Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-07-03
NATIONS CAPITAL.
Bills to Place Ierchint Marine
On Equal Footing
With Other Eations Diseased IN Senate
---Ssaatsf fryt's Speech.
Federal Election Bill Passed by House
Amid an Exciting Scene.

WssnISsros, July s-uiseoek called
up the motion TO reconsider the vote by
which the Senate yesterday refused to re-
cede from the amendments to the Legisia
tive appropriation bill in reference TO the
pay OF Senator CLERKS Ard seasonal CON-
mittee clerks After brief discussion. =
motion to reeeds was agreed to. The Leg
islssive bill nov goes to the President for
his signature.
The Senate proceeded to the eonsiisrs-
hon ef the two Seaxte bills reported from
the committee on commerce. TO place the
American merchant marine engaged in the
toreign trade upon al equality with that of
other nations. and TO provide for ocean
mail service between the United States ami
foreign ports, and tc promote commerce.
Frye spoke a. to both bills. First, be
said. there was 3 hoanty on Tonnage, IL
~ss applied to all ships, sail or steam.
wood, iron, or steel Of certain class ard
that class being very perfect in the requir-
ment. Ii vas the bill agreed upon by the
shipping league association of the United
States and had been largely endorsed.
As 10 the cost Of the bill. Frye said that
the commissioner Of navigation estimated
its cost for the first year about 81 goo 600
sad its cost in three or four. years, five or
slx millions.
Frye said he would be much disappoint-
ed If in ! or years the cost would not
rise to seven or eight millions.
The first class 10 to be not less than s 600
tons measurement, and capable of MAIN
tanning a speed of 20 knots an hour. No
contract is to be made for carrying the
mails between New York and Great Britain
g kept on that class of vessels.
He had no doubt that if the bill became
= Law there would be in three years q line
between New York and Liverpool. -Four
ships Of that class would cost $500, 900 a
year. The Senator from Missouri West
might say that was an enormous amount of
money to pay for line of ships TO carry
the mail. In his Judgment it WAS not.
Fourth class vessels would receive a dollar
in bounty wbeie fret class vessels would
receive six dollars. yet = dollar bounty
would be better pay for fourth class ship
than a six dollar bounty would be to . frs,
class ship.
Second class vessels to be capable of Ii
knots an hour ard be first-clsss in every
particular. lie had no doubt there would
be lines Of that kind between New York
and River Platte, between San Francisco.
Tacoma, Seattle and Puget Sound 10
Australia, Japan and China.
Third class TO consist of vessels of 300b
tons. Fourth class of ordinary run OF
either wood or steel )of 1000 tons.
such as would be used to cross the CARR
bean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. All these
vessels TO be taken as cruisers whenever
necessary.
Tie aited States has only four or FIVE
lines of steamer lines left. One was the
line fromN York to Brazil and that line
was kept on the ocean today by the mail
pay from the Brazilian government, and no
other possible way. The line to Venezue-
Ia was started for the purpose of establish
ing trade with that company. They had
4 bare margin Of profit, and had sue ;ede,;
in building up between the nited States
and VenceZuels three times as large a trade
as there wss between the United States and
any of those southern countries in proper
lion to population and wealth. Now there
was a Spanish line coming in competition
with it under the act of Cortes, giving i.
5000 for every round trip. How long. he
isked, would the Venezuela line stay in ex-
stenec?
Gray asked Frye whether the people of
the United States did not get the benefit of
carried on by those Spanish
lines.
Frye admitted that. New Zealand. be
said had Withdrawn her subsidy from the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, AMI
Spreckles had now that subsidy. The Pa
ciic Mail Steamship Company could no
longer compete On the Pacific ocean with
the new subsidized line from the ansdian
Pacific Railroad Company, and would have
to disappear
Unless Congress did something soon,
there would soon not be a single steamship
line trsyersIng the oceans carrying the
American flag The people of the United
States paid $50 001 900 year to keep alive
the sugar growing industry in this country.
SIX millions year would revive the d al
body of the American merchant marine
and keep il on the ocean. In
pariy days Of the American carry
ing trade. protected by ditferental duties,
but commercial treaties had been made,
one after smother with nations Of the earth
and protection from diherential duties
The coastwise carrying trade W..
the result was that the cosstwi.e
teet of the United States was today larger
than all the cosstwise fleets Of the whole
world. and freights lower in that rad,
than anywhere ese in the known world.
Vest then tcok the floor but yielded it
without concluding his speech.
Frye said he hoped to have the Senate
act tomorrow on both bills, as he intended
to call up the river and harhor bill Mon
lay.
After a short executive session the SEN
ate at 5 10 adjourned.