The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-03
THE SENATE.
Law-Firm's Scheme Bloeked-Dsbate on the
Steamshin Suhsidies

a Law-Firm's Scheme Blocked-Dsbate on III e
Steamship Subsidies.
WASHINGTON, July I'm the Senate
this morning Plumb, from the Committee on
Public Lands, reported the Senate bill to
provide for the delivery of land patents to
their rightful owners and asked for its i'm
mediate consideration.
Statements were made by Plumb, Pad
dock and Berry that there were some $50. =
600 land patents accumulated in the Central
Land Office for which those entitled to
them had not applied ;'that thrifty firm of
Washington attorneys had been permitted
to have lists made Of them; that they had
then communicated with persons entitled
to them, notifying them that they could get
their patents on the payment of a certain
lee; that this was an act of collusion be-
tween the Assistant Commissioner, who
was then Assistant Secrtary of the Interior
acting as Commissioner, and this law firm,
and that the bill was designed to frustrate
that job.
The bill was then passed. 1t directs the
Secretary of the Inferior to send to the
Recorder Of Deeds in each city in which the
lands SO patented lie, lists of the land
patents in that county which have been in
the General Land Office uncalled for twelve
months.
Hiscock called up his motion to recon-
Slucl Tie NOte ny WHICH Tile DenaLb yeSleT-
day refused to recede from its amendments
to the Legislative Appropriation Bill.
The motion was agreed to, and after a
debate the Senate receded from the amend
ments, The bill now goes to the President.
The Senate proceeded with the considera-
ton of two Senate bills reported from the
Committee on Commerce, to place the
American merchant marine engaged In
foreign trade upon an equality with that
OF other nations, and to provide for ocean
mail security of service between the United
States and foreign ports, and to promote
the service.
Frye said the first bill was bounty on
tonnage. and the second was known as the
Postal Subsidy Bill He declared that un-
less Congress did something to aid Ameri-
can ships, and that speedily, there would
soon not be single steamship line travers-
Ing the ocean carrying the American flag.
He was not going to discuss the tariff in
connection with the bills. There (referring
TO the American carrying trade) was dead
body, and he wanted to know whether it
was worth while to resurrect it and bring
life into 1t. He could not understand
the innermost thoughts and feelings of
American citizens who could listen to the
statement of facts about the foreign carry
Ing trade, and not feel an impulse to go
back once more on the ocean, where the
United States stood in such proud con-
spicuousness thirty years ago. The Amer
lean carrying trade was dead for want of
protection. 1t was the only great Ameri-
can industry of which the same could be said.
The people of the United States had paid
$4,000, 000 to keep alive the sugar industry
of the United States; S6000,000 q year
would revive the dead body of the Ameri-
can merchant marine and keep it ON the
ocean.
Vest addressed the Senate in opposition
to the subsidy bills. The foreign carrying
power was laDguishing and almost dead,
but SO was the cattle trade, and yet, if he
was to propose subsidy for the cattle
trade the proposition would be attacked as
the most monstrOuS ever heard. He went
on to speak of the Pan-Ameriean Congress
as chestnut" and back number. 1t was
ha1 made up when the Harrison AdmniS-
trati0n came into existence, and the restless
and ambtiOus spirit of the present Secre-
tary of State settled upon it and concluded
to parade it before the country and gain
great and phenominal victory The
Republican party has always advocated
the necessity of doing away with foreign
commerce. But a sudden and marvellous
change had come. The Senator from
Maine wanted to give subsidy to vessels
engaged In the foreign trade, so as to bring
about increased trade, not only with South
American States, but also with all the
European countries and the world at large.
The effect, Vest said, of Substituting any
particular line was TO discourage all others.
Vest yielded the floor without concluding
his speech, and Frye said he hoped to have
the Senate act tomorrow on both bills, as
he intended to call up the River and Harbor
Bill Monday. After an executive session
the Senate aiiOurnei