The Portland daily press., 1890-12-20
FAST VESSELS BUILT IN MAINE YARDS
Might Help Restore the Supremacy
of the American Marine.
Speaker Reeds Efforts In Behalf Of a
Great Maine Industry.
Senator Stewart Thinks the Lodge
Sill Means Death or Slavery.
rspecial to the PRESS ]

WASHINGTON, December 19.-Friday Is
sat apart under the rules of the House as
private bill day, so the shipping bill did not
Come up today, but will probably be consid-
cred again tomorrow. Arthur Sewall of
Maine, is here, considerably interested that
the bill shall pass, but he is not finding many
of his brother Democrats who are ready to
stand by him. The bill embodies two feat
ures. the subsidy for steamers carrying
mails aid the sub sidy for sailing and other
vessels engaged in the foreign trade. The
Senate embodied these features in separate
bills. but in the House the two measures
were combined, largely through the infu-
ence of the Speaker, who was anxious that
the sailing vessel subsidies, in which Maine
Is so much Interested, should nave every
show of success 10 the House. AS. there Is
much gre ter opposition TO the sailing vessel
subsidies this coT biniDg of the two PROPOSE
tions in one bill has been to the advantage OF
the feature In which Maine is especially iu-
t,rested.
The fir ends Of the plan have got it before
the House, which is more than they have
been able to do in previous Congresses, and
they have been confident all along OF pass
ing 1t. But the signs now are that the 20 or
more Democratic votes on which they have
they do it is difficult to see how either the
sailing vessel subsidy feature or the mail
subsidy feature eau succeed. There Is un-
doubtedly strong opposition to the grant,
ing of subsidies, especially to sailing vessels,
perhaps less to mail subsidies, on the part of
such Western Republicans as come from
Cann0n's section of the country. Mr.. Can
non, who is chairman of the appropriations
committee, has opposed subsidies generally
and he Is even more opposed row. He says
he does not consider the taking up of the bill
In the House as significant that it would
pass. "We have plenty of money" ne says,
"for the ordinary expenses ofthe government.
but We are rapidly approaching that point
where we will have to be careful about in
curing unnecessary obligations. We are
happily near that point where we will have
to economise. We have enough revenues TO
run the government this year, and the next
year, and the year after, and so on, but we
have none to spare"
Mr.. Cannon evidently does not expect the
subsidy bounty bill to pass in any form, but
believes that there may be a possibility of
a modified mail subsidy bill He will prob
ably vote against any bill which proposes to
expend money for either bounties or subsi-
dies. A considerable number of West m
Republicans will follow Mr.. Cannon's lead
and unless their places can be supplied by
Democrats the shipping bill is in more or
less danger.
General T. W. Hyde of Bath, is here. Bids
are to be opened tomorrow in the navy de-
partment for the construction of the Am
men harDor defence ram and torpedo boat
No. 2. similar to the Cushing. Bids are eX-
pected from the Bath Iron Works, the Quin-
tard Works and the Herreschoff Company.
C.. w. Cooling of Alfred, is here on his way
to Phnnix, Arizona.