The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-01-20
G ganuc Scheme to Fitch the
Treasury.

Marine from Alexander r. Smith,
Room ), Times huilding, New York
City. The articles, says the opening
paragraph, are for the Use Of the editor,
in the hopes that he will use them or
that the information contained therein
may induce him to urge the early aeop-
ton by Congress Of a suitable measure
that shall restore to American ships
their fair share Of commerce carrying.
This high-sounding prelude naturally
wolld appeal TO anyone interested in
the subject, but Is there is generally
something selfish and personal behind
these edited information sheets, whose
only interest to the editor is that they
furnish copy for the greedy typos, the
same was promptly pigeonholed, In
due season the purlic prints contained
the details of a bill, introduced most
-ingularly ia TIE Senate by Mark
Hanna. the most noted monopolist
and corruptioui-t Of the day, and in
the House 10y Representative Payne,
to pay to owners Of ships, bounties out
Of the public treasury. Already there
are bounties paid to shipping interests
which, according to the principle up IN
which they bounty is based may be all
right, but an examination of the fea-
lures of the measure now pending
shows startling state of affairs which
should at once receive the attention of
the press and people that they may
cal ut en- ion to this threatened legis-
lation which has behind it sin ster
influence of corporate greed and COM
bined power, with purpose of treasury
Itching almost unparalleled. The
volv,ng the expenditure by the govern
ment of millions of dollars annually,
has good chance Of becoming a law.
1t is backed by imperiali>ts in both
Houses and partakes much of the ma
ture Of that policy. | is stretching
the subsidy theory to its furthermost
limits, beyond which il is unwise, if
not dangerous, to overst"p. 1t also
shows how far the Protection craze can
be carried by sane-minded men who are
supposed to legisla'e for the whole
people and not in ths interest Of trusts
or private interests. In order to give a
faint conception of the intent and pur-
poses of this bill, and without going
into elaboration, as the entire bill
would necessitate, we give few items
that will speak for themselves:
ld) On each entry Of sail or steam
vessels, not exceeding Is entries in any
l. consecutive months, II cents per
gross ton for each 100 nautical miles
for the first | 800 nautical miles sailed
both outward and homeward bound,
and one cent per gross ton for each l0C
nautical miles over 800 nautical miles
sailed both outward and hOmeward
bound.
ID Steam vessels which may be
suitable for carrying the mails of the
United S ates or as auXiiaries to TIE
forces of the United States in time OF
war or other need, if of the following
tonmages and capable of maintaining
the following rates of speed under the
Coudit'ops hereinafter provided, shall,
in addition to the compensation pro
vided in paragraph (d) of this section,
receive compel sation per gross ton, fol
each one hundred nautical miles sailed
both outward ami homeward bound, at
the following rates, namely:
VESSELS OVER 800 GROSS TONS
l. Fourteen knots and less than fif
teen knots, one cent per gross Ton.
.. Fifteen knots and less than sixteen
knots, and one-ienth cents per gross
ton.
3. Sixteen knots or over, one and two,
tenths cents per gross ton.
VESSELS OVER 5000 GROSS TONS.
/. Seventeen knots and less than
eighteen knots, one and four-tenths
cents per gross ton.
). Eighteen knots and less thar
nineteen knots, one and six tenths
cents Yer gross ton.
6 Nineteen knots or over, one and
eight-tenths cents per gross ton.
VESSELS OVER 5000 GROSS TONS.
:. Twenty knots and less than
tw, nty-on knots, two cents per gross
to-.
s. Twenty.one knots or over, two
and three tenths cents per eross ton.
VESSELS OVER 1000 GROSS TONS.
8. Twenty. two knots and less than
twenty-three knots, two and seven.
tenths cents per gross ton.
10. TWenty-thrte kuots or over,
three and two-tenths cents per z oss
ton.
The name Of Mark Hanna, as sponsor
for any measure, carries with ii an in
vitation for critical examination, and
the same is being given this one, not
in the least TO his or its advantage. 1t
is an effort to hooiwink the nation in.
to giving public monies for private i'll
terests, v hich are able, under proper
provisions, to take care of themselves.
For ins'ance under the proposed law a
vess of moderate 5 re- say 5000 tons,
which makes the round trip to Mauila,
would receive from the treasury the
neat sum Of nearly $4,000, at the per-
centage given for gross tonnage fol-
this distance. One of the largest ocean
mail steamers would make nearly S50,-
900 in goiug the same distance. The
same vessels making the round trip to
Europe would get nearly the neat lit
tie sum ofS25, 600. If this was only one
vessel, it might not arouse he storm OF
protest that greets Mark HannA's latest