The Portland daily press., 1895-01-11
Unanimous in Denouneingthe Pending
FithiaH Bill in Congress.
THREE LABOR BILLS ADVOCATED
By THE FEDERATION OF LABOR.
The First of the Non-Sectarian Bills In
troduced-Councll Committees An
nounced-Question Concerning the
Portland s. Rumford Falls Railroad
Especial to the PRESS.

Augusta, January 10.-The legislature
went on record today as being emphatically
opposed to the passage of the Fithian Tree
ship bill, now pending in Congress. Inc
matter was brought up in the Honse by Mr..
TwitchelI of Bath, who, in presenting the
memorial, to Congress. protesting against
the bill. made an able argument Tor the
continued protection of an industry which
has done SO much for the city of Bath, and
the whole State of Maine. The passage OF
the resolve required unanimous consent,
which was obtained in both branches.
Mr.. TwitchelI said, memorial to Con-
gress had been prepared regarding what is
known as the Fithian free ship bill, which
WAS now before Congress where an attempt
Is being made to have day assigned in the
House for it's consideration. 1t was on this
account that be asked unanimous consent
for the immediate passage of the resolution.
He represented city which for one hun
DIE years had been engaged in shlpbullo-
ing, and had constructed vessels which had
helped to make he American flag known in
all parts OF the world The Fithian bill
went beyond even the tariff legislation of
the Democratic Congress in thai 1t admitted
entirely free of duty finished freight pro-
luct. The coastwise trade was still left to
The American shipyards, but il was feared
that the passage of the Fithian bill would
be- an entering wedge which would result in
The admission of foreign built ships to the
American coastwise trade. Mr.. Twitchell
Traced the growth of iron shipbuilding in
Bath since its recent introduction there,
md asked the suspension of the rules in or
Ter that the resolves might be passed at
snce.
Mr.. Hamlin of Ellsworth, said he rose to
most earnestly sec ond the motion of the
gentleman from Bath, who had SO earnest
~, concisely and ably presented the matter
to the House that more was unnecessary.
Mr. Hamlin believed that every member Of
the House, irrespective of party, had at
heart the welfare of the state. and he hoped
that the resolve might have an unanimous
passage. s, 9esss .ess, gfS gess g
Mr.. Spear of Roc kland, said hes, repre-
sented the unanimous sentiment: of Knox
county, when he endorsed The resolve.
The resolve was then read twice and
passed to be engrossed.
In the Senate the passage of the resolve
was moved by Senator Spofford. who re-
ferred to the great Importance of the ship
building industry of Maine. and said that
it was the wish of the people that their rep
resentatiyes in the legislature should unan-
iinously voice tue protest of the state
against the passage of the Fithian bill. The
resolve then passed the Senate. 1t is as
follows:
Memorial to Congress Relating to the Free
Ship Bill So-oalled:
- he state of Maine has long been the
largest builder of sailing ships of any state
in the Union. For over a century and
lalf, ship building and ship owning and the
trades dependent on them. have given en-
pIoyment on sea and land to the population
of our coasts. In fifty of our towns these
are the principal trades known to our
peoples. The prosperity of "a population of
10000 people within our borders is INSOFAR
ably connected with American shipbuild-
ing, the building, the owning and the sail
ing of ships
ssTo the agitation of measures pending in
Congress which our people believe encom-
pass the destruction of this industry, older
than our state or nation, protected almost
from the nations birth by the laws which
it is now proposed to repeal. our state can
not remain silent witness.
ST our registry laws have failed to in
crease our tonnage. engaged in the foreign
trade. which IS now protected from foreign
competition, yet in domestic tonnage.
where they give full protection, we have
built up feet larger than any other
nation.
For our own state, these laws have done
more ; they have enabled our shipbuilders