Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-19
THE sUBNDY-BOUNrY BILL.
Opposition to the Combination Measure
Now Before the House.


Now Before the House.
fSe Subsidy tonnage combination bill win
probably occupy the House for day or two at
least and what the anal result will be is very
doubtful. The opposition has not yet fully
crystallized- Members have been busy with
other work that has been assigned to them or
that is Of especial interest TO them, and they
have not had time to thoroughly examine this
proposition There are some members who
oppose all subsidy schemes on general princi-
pies and therefore do not have to look very
deeply into the question to determine where
they stand, but some others will be influenced
merely by the question of cost Some favor
the mail subsidy proposition who viii not vote
for the tonnage bounty scheme. against which
there IL the strongest opposition.
The idea of the friends Of these two measures
was that by combining them they would bring
together the supporters Of both propositions
and so secure the paasage Of . measure that
would give all they wanted. But the indica-
tions are that they have made q miscalculation
and have materially weakened their position by
the smalgamation. The fact that a majority
voted to consider the matter does not insure
the passage of the bill proposed. Some less
comprehensive scheme may be adopted or the
whole thing may fail. At present they are go
Ing over the whole question in the committee
Of the whole and . number Of very material
amendments viii be proposed during the
course Of the confederation The outcome may
be . bin for q mail subsidy merely between this
country and the south and Central American
ports The democrats are hopeful of knocking
The whole thing out
TIE srnsrIoN OF COST
b . thing that is going to perplex and annoy
the friends Of the measure Like the various
pension neas ures that have been passed, like
al such indefinite and expansive appropria-
tons, this Is measure upon which there can
be no reliable estimate Of cost made. It ID sure
TO cost many million dollars; it is only ques-
ton of how many In his speech on the sub
mum cost and suggested that the cost vonld be
very great. Mr.. Farquhar, when questioned
yesterday on this point. would not make any
estimate of what the cost of the composite bill
would be- At best it il thing that is likely to
run the government further in debt
Mr. cASNos's WINS
The consideration Of the bill will lead num-
Der Of republicans to vote against it. Mr..
Cannon. the chairman OF the appropriations
committee. aid 70 star reporter last night
that he did not consider the taking up of the
bill in the House significant that it would
pass. We have plenty Of money, he said,
for the ordinary expenses of the government,
but We are rapidly approaching that point
where We will have to De careful about incur
ring unnecessary obligations. We arc happily
near that point where We will have to econo-
mize. We have enough revenues to run the
government this year and the next year and
the year after and 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 q possibility of the
passage of q modified mail subsidy bill. He will
probably vote against any bill which proposes
to expend money for either bounties or sub
sidy.
From subsidy the conversation drifted on to
the general subject of finances and the pros
poets of financial legislation during the session.
Mr.. Cannon said. significantly. that the Senate
seemed TO be going on the assumption that
they could enact financial legislation without
the aid of the House.
1T would be the best thing for the finances
Of this country, he said, IF this Congress could
end tonight"