National Republican., 1884-05-07
THE SHIPPING BILL.
Senator Vests Amendments for Free ships
and Free Material Defeated-Tho Free
Bridge BiiI Passed.

Senator Vests Amendments for Free ships
and Free Material Defeated-The Free
Bridge Bil Passed.
When the consideration Of tho shipping bill was
resumed in the senate yesterday Mr.. Beck referred
to the colloquy between himself and Senator
Dawes on Monday, and apoogizcd for any undue
irritation he might have exhibited also for re-
mark which he had made 10 Mr.. VOORHEES,.
high appreciation of the senator from Kentucky,
and harmony was fully restored
Mr. Vance then addressed tho senate In support
of the Vest amendment for free ships and iree
material.
In the course of his remarks Mr. Vance read
from statistics to show the reduction of our wheat
exports within q few years owing TO the deYelOp-
ment BY England Of wheat culture In India, in
duccd by our high protective tarh.
Mr.. McPherson inquired whether the reduction
was not partially due to the great wheat "corners,"
by which wheat was Kept back in expectation OF
higher prices.
Mr. Vance said when he found great cause
operating in the most patent and palpablc form
he was not going to hunt up small causes to ac'
| count for results.
Mr. Hoar asked whether the sudden develop
ment of wheat culture In India WIS not due to the
| recent completion of a large railroad system "a
| India, aud whether Mr. Vance thought England
would stop railroad building aud wheat growing
| iii India If We reduced our tarin2
| Mr.. Vance replied that If our duties were
| brought down to a reasonable point he believed
our exports would keep every iarmer in thoeoun-
try busy.
|
| Vest amendment. Free ships, he said meant free
trade. Our navigation laws hHd been ninety
years on our statute books and the democratic
| party had had the administration Of those laws
for forty eight of those years. He did not there.
| fore, SEQ why he as democrat should BE- expected
| all of sudden aud without any convocatOn of
the saints or archdoacons OF the party to subscribe
to the repeal of thO,e laws as u measure Of party
fealty, Free ships meant revolution and would
| put all the shipping of the United States in the
| hands of England, au uuiHendly power. II we
are to have free trade we should not begin with
| ships and rich ship owners. We should begin
with salt and other articles which the poor man
| had to buy.
Mr.. Cali spoke in favor of the Vest amendment.
| Mr.. Plumb made an able argument in support
of the bill. He Yindicated the idea Of an Amori-
| can marine composed of British ships. Why
should we put ourselves In such position that
some Of these days when we may want ships us
| against Great Britain we shall have none2 There
| had been one contingent that had always held to
tho Irish contingent How would Irishmon in
tile United States like the idea oftheir old enemy
a penE Soe eiSS"Sp % py .ne E GogrGsS nS
the irish nntion,. realizing that this country,
whose integrity they have fought for, can ask
the American flag only over British labor and
British capital. III the American flag Is to stand
for nothing" continued Mr.. Plumb, 'if 1t is to
represent nothing of American skill, why not hire
\ the English government TO show II off for US,
painting 1t like all advertisement of Cuticura or
st, Jacobs Oil ut so much yard, on the rocks
and fences wherever we wish to announce the TACT
| that there is such thing rs the American gov
ernment2 II Is not the flag thnt is concerned; IL
Is not the money IL represents; IL is not even the
stars and stripes; ii is the idea that tho American
flag stands for n great and free people, and that
| beneath that flag there floats the hundiwork and
creation of that peoplethe evidence Of their skill
and genius"
Mr. Plumb's closing remarks were greeted with
applause both III the galleries and Oh the hoor,
aud many republican senators rendered him their
congratulations.
Mr. Bayard favored the amendment
| The amendment OF Mr.. Vest as modified by
that ofMr MCPHERSON, was then put to vote and
loSt-yeas 20, nays 81.
The following is the vote in detail:
HEAs-Bayard, Beck, Camden, Coke, Colquitt,
Farley, Groomo, Hampton, Jackson, Lamar, Nc
som, Slater, Vance, Vest, and wllliams--36.
| NAYS-Aldrioh, Allison, blair, Brown, Cameron
OF Wis, Conger Cullom, Dawes. Dolph, Frye, Cor
man, Hale, Hawley, Hin, HoGr, Jones Of New,
ofN. Y, Mitchell, Morrill,, Palmer, Plat, Plumb,
Riddleberger, Sawyer, SeWell, Voorhees,, and Will
son-3l
Mr. Vest suggested that the bill should now be
MIR. Frye stated that when the reading of the
| bill should be completed he would move to take
| up the house bill and amend IT,
| Mr. Vest called attention 10 the provision re-
lating TO the duties and fees OF the shipping COM
missioner. lie referred in terms fscahing criti-
cism to the performances Of the shipping commits
sioner OF the port of New York, and said he was
not dealing with the question as party one in
Mr. Hale said that never until now had such a
piece of avaricc aud greed been brought to light
IN the of that officer. II was an illustration
of how long the American people would stand
thing before pucking it up by the roots. The
shipping interest was to be congratulated that the
thing had been exposed.
THE FREE BRIDGE.
Senator Riddleborger succeeded in getting the
bill for a free bridge over the Potomac up yester-
day before the resumption Of the dabate on the
shipping bill and substitute for the original bill
| AllFiph having a nj