The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-01
SCHEME TO ROB
The GOVERNMENT
Minority Report on the Hanna-Payne
Shipping Bill.
THE BUILDERS OF VESSELS
Would be the Only Ones to Reap Any
Benefit.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE MEASURE
By Simple Authentical Calculation it
Will Be Seen That the Bounties in
Cents Will Amount to Mil
lions of Dollars.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE MEASURE

Washington, January 31-The minority
report on the Hanna-Payne shipping bill
was filed in the house of representatives
sonal arraignment of the measure and those
who were to receive bounties under it.
The report says: This bill is one that
was prepared and brought to congress by
a voluntary committee of ship owners and
ship builders representing the gentlemen
who will receive the bounty which the bill
proposes to give from the public treasury
The bill as 1t is reported to the house is in
almost the exact form and grants to "a
penny the bounties demanded by the gen.
tlemen who are to receive them. The bill IS,
therefore, naturally and entirely satisfac-
tory to the interests which have organized
this movement to secure the vast sums car
ried in the bill as a gratuity to be used in
carrying on their private business and en-
larging the profits thereof.
Amounts to Millions
1.-The twenty year bounties thus provided
are put in the bill In the language of so
many cents but when the arithmetical
calculation is made to find how big these
bounties by cents will prove to be when
the time comes to pay them We find they
must be figured in tens Of millions Of dol
lars. By a careful and conservative esti-
obligated by the contracts likely to be en-
tered into during the first twelve months
under this bill to pay bounties amounting
to more than $165 900, and this includes
only the shipping now in sight and the ship
ping which must be built will cost probably
not less than $500 100000
"Of this enormous bounty the lions share
will go to the International Navigation
company. This company will receive in the
aggregate more than $57 000. This strikes
US as a monstrous proposition. In this bill
1t is provided thatra man who builds great
and speedy ocean steamer shall be paid
bounties in twenty years amounting to
twice the whole cost of the boat
Repugnant to Free Institutions
It must be conceded that bounties are re-
pugnant to to the spirit of our free institu-
tons under which all citizens should have
equal rights and no special privileges should
be granted. 1t Is impossible to give boun-
ty to everybody and to all forms of indus
try, and it Is manifsstly unequal and un-
just to tax the farmers, carpenters. black
smiths, masons, merchants, railroad men,
miners and woodsmen of the country to pay
a bounty to ship owners for every mile they
sail on the sea. To build up once more a
great merchant marine should be one Of
the patriotic ambitions of American states
manship. 1t can be done by taking off the
shackles and giving American enterprise,
American industry and American seaman
ship an equal chance. Everything needed
in building and equipping ship should be
admitted free of customs duty. Ship sup
plies should also be on the free list. Every
American citizen should be free to buy
ships to use In the foreign carrying trade
wherever he can find them cheapest and
best Tonnage taxes should be abolished.
In conclusion the report says: This bill
is the offspring of more bounty beggars,
and should be repudiated by representatives
Of both political parties. 1t is viruous in
principle. 1t is not necessary for the re-
Mobilization of our merchant marine to give
hundreds of millions of the peoples tax
money. The bill is wholly unjustifiable."