The evening times., 1900-06-29

Commerce the Plea Set Forth.
| During a lun in the work of sending out
| political literature from the headquarters
| of the Republican Natiozal COMMITTEES to-
! day there was an informal discussion as TO
what effect the autumn elections might
have on legislation by Congress at the next
! session.
Well" said one OF prominent officers of
! the committee. If the Democrats win We
will pass a Shipping Subsidy bill, and i
/ the Republicans win We viii pass the salGe
! kind of a bill"
At the last session the friends OF ship
| ping interests on the Pacific complained
because. as they alleged, the bill present
! ed then was framed with a view to the eoa-
ditions existing in the foreign carrying
trade Of the Atlantic, and did not take into
/ consideration the long trips Of the Pacific
/ trade, and the cargo-carriers Of the Orisn-
! tai commerce. An effort was made by tie
/ friends Of the bill TO meet the Western
/ men on these grounds, and number Of
/ concessions we're made notably in the pro
! posed reduction Of the classes Of vessels
that are TO obtain sped premiums aud
/ bOuntieS
| These concessions were no. sufficient to
! satisfy the Western men. The point was
made. based upon tabulations covering
many ships now engaged in the foreign
carrying trade, that the gross amounts Of
/ subsidies which may be paid to each vessel
| during 4 ten-year period would be suffi-
! cient - replace such ship. or, in other
/ words. amount to the total original cost Of
/ the vessel. II was suggested that the an
crthcidy each vessel he
/ diminished year by year. or that it stop.
I at the end Of ten years. after running at
/ the full rate. The point was also made that
under the bill a large number OF very old
ships VIII be carried under the subsidy
/ policy, and contracts would be entered into
/ TO pay subsidies to such ships for a twenty
( year period thus falling in a material de-
( gree 10 encourage the building OF new
/ ships which is one Of the ayOwed objects
! Of the proposed legislation The claim
I was made BY some of the supporters OF
/ these changes that the natural life OF
I ship is twenty years ard that before the
/ expiration Of that time the vessel should
i be transferred to the non-subsidy earning
I class. assuming also that encouragement
by subsidies during a greater part Of that
/ period would enable such ships 10 have es-
/ tabished prosperous line, Of business in
I the ocean carrying trade
An amendment was agreed upon by The
l Senate Committee on Commerce limiting
/ the period Of compensation 10 ten years
Z for vessels now completed, while doubling
/ that period for vessels hereafter 10 De
/ constructed. BY Withdrawing compelsa-
I tIon from vessels now in existence at he
] end CT ten years. andE continuing il Tor
/ twenty years 10 those hereafter built,
/ IL is expected that the most modern and
! economical vessels. and-only those, VIII
| be found desirable for the foreign trade.
! Senator Frye has given II as his opinion
/ that the passage OF a bill similar TO that
/ which vas introduced by him, world be
/ 10 ensure within five years the coustruc-
! tioI Of approximately half a million tons
OF new ships in American shipyards, to
J increase the efficiency CO American ship
/ ping in the foreign trade at least three
/ fold in that time largely and permanently
4 10 reduce rates Of ocean transportation,
/ then 10 increase American export trade,
/ eventually 10 bring the cost OF construct
ing ships as low in the United States as
! il is elsewhere 10 place at all times at
/ the immediate command Of the Govern
] meut effective ships and trained men,
I to have our mails carried free, and gradu-
! ally-he believed-tO put an end 10 our
| present payment Of Sl75.000.000 a year 20
! the foreign shipping which is now doing
/ our foreign carrying
In support Of his bill Senator Frye said
that without going into the figures Of the
| compensation in detail IL is enough 10 say
/ that the compensation provided will no
/ more than make good the difference in the
| cost and in the operation OF American
| ships in competition with foreign ships \
/ limit Of not to exceed s.. .0O0 eco is placed
! upon the annual payment TO vessels of
over twenty knots speed. look for such
I fierce rivalry between American and for
eign vessels, the former striving 10 OBJ
tain and the latter trying TO hold the busi-
| ness. as TO materially reduce rates Of ocean
! transportation for years 10 come. and to
/ fix permanently much lower rate than at
| present through the economies in cOnstTuc-
: ton and operation that competition will
force upon all concerned The provisions
Z CT the bill favor freight carriers at every
I point rather than the heetest and most
| powerful ships. This is in response to 6
( very general sentiment that the CONNER
| ciaI war upon which We have entered and
which Will be larger in the future. de-
| .rands tie former in preference 10 the lat
! ter
1t is recognized that the more rapid ex-
| pansion of our export trade will be in that
carried Z 4 with the Orient. This viii espe-
| ciaE- stimulate new lines OF steamships
from cur Pacific ports 70 Asistic countries
To make IT particularly attractive, and also
! possible, for our citizens 70 develop that
trade with American built ships so per
| served for our vessels upon the Pacific
| while of course. there is no limit TO the
extent that they may participate in the
| other 40 per cent by increasing the num-
ber Of ships in our foreign trade.
! During the last thirty-fve years while
! American ships have been more expensive
| to build and more expensive to run than
! foreign vessels. certain OF our citizens
| have found 1t necessary to go abroad for
their ships. and sail them under foreign
! flags in order to compete on terms OF
| equality with their rivals. which course
| under proper Government protection dur
| ing that time, would have been quite un-
| necessary II is estimated that some Zoo
! 600 tons Of vessels OF this character OF
| ownership are now in existence. while
| about 100 900 tons OF ships are now be-
! ing constructed abroad for their owners.
| In order not to discriminate against these
| citizens. now controlling a trade capa-
| bic Of great future expansion. and in Or
| der to induce them to expand their trade
| with American-built ships, provision IS
| made for the admission to American
| registry OF foreign-built vessels owned
| by American citizens. on condition that
they have tonnage built hereafter in