25 per cent
or ono of 15 per cent or nono at all
upon commerco between that Island
and tho United States. It Is whothcr
this government has constitutional
power to lovy such a tax under any
circumstances; whether Puorto Rico
la territory to bo governed as all othor
torrltory added has been, by tho dls
poBltlou of congress, or whothcr Us
people acquired by tho treaty of Paris,
constitutional rights within tho United
States that compel recognition by us
nnd Icavo us no cholco but to acknowl
edge tho now possessions as un Integral
part of tho nation undor the constitu
tion, and finally to admit them as
states."
Rightly" tho Post-Inlelllgonccr In
sists that tho contest Is not waged on
tho question whether Puerto Rlcan
trade should bo frco or untaxed. Tho
opposition to tho pending bill Is basod
upon no such consideration. It enrcs
nothing about tho question olthor of
tariff or revenue. Englncorod by clov
er frco-trado and antl-lmpcrialist
strategists, tho movement, intended
solely to "put tho administration In a
nolo," has secured tho adhesion of a
considerable number of Republicans
who seem to bo unablo to discover tho
uso that Is being mado of them. Thoy
nro apparently blind to tho fact, so
clearly pointed out by tho Post-Intelll-.gencor,
that
"Tho constitutional quostlon Is tho
veal bone of contention. Tho Republic
an party cannot abandon Its position
upon that without reversing nil our
precedents and destroying tho practi
cal possibility of building up n mighty
commerco in tho far cast by exchang
ing for tho open door In tho Philip
pines tho open door in tho vast portion
of Asia under Europoan control.
"Wo beltovo that thoso who havo
dlfforod honestly from tho party's poli
cy in this particular will agrco with It
when they como to soo what la in
volved; and how cunningly tho advo
cates of retirement from tho Philip
pines havo sought to mako that neces
sary by a pretonded flgty over tho
Puerto Rlcnn tariff."
If only tho array of dlasontors from
tho policy of tho Republican adminis
tration and tho Republican party
could onco grasp tho Idea that a much
bigger and moro pretentious question
than that of 25 per cont, 15 per cont, or
no tariff at all Is Involved In tho Puor
to Rlcan proposition, it would mighti
ly help to clear up tho situation.
MUST STAND BY PROTECTION.
Wanted, a Kinging Declaration In Fa
vor of the American Volley.
A danger signal which may well bo
heeded by thoughtful Republicans, in
contemplating tho approaching presi
dential campaign, is tho unfaithfulness
of many Republicans to tho protective
principle. Thero aro many Republican
papers and not a few prominent mou
who soora to seize every opportunity
.to discredit tho policy which has car
ried tho party to victory in tho paBt
and which lifted tho country out of the
slough of despond of business depres
sion as tho result of tho .Republican
triumphs of 1894 and 1890.'
"Speak well of tho brldgo that car
ries you safe over," ualth tho old ad
age; but tho Republicans to whom
we refer, while, as a rule, supporting
tho tariff plank of tho Ropubllcan plat
form in national elections, do and Bay
everything in tholr power botweon
times to undermine protection to
American industries.
How eagerly, tor lnstanco, they solzo
upon tho complaints against tho trusts
to domaud tho abolition of tho tariff
upon trust manufactured Roods over
looking tho fact that thoro aro trusts
In frco trade England ua well as In
tho United Btatos. And thon in tho
Puorto Rlcan discussion thoy havo
glvon unlimited aid and comfort to the
political enemy demanding tho defeat
of tho policy recommoudod by the vuBt
majority of tho Ropubllcan mombora
of congress.
If tho Ropubllcan party dosorves well
ot tho country as a business party It
is largely pocauso ot its consistent roc
ord'upon tho tariff. In showing a dl
vision ot sentiment now upon that Is
sue It 1b playing into tho hands ot tho
Democrats. It tho Ropubllcan party
la to ceaee to bo u consistent protec
tionist party it will loso its hold upon
. cue eicmont wuicn lias heretofore gly
en It its chief strength.
