The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-14
Friends of the OIeomargarine Bill
Gain a Victory I'm Its Reference to
Clark Senatorship Contest-The De-
Tax Reduction Subcommittee APP
pointed TO Investigate Hazing at
West Point.
SENATE.

ator Clay, of Georgia. He is one of the
minority members Of the committee ON
which conducted the hear
ings on the measure and reported it to
the senate.
Senator Hanna, who expects to reply
to Senator C1ay's argument, gave him
a particularly attentive hearing.
In the early part of the session a
lively colloquy was precipitated over
the reference to the committee of the
AGrout oleomargarine bