Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-11
Bad Legislation the Price.

Mr.. Mckinley cannot be altogether
pleased with the results supposed to
accrue to his candidacy on account of
The defeat of the compulsory pilotage
bill in the House. The attitude OF the
Mckinley boomers in the House does
not compare favorably with that of the
speaker. Mr.. Reed has gone ahead
without shadow of turning. keeping
uppermost in mind his duties as presid-
ing officer of that body. and the most
jealous eye has failed to detect in the
performance of those duties any sac
rifice To his presidential ambition. OF
coarse Mr.. Mckinley cannot justly be
things outlined in the following dis
patch Of Lincoln to the Boston Tran
script. but he cannot altogether es-
cape the blame implied therein and the
impression that his followers are re-
sorting to questionable and desperate
methods is sure To become widespread:
THE temper of the defeated members
of the House on the bill to abolish COM
pulsory pilotage is by no means ami
cable. For years coastwise sailing
vessels have had to pay a tribute in
the harbors of nine southern states. in
the way of pilotage fees, whether pi-
lots were needed or not. That II is a
ease of humbug and jobbery is clear,
and yet the House voted III to 53 to
continue it, and the makeup of the
Majority vote is what makes the re-
formers warm. The Ohio delegation
stood up to a man for compulsory pi-
lotage, and Grosvenor spoke in favor
of it. In fact. the whole Mckinley
combination joined the southern Dem
ocrats in maintaining the present in
iquitouS system. In return for this
combined support the delegates in con-
vention are promised to Mckinley.
This is stated on the best Republican
authority in the House. That the Ohio
men We're not voting on the merits of
the question in supporting compulsory
pilotage was evident.
This is shown by the fact that in the
fifty-iirst Congress. Grosvenor voted
in favor of the measure which he now
same side. Said one Republican ad-
Vocate OF the measure to abolish com
| pulsory pilotage. after the vote was
announced The idea of our paying
money II dret!ge these harbors. and
| their having To pay a tribute to enter
them, and this injustice indefinitely
! continued. just to elect one man to the
presidency"
With the evident purpose of disclos
| ing the opponents of this reform, Mr.
Mccall of Massachusetts asked for a
| yea and nay vote, but the combine was
| unwilling thus to show its hand. and
| the number necessary to demand that
| form of voting was not forthcoming.
| The knights of Labor have also been
an @ctive factor in bringing about this
| result Besides the effective lobby
| which the pilot men have maintained
here. Mr.. Dingley is reported as saying
| that in his congressional experience no
heavier lobby has been regularly kept
here than that of the pilots. The law
| now requires the payment of fees by
sailing vessels to pilots whether their
services are needed or not
| The volume of this tribute material
| ly Injuries the coasting trade Repre-
sentative Simpkins of Massachusett
| has made a close study of the question
and spoke effectively upon it. He
showed that under the laws of Virginia
| tonnage charges of ten cents on each
| ton were law, and twenty-fi cents a
| ton under the laws of Georgia. This
he asserted. was in violation of the con-
| stitution. as We're other laws. like that
! of South Carolina. exempting it's own
vessels from the operation of the law
and that Of Alabama. exempting YES
, sells from other states plying between
ports between Pennsylvania and New.
Oclonpc'