It la time to draw tho linos. Tho
next Republican national convontlon
must make a clear and ringing dec
laration upon tho subject of protoction
to American industry, and thoso who
cannot indorso tho prilncipla should
ccaso to bo active in tho party's affairs,
For every vote lost by such a doclara
tlon we beltovo two would bo gained
from men whoso exporlonco ot tho
benefit of protection during tho past
three or four years has convinced them
that it Is tho only policy upon which
tho general prosperity of this country
can bo maintained. Minneapolis Tribune.
A DIRECT RESULT.
Why Wage - Have Ineraaieri Bo Knor
moiuly In the United State.
In tho current nows of tho day occur
two announcements of moro than
ordinary significance. In a dispatch
from Charleston, S, C, of March 25, we
nro told that
"Tho York cotton mills of Yorkvlllo,
this state, yesterday announced that
they would on next pay day chip 3 per
cent from the annual dividend nnd add
It to tho wages of operatives. Tho
wages of some of tho employes had
recently beon Increased 33 per cent.
Theso wcro not Includod In tho In
crease yesterday. President Asho saya:
" 'Wo cannot help forcseo that thero
must bo an end of tho prcsont boom
somo day, and If wo ever get back to
tho depression of a few years ago, Just
as wo voluntarily lncrca&o wages now
wo will bo compelled to rcduco them
then.' "
On tho same dato tho followlngstnto
mcnt Is mado In a telegram from
Philadelphia:
"In accordance with their notice
posted shortly after Jan. 1, 1900, prom
ising an advance to tholr employes, to
tako effect April 1, 1000, tho Borwlnd
Whlto Coal Mining company today
notified nil their miners of a general
average advance of 20 por cent. Tho
miners aro now placed upon a basis of
CO cents por gross ton, and all day la
bor Increased accordingly. This ad
vance will make tho wages paid tho
highest during tho past thirty years,
end In some Instances the highest that
havo ever existed by nearly? per cent."
This Is what Is aimed at in tho sys
tem of protoction to American labor
and Industry namely, that thoso who
work for wages shall bo tho galnors
through tho profits accruing to tholr
employers. As a direct result of tho
great prosperity which has come to
tho country slnco the election of Will
iam McKlnley, and tho consequent re
instatement of tho thoroughly Ameri
can policy of first taking good caro of
Americans and of regarding the for
tunes of foreigners as a secondary con
sideration, wages and employment
have Increased enormously In tho
United States, and tho general rato of
wages Is In nearly all lines of indus
try tho highest evor-knowm
THE RISINQ TIDE.
A Futaoua Pol toy.
That something is needed for tho re
habilitation of our merchant marine
has been evident for a long tlmo, and
grows moro alarmingly evident as our
needs of commercial expansion be
come moro pressing. In 1873-4 our
morchant marine, though ridiculously
small, represented a little more than
11 por cont ot tho steam tonnago ot the
seas; last year It represented a very
little moro than 4 por cent. In tho
samo spaco of tlmo tho steam tonnage
ot Germany has rlBen from about 4
per cont to moro than 8 per cent.
Within the last century tho steam ton
nago ot Europe has increased in theso
proportions: Norway, 1,410 per cent;
Germany, C93; Italy, 305; Great Brit
ain, 311; Franco, 200; Spain, 275;
Russia, 430; Holland, 399. Tho In
crease ot tho steam tonnago of the
United States in tho samo period has
beon but 65 per cent, though our in
crease ot exports and imports has beon
phenomenal. Tho United Statos now
pays moro mouoy for tho transit ot
goods across tho seas than any othor
nation, Great Britain alone excoptod,
and Is pressing hard upon that coun
try In tho race for commercial su
premacy. But we alone, of all trading
countries, havo boen negligent of tho
obvious economy of paying our own
countrymen for tho shipment of our
own goods. Tho fatuous policy should
bo roversod at onco, nnd tho bill undor
contemplation provides for Its ro-
versal. Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Fully of It.
Wo can understand on American tar
Iff, but nolthor wo nor our lawmakers
can predict tho effect of tho lntrlcato
system of Individual trcatlea which, if
ratified, would bo a reversion to tho
commercial methods ot tho middle
ngos. Tho American ppllcy haB hither
to boon tho cnactmont ot plain and
uniform laws for tho Amorlcan people
to which all doing buslnoss with us
must conform. Wo have prospered
under this Bystom and it Is utter folly
to dopart from It. San FrauclBco
Chronicle.
