Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-25
A GLITfERING BAIT
Being Held Out to the Owners of
Lake Vessels to Induce Them
TO SUPPORT THE SUBSIDY BILL.
Present Profits Satisfy Them, and They Do
Not Ask for More.
COMPLETING A GREAT CANAL sYsTEM
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsrArcH.i

DI6PATCH.l
CLEVELAND, August 24.-An earnest
effort is being made in some quarters here to
enlist the lake marine interests in the
crusade for subsidies and thus gain the In
fuence of lake shippers to aid in pushing
the tonnage subsidy bill, which has already
passed the Senate, through the House. The
immense growth of lake commerce in recent
years has made the vessel owners con-
siderable political power, and it is hoped if
they can be won for the subsidy bill to excite
some enthusiasm for that measure among
Western Congressmen, who would otherwise
be inclined to be rather lukewarm in their
support Of a measure that will take thou
sands Of doll from the pockets of their
constituents and give them to vessel owners
on either ocean coast.
The friends of the subsidy bill here point out
that, IL it passes, the lake marine can in a
few years, by means of the st. Lawrence
river and the Canadian Ship Canal system,
come under its provisions and thus be great
ly benefited.
DON'T TAKE THE BAIT.
This is bait to the cupidity of the vessel
owners which they have thus far failed to
swallow. They do not feel very greatly con-
cerned, for nearly all lake vessels are able at
present freight rates, which are lower than
for several years. to make very fair profit
on their value. Last year many of the newer
steel steamship companies paid II and IA
per cent on their capital. and few boats, and
they only old worn-out tubs, failed to make
and per cent. This, il should be remem-
bered, is on seven months business. The
rates are lower this year than last, and prof
its will not be as large, but they will still be
fair.
The subsidy advocates undertake to show
that if their tonnage bill becomes a law the
lake vessels can, in few years., when the
Canadian canals are finished, take a cargo
of wheat from a lake port to Liverpool late
in November when the lake season closes
and run five months in the ocean trade,Ire-
turning to the lakes in the spring. Or. q
vessel could load ice at an upper lake point,
make the voyage to the West Indies, en-
gage in the frui. trade during the winter
and return to the lakes in the spring with
cargo of fruit.
A GENEROUS BOUNTY.
Under the tonnage bill, which gives
bounty of 80 cents ton for every 1000
miles sailed outward, a 1000 ton vessel
loaded at Chicago for Liverpool would
draw about 1000 in bounty for the trip.
The subsidy, plus the freight earnings of
the winter on the Atlantic, would enable
the lake vessels to nearly double their
profits every year.
The condition of all this profit from this
class legislation is the completion of the
st. Lawrence canal system as now projected
by the Canadian Government The Wei
land and Lachine canals have already been
deepened to IA feet, and vessel of 2, 600
tons burden can pass through them. The
i've canals between these two are in all 80
miles in length, and at present have only
nine feet of water, but the work of deepen
ing them is going steadily forward, and Sir
John Macdonald has assured the Canadian
public that they will all be completed to IA
feet in three years. With their completion
every vessel now on the lakes could engage
in the oceans carrying trade. Not all of
them could pass the canals with full cargo,
but they could all 60 through carrying 1000
or more, and once at Montreal, could con-
tinue the whole winter in ocean trade and
receive a bounty therefor. In this way
lake vessel owners could keep their vessels
at work IL months in the year instead of
seven, as now, end their profits would be
correspondingly increased.
CHANGING LAKE VESSELS.
Such ocean trade would necessitate re-
building and Strengthening of the upper
works of the lake vessels, but that could be
done at a comparatively small expense, and
would easily be paid for by the bounty
earned In one winter by frst-class steel pro-
Pellers. such as now compose the cream of
the lake feet.
1t cannot be doubted that the st. Law
renee canal system, when completed to a IA
foot depth throughout its length, will be of
great advantage to the lake cities but to
postuIate;proft to vessel owners from a sub.
sidy bill on that supposition is a gift with
several strings tied to it. The risk of the
canals being completed before,a Democratic
Congress can annul some of the most unfair
OF the subsidy provisions is great and the
vessel owners do not grow very enthusiastic
over the project. They are doing we'll
enough now and have sure and reasonably
profitable business in their control. They
know that with the completion of the st.
Lawrence Canal system competition from
ocean-built crafts is sure to come and so re-
duce freight rates that a bounty and a
chance of running IL months in the year
will not much, if any, more than compensate
them for the losses they viii meet and the
greater risks imposed.