Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1914 — Great Need of This Country Is Preference For American Ships [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Great Need of This Country Is Preference For American Ships

By LEWIS NIXON, Shipbuilder

IAM proud to say that when it comes to American commercial interests I am selfish. This country in dealing with American export trade is COMPELLED TO PAY TRIBUTE IN THE FORM OF A TAX to foreign banking houses for the privilege of doing business in South America. WE ARE TOLD THAT AMERICAN BUSINESS ABROAD IS CONTROLLED BY AMERICANS, BUT, INSTEAD, THE CREAM OF IT IS CONTROLLED BY FOREIGNERS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF AN AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE AND OF AMERICAN BANKING HOUSES IN MANY OF THE FOREIGN COUNTRIES WITH WHICH WE TRADE. WHY, THE VERY OCEANS ARE BEING PARCELED OUT BY OTHER NATIONS IN SPHERES OF INFLUENCE.

VI * « Give us enlightened legislation for our merehant marine. Give us constitutional regulation of commerce and we will have a MERCHANT MARINE OF OUR OWN that will hold the greater part of American trade for American shipping just as it did one hundred years ago, when we had hopeful and helpful regulation of commerce.