Ono of the Kuentlat.
Tho manufacturing Jowolors ot tho
Unltod States aro Btrongly for protcc
tlon. This Is amply jlrovod by tholr
protests against any lowering ot pro
tectlvo rates on tholr goods. In fact,
among nlnu-tonths ot all practical
Americans protection Is considered
one of tho essentials of business pros
porlty.
THE PRESIDENT IS RIOHT.
Common-Seme View of the True In-
ward nc of the Puerto Rlcan Matter.
Tho men who havo rushed wildly
Into criticism of tho administration
and tho Ropubllcan party becauso of
tho Puerto Rlcan tariff bill, Including
somo Republicans who spoko beforo
tho facts wero all within their knowl
edge, aro commended to tho expression
of opinion by President McKlnley. It
Is identical with the editorial view ot
tho question taken by tho Post-Intelll-gencor,
and is absolutely unassallablo
In principle and In fact.
Mr. McKlnley prefers, as tho Post
Intolllgencer prefers, cntlro freo trado
botweon tho Unltod StateB nnd Puerto
Rico. Ho has not changed his mind
on this subject nor havo we. Wo do
not regard tho difference between freo
trado with our new possession and a
duty of 15 per cent of tho rates carried
by tho DIngloy ncts vital either way.
It will mako no great dlffcronco to us
nor to tho Puerto Rlcans, except that
It will put money Into their treasury
and none Into ours. But free trade be
tween us is tho Ideal condition.
Tho party In tho houso was forced
from this position by tho radicals on
tho other side, re-enforced by a few ot
Its own extremists. By the speeches of
theso men another Issue than expedi
ency was Introduced. It was contended
by them that Puorto Rico must havo
absoluto frco trade, not In fairness,
but as a legal right. It was held to bo
tho duo of thoso people under tho con
stitution; and acquiescence In this
doctrlno would have bound us for all
time to como with refcrenco to tho
Philippines as well as to Puorto Rico.
It was Impossible to ratify this the
ory. Yet tho courso ot tho debato and
tho attitude ot tho prcs3 wero such that
thoro was only a cholco left bctwoon
two extremes. Either wo must Imposo
somo trifling duty, or wo must an
nounco that all territory acquired camo
within all of tho provisions of tho con
stitution as applied to tho states ot
this union, revorso tho policy nnd
precedents ot a century, nnd tlo our
hands In tho important work that wo
havo to do In tho far cast. This Is tho
argument which constrains President
McKlnloy, as It has constrained us, to
agreo to tho Imposition of a slight tax
to vlndlcato a general principle rather
than to hold free trado with Puorto
Rico at tho prlco of conceding tho now
false and fatal theory of tho constitu
tion which tho Democratic party havo
bound up with it.
It is still possible that tho senate
may And a way out of this cholco be
tween evils. It would seem practicable
to amend the house bill by abolishing
tho duty, if there wero Incorporated'
In it a clause denying in tho strongest
terms any constitutional compulsion,
and asserting the unimpaired right of
congress to lcglslato at Its will on alL
matters relating to now torrltoy. Or,
if this la not done, a decision ot tho
Supremo court will sottlo tho quostlon
presently, nnd the Puorto Rlcan tariff
may bo repealed without danger. As
mattors stand today, however, tho
president Is right and bo is consistent.
Wo suggest that thoso Republican
newspapers In the Btato of Washing
ton that have complained of his courso
and tho policy of the party before all
tho facts wore clearly stated should
study tho subject anew In tho light ot
his utterances and of tho explanations
that havo appeared in our columns.
Seattlo Post-Intelllgencer.
Fault-Finder and Oronler.
Tho Democrats aro Klvlncr thnm.
solves a great deal ot unnecessary un
easiness over tho alleged Republican
differences as to a tariff for Puorto
Rico. Tho Republican party thinks
for Itself, and usually to somo mirnnnn
and with the result of settling fniriv
and satisfactorily tho groat questions
witu which It has to deal. When It
gets through with Puerto Rico tho
peoplo of that Island will havo no
reason to complain. Tho Domocratlo
party, which never yet enacted a ploco
of constructlvo legislation, is occupy
ing the usual position of fault flniinr
and growler in general, with not a
practicnl Idea to suggest. Trov fN. Y.t
Times.
