384 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



magazines, this lack of perspective on their part does not seem to have 

 affected that of their readers. The finances of our cities have been 

 strengthened and accelerated. There has been no slackening or diver- 

 sion of interest or effort on the part of social and civic workers. On 

 the contrary, they have manifested a determination and persistence of 

 the greatest significance and there has been a throwing back on our 

 own resources that will develop a self-reliance and an American policy 

 of social welfare and municipal administration that will constitute a 

 worthy contribution to the advance of mankind. 



THE FEEE POET. AN AGENCY EOE THE DEVELOPMENT 

 OP AMEEICAN COMMEECE 



By Db. FREDERIC C. H0V7E 



COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION AT THE PORT OP NEW YORK 



IN the discussion of conditions necessary to the rehabilitation of the 

 American merchant marine and the promotion of American over- 

 seas commerce, one very important factor has been neglected ; and that 

 is the necessity of dargoes, not only for incoming ships, but for out- 

 going ones as well. This is absolutely essential to a profitable merchant 

 marine service. It can only come into existence upon a commercial basis. 



Present economic conditions provide outgoing cargoes of raw ma- 

 terials, food stuffs and certain manufactured products. This comprises 

 the bulk of our export trade. For the most part it is directly consigned to 

 the ultimate buyer. There is but little direct over-seas trade to South 

 America, to Africa, to the Orient, for these countries desire mixed 

 rather than simple cargoes. We buy largely from these countries, but 

 our purchases come to us through European ports. This increases 

 transportation costs, and supports foreign ship-owners. These condi- 

 tions spring partly from our high protective tariff, partly from the fact 

 that America has few foreign banking connections, and partly from the 

 general nature of our industry. 



I believe that our merchant marine would come to life again if it 

 were possible to speedily and surely find outgoing cargoes from Amer- 

 ican ports. This is a sine qua non to the establishment of direct routes 

 with other parts of the world. The modification of the registration laws 

 will not solve this problem, for this will not furnish cargoes. That can 

 only be achieved through the creation of conditions under which the 

 wealth of the world will come to America for sorting, re-assembling and 

 re-shipment, as is now the case in Great Britain, Germany, and in some 

 of the ports of the continent as well. 



The carrying trade of the world is now performed by those countries 

 that have substantially free trade. They are England, the free ports 



