New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-11
WASHINGTON NOTES.
MR.. LYNCH's BILL-WHY AND HOW 1T WAS DE-
FEATRD IN THE HOUSE.


WASHINGTON, June 9-There is no doubt
that among the chief things expected by the country Of
Congress has been that something should he done at this
session to revive the commerce Of the United
More than year ago the House OF Representa-
tves appointed Select Committee upon the subject,
with Mr. Lynch Of Maine as Chairman, which, aftor
much consideration, investigation, hearing of deega-
lions, and reading Of pamphlets and statistics matured
BILL and brought it into the House Why this bill was so
roughly handled and finally defeated, is probably not
well understood by people out of Washington who do not
wade through the debates in The Congressional Globe
desire 10 give what well understood here to have
been the chief of the loss Of this measure from
which so much was expected.
In the first place. the bill was unfortunate in its paer
nifty. Great credit due to Mr. Lynch for tho patient
research and labor he to the subject but neverthe
he proved himself TO be the wrong for Chairman
Of the Committee. 1t clearly impossible for him to
see much beyond the limits Of Maine shipyard. To
store American commerce meant TO him TO revive ship
building in his own State, and little more He never
comprehended the magnitude nature OF the problem
which the House made it the duty of his Committee to
solve and the solution he presented solution at
all His bill, when carried out to its results could not
possibly have transferred transOceanic TO
American ships and the only clear result that could be
cyphered out Of it an increased profit to shpbuid
for building small vessels for the cOasng trade,
where foreign competition is possible under naviga-
ton 1t is probable that Mr. Lynch hoped that his
bill would do than this, but he took care to make
the benefits to his constituents certain
while any gain Of the Oceancarying trade to the nation
at large was left extremely prObematical. The bill.
therefore sank, chiefly because there not merit
enough in 1t to float it, 1t proposed to great
tona evil, but presented remedies that few believed
would be adequate. Mr. Lynch failed to show that
with all the drawbacks and subsidy provided for in his
original BILL iron steamships could be built in this country
compete with the productions OF the shipyards OF the
Clyde. discussed
that the aid II extended to vessels engaged in foreign
trade would be Inadequate while the aid to be given TO
coast-wse commerce entirely unnecessary, spread
rapidly among members who intended at first to support
the bin, and would have voted for il had vote been
taken early the second day of the debate.
Another primary cause of the death Of the measure
must he looked for in the growing opposition TO Govern
men subsidies OF all kinds, and TO any legislation favor
ING class interests Inns II Gay more ana more
come settled political principle with any large number
itself systematically and without method Eastern repre-
sentatves favoring banking monopoly and subsidies to
peculiar Eastern interests and opposing land grants and
Western representative gong In Tor all schemes Tor
giving away the public domain and fighting projects for
This subsidy opposition is already very powerful esPe
caly among the Western members and when IL plants IT.
In the case of MT Lynchs bin the nucleus of oppo
ston furnished by the Illinois delegation. Logan,
against whole principle OF granting Government aid
shipping interests. and gathering TO their support
great OF Western members they fought the bill
step by sep with pertinaeity and effectiveness that
could not be surpassed No bin introduced this session
has had such powerful and well-trained opposition to
encounter. The anti subsidy reinforced by
such strong men as schenck and Garfield and other mem
beers all sections Of the country who were favor OF
legislation 20 revive the carrying trade of the coun
try but who believed Mr.. Lync's plan would not meet
the and declared that II was conceived not pinar
lily the interests Of American oceanic commerce, but
chiefly in that Of the builders of wooden ships.
When Mr.. Lynch that the subsidy feature OF his
bin was sure 10 kill IT, and introduced his substitute,
which proposed 10 give drawbacks only In shpbuding
material Il too late. me opposition had become
enbttered nsnuations of lobbying and improper nfu-
enees has thrown back and FORTH cbarmen Of com
mtees dissatisfied at the bad parliamentary man
agement OF the bill which had consumed 40 many morn
ing hours the exclusion of other committees having
important business TO present; everybody was Ia bad
temper and the House finally slaughtered tho subsu-