Howling Uryanlte Free-Trader.
In 1896 Bryanttes yowled and
screeched that Drlccs wero too low.
and that If Bryan wero elected higher
prices would most surely prevail. But
If McKlnley wero oloctcd tho prices ot
everything would fall and business
and tho nation would bo ruined.
Yot now that prices aro higher, but
mostly becauso higher wages prevail
and everybody can havo work, tho
Bryanltes aro howling llko wolvos
about high prices.
Nothing on earth can over satisfy
Bryanlte freo traders oxcopt low prices
of forolgn goods for centeel Idlers,
with ono or two million wago earners
looking in vain for Jobs whllo our cod.
fish nrlstocrncy can buv thlncH nwfni
cheap, and everything will bo as nlco
as can do, uon'tciier know? ,
He Ducked.
While speaking In Now York tho
othor night Mr. Bryan said: "A dollar
that rises In purchasing power Is Just
as uisnouest as the dollar that falls In
purchasing power. Wo want a stablo
dollar." A gruff voice In tho back ot
tho hall asked: "Well, how do you
think you're going to got It?" Mr.
Bryan failed to answer. Ho ducked.
His gas bag was punctured. Tho ad
mission that tho Bllvor dollar falls In
purchasing powor was fatal to Bryan's
argument. Bonton (111.) Republican.
Senator Fettlgrerr Athamed.
Senator Pettlgrow doolares that he la
ashamed that ho wns born In Now Eng.
land. Provldenco Nows.
And Now England, by tho way of
reciprocity, Is thoroughly nshamo?
I that Pettlgrow was bori at all.
PUERTO RICO TARIFE
IT INJURES SPANISH OPPRES
SORS OF LABOR
Who ITave Ileen Piling Up Large Stock
of Prodncte Awaiting Free- Trade
With This Conntry A Clear State
ment of Facta.
An important point in tho Puerto
Rlcan question still seems misunder
stood by a large numbor of people.
Three-quarters of tho land In Puerto
Rico Is owned by Spanish grandees
and othor European aliens, and who
live in Europe, whero all of tho not
earnings from tho products of their
lands aro sent. This Is a system that
has Impoverished tho Islanders, and
brought thorn to tholr present unfor
tunato Industrial and social condition.
From 15 to 20 cents a day Is tho aver
age pay of laborers in Puerto Rico,
and three-quarters of tho population
If not more are laborers who culti
vate tho lands and harvest tho crop3
for their European owners.
Two and a half years ago, when our
relations with Spain wero becoming
acute, theso Spanish and European
owners of tho lauds In Puerto Rico
foresaw a probable war, tho early with
drawal of Spanish authority, and
evontual free trado between tho Unit
ed States nnd Puerto Rico. They there
fore havo been warehousing their
staplo crops of sugar and tobacco, so
that now vast quantities are In store
and accumulating, ready for shipment
undor freo trndo with tho United
States. To soma extent Amcrlcnn
sugar and tobacco trusts havo financial
Interest In, or complcto ownership of,
these crops.
Of this thero can bo no doubt; tho
Puerto Rlcan working peoplo have
nothing to loso by tho Imposition ot tho
duty upon tho products of their Island
entering tho United States. Their
work ba3 been dono and paid, for at
the prevailing rates of wages for labor
from 15 to 20 cents por day. Tho
protests against tho tariff that come
from Puerto Rlcans wore from those
who represented tho owners of tho
lands nnd tho warehoused crops. Tho
protests aro not coming from tho la
boring peoplo ot tho Islands who will
bo the beneficiaries of tho act.
Tho imposition of this tariff creates
a fund of several million dollars which
Is drawn almost entirely from aliens
or American trusts. This money goe3
backto Puerto Rico for tho employment
of Puorto Rlcans by our government In
the permanent Improvement of tho is
land. Tho wages our government will
pay will bo higher than those paid by
tho land owners, and will tend to raise
tho rates of wages all over Puerto Rico.
This would bo Impossible under Im
mediate frco trado, so, It must bo plain,
freo trado would only benefit thoso
whoso oppression of Puerto Rlcan labor
would remain undisturbed, and who
could thus nil tho hotter compete with
the products of Amorlcan labor In tho
samo articles. Immedlato freo trado
could ouly benefit nllens and trusts.
Tho temporary tariff .benefits nil Amer
icans and only Injures aliens and
trusts.
A couplo of years of this, and tho
Puerto Rlcans will bo In receipt of
wages approximating to tho30 paid to
tho laborers on tho sugar nnd tobacco
plantations In tho United States, from
75 cents to a dollar n day, and at the
end of tho two years In which tho
tariff Is to remain In forco tho frco ad
mission, of Puerto Rlcan products Into
tho United States will not havo a dis
turbing effect upon thoso products of
tho mainland with which thoy will
compete
It Is impossible, In view of theso
facts, which aro confirmed- by official
reports from tho officers ot the United
States stationed In Puerto Rlco.for any
sincere or Informed person to point out
where the Imposition of tho tariff upon
tho products of Puorto Rico for two
years will Injure olther Puerto Rlcans
or Americans. On tho contrary, It Is
n distinct benefit to all whom the Unit
ed States desires to 'benefit. Tho moro
this subject Is studied the moro this
will become apparent. This Is a caso
whore expediency Is synonymous of
Justice to our fellow countrymen in
Puorto Rico and at homo. That is our
first duty, and tho tariff performs it.
FOREION TRADE OAINS.
March Figure Show Hi porta Moro Than
Doubled Since 1H03.
Total exports ot Amorlcan products
nnd manufactures In March, as shown
by tho figures of tho Treasury Bureau
of Statistics, wore $134,313,348, against
$104,559,689 In Mnrch of last year,
$75,574,185 In March, 189C, and $66,-
510,571 In March, 1893. Thus last
month's exports wero moro than dou
bio thoso ot March, 1893 and 25 per
cent greater than thoso of March of
last year, and larger than thoso ot any
precodlng March In our history.
Tho total exports in tho nlno months
ending with March, 1900, wore $1,053,-
832,675, against $947,019,405 In tho cor
responding months of last year, $925,
905,326 In March, 1897, and $515,499,
C35 In tho samo month of 1886, hav
lng thus doubled In fifteen years and
Incrcused over 53 per cent since 189S
Exports of agricultural products aro
about tho samo as last year, the nota
bio lncroaso ot mora than 100 million
dollars In tho nlno months In question
being largely In manufactures. It Is
apparent that tho total exports ot tho
fiscal year 1900 will exceed thoso of
uny preceding yoar In our history. Im
ports also show a marked Incrcaso
over last year, tho principal gain bo
lng In manufacturers' matorlals, while
manufactured articles for ifso In tho
mechanic arts ulso show an Increase
Thus tho return to n protective tariff
system has boen followed by enormous
gains In our exports, as well as by in
creased activity in our manufacturing
Interests nt homo with a consequent
Increase of employment and wages.
GOVERNOR AS A WITNESS.
Democratic Execntlre of Idaho Teitlfled
Agalnat Miner.
A petition endorsing the actions ot
Governor Steuncnborg of Idaho and re
questing that the federal troop3 bo
continued In Shoshone county, whero
tho mining riots occurrod, and which
was signed by 1,388 reputable business
men and citizens ot tho Cdour d'Aleno
district, was kept from tho records of
tho Investigating commlttco of tho
houso of reprecontntlves by tho votos
of tho Democratic members of tho
committee. The Investigation is sup
posed to determlno whether tho troops
havo been kept thero contrary to tho
constitution, nnd contrary to tho
wishes of the peonlc. Nothing could
have had more direct bearing upon tho
subject thnn this petition, yet tho
Democrats by their action In keeping
it out have demonstrated that It Is po
litical capital, and not facts pertinent
to tho labor trouble, which thoy nro
looking for. The motion to admit this
evidence was made by Mr. Capron of
Rhodo Island, seconded by Col. Dick,
of 'Ohio. In tho absence of Chairman
Hull and ono or two others of tho Re
publicans tho Dcmocrnts wero enabled
to cause a tie voto and defeat tho mo
tion. Witness Honry E. Howes, n mer
chant of Wallace, was badgered by
Representatives Lentz nnd Sulzor, who
endeavored unsuccessfully to compel
him to reveal matters which had como
to his knowledge ns a grand Juror, nnd
which ho had taken solemn oath
never to reveal. Objections wero made
to theso unprofessional questions.
which wero sustained by all ot tho
committee with tho exception ot tho
two members asking them.
On ono occasion after Col. Dick had
Interposed nn objection to the charac
ter of Mr. Sulzer's questions, tho lattor
roplled, rather warmly, "You are try
ing to protect tho witness." To this
Mr. Capron rejoined: "No, wo aro try
ing to save you. You need some ono
to keep you from asking n witness to
dlvulgo something which ho has sworn
not to divulge. I am trying to savo
you who profess to bo a lawyer."
"It is not against organized labor,
but against organized crime, that tho
state of Idaho has been waging war."
This was one of tho strong state
ments made by Governor Steuenberg
at the hearing In tho Coour d'Aleno
riots by the military committee of tho
houso of representatives. Marked si
lence and attention wcro distinctly no
table as tho governor told of Innum
erable cases of anarohy, crime, riot
and lawlessness that had somotlmes
led up to murdor and assassination.
Earnestly and quietly ho stated his
facts, . and so convincingly that thoy
must oven have Impressed Representa
tive Lentz, who has beon endeavoring,
but fruitlessly, to show a misuse of tho
United States army and of tho power of
tho president.
"Covert threats," said tho Democrat
ic govornor, "aro constantly boing
mado by those ongagod in tho riot of
April 29, which resulted In tho de
struction of somo $250,000 worth of
property and the assassination of two
men, that ns soon as tho troops wero
removed they will gratify their re
venge upon thoso citizens who have
been induced to assist the state in its
attempt to ferret out crime. In tho
beginning of tho present prosecution
upon tho part of tho stato a groat
many good citizens wore Induced to
testify and give evidence upon the rep
resentation that they should be pro
tected, and I havo no doubt but that
each and every one ot theso would bo
compelled to leave the country and
sacrifice their homes, and property
should the protection which was as
sured them be taken away by the re
moval of tho federal troops.
"This Is not a conflict betwoen la
bor and capital or n question ot wages,
but it Is a conflict between tho state
of Idaho and certain criminal organ
izations which seek to cloak them
selves under tho cover of labor organ
izations."
Btenntnuerg for Governor.
The ludicrous feature of tho Idaho
situation is to bo found in tho fact
that the Democrats out thero want to
renomlnato Governor Steunonborg In
order to tako advantngo ot his popu
larity nnd socuro tho electoral voto
for Bryan. It Is evident that tho po
litical capital sought in the Washing
ton investigation was not for Idaho
consumption.
Mr. Cleveland's Attitude
The announcement that Mr. Cleve
land will not support Mr. Bryan was
by no means unexpected. However, In
caso tho Democratic party should do
cldo to take up a new candidate, Mr,
Cloveland would bo prepared to glvo
It tho address ot a good and largo
man.
Democintlo Force Dills.
Tho Democratic party has forover
clamored against so-called force bills
Yet It was tho Democratic party that
Innoculated Kentucky with Goebollsm
and fastened tho Nesblt law on Mis
bouri.
Democratic) Disappointment.
The collapso ot the Chicago ma
chlnlst strike was a serious dlsan
polntment to tho strlko department ot
tho Democratic campaign manage
ment.
Valne of Merchant VeieU In Wnr Time
When In 1S98 tho United Statos bo
camo involved In war with Spain, ono
of tho first things tho govornmont
found it noccssary to socuro waa mor
chant ships. It was found that tho
growth of our coastwlso trado had
brought Into exlstcnco a considerable
numbor ot vessels In mnny ways
adapted to various military and naval
uses for which merchant ships aro re-
quired In time ot war, such as for scout
work, and tho llko. In tho latter ser
vice tho ships of tho Prairie class woro
conspicuous. These vessels, of whloH
thero were but four, had belongod to
tho Morgan line, and ran between Now
York and Now Orleans, connecting at
tho latter point with tho Southern Pa
cific Railway. They woro of about
6,000 tons register, oach capablo of
steaming sixteen or seventeen knots
an hour. Thoy woro furnished with
guns, manned by tho Naval Militia,
and a numbor of times wero undor tho
enemy's fire, from which thoy emerged
with records alike credltablo to tho
ships and to thoso who manned them.
All of theso ships were built In tho
United States, our laws over having
provided that none but American-built
vessels may engago in our domestic
commorco. Of courso, if this trado had
been open to tho ships of all nations,
as has been suggested at times, they
would havo been of no uso to our gov
ernment In time of war. But tho num
ber of theso vessels that wcro capablo
of being transformed Into govornmont
uso wns altogether too few, and bo re
course was necessarily had to our
ocean-going vessels. Hero tho lack ot
American ships was sharply accentu
ated, much to the pcoplo's surprlso
and humiliation. It was found that
the four "crackorjack" ships of tho
American line, In tho transatlantic
trade tho St. Paul, tho St Louis, tho
Paris and tho Now York of 11,000
tons register each, and each capable
of steaming at tho rato of 21 knots an
hour, wcro ot Incalculable value to tho
United States. They woro immediately
Impressed, thdlr crews voluntarily en
tering Into tho nation's service, they
wero quickly provided with formldablo
guns for which they wero equipped,
and swept tho Atlantic from tho Grand
Banhe to the Bahamas.
But ships wero needed for a great
many othor purposes, such as carry
ing troops to Cuba and Puerto Rico,
also for supply and hospital needs, for
colliers, and for a number of othor rea
sons all directly connected with the
war. Having practically stripped our
coast of all its avallablo ships, and
having exhausted everything Amorlcun
that was avallablo In our forolgn trade,
our government was at last obliged to
resort to foreign shlp3. None could bo
chartered, as that Is contrary to tho
rules of war. Neutral powers are ex
pected to see to It that their merchant
ships are not used for military or
naval purposes, by either belligerent. ,
After tho government had chartered,
or purchased every available American'
craft that could bo utilized, no less
than 70,509 tons of forolgn merchant
steamships wero bought for tho war
department, and 56,309 tons of forolgn
merchant ships were bought for tho
navy department, making a total of
126,818 tons of foreign morchant
steamships thus purchased by our gov
ernment for uso In a war that ceased
within thrco months of its inaugura
tion. Whllo it is impossible to chartor for
eign steamships, it was quite difficult
to purchase thoso of tho higher type3
and of tho greatest utility theso could
not be purchased at any prlco from
their foreign owners. Tho consequonco
was, tho government was forced to
tako the best it could get, and In fact
some ot the purchases made wero of a
character that would never have beon
looked at, had It been possible to se
cure first-class ships. Had American
ships been doing the bulk ot our car
rying thoy would have beon nt tho Im
mediate command ot the government.
Somo ot the wealthiest and, moat
powerful steamship lines in our for
eign trado actually sold somo of their
vessels to Spain for use against tho
United States tho vory vessels our
trade had created woro turned against
ust Had tho onomy beon a powerful
marltlmo nation instead of weak Spain
not only would our own available sup
ply of merchant steamships havo been
entirely Inadequate, but even the pur
chase of foreign steamships would
havo been an impossibility.
It is now found that only 8 por cent
of our Imports and exports aro carried
In Amorlcan ships. Tho foreign ships
carrying tho balanco earn, It is conser
vatively estimated, $200,000,000 a yoar,
at the expense of the American peoplo.
In flvo years this means u billion dol
lars, and In a quarter of a century flvo
billions, for our ocean transportation
account, sent out of tho country to pay
forolgn shipowners. Tho magnitude of
tho subjoct, from an Industrial and
economical as. well as from a naval and
military point of view, Is manifest. No
wonder, In theso circumstances, con
gress feels tho need of legislating at
tho present session for an American
merchant marine.
rroape.lt Not Hectlonal,
Tho south Is participating in tho
wavo of prosperity, and thus Is tho
chargo that Ropubllcan legislation Is
on sectional lines tucked away,
To the nnbbera ltooat.
Mr. Crokor, who has been In Eng
land for tho benefit of his health, is
coming homo for the benefit ot his
finances,
The Millionaire Agnln.
Tho Chicago imivorslty has heard
from tho millionaires again. This tlmo
the Institution of learning gets $4.-000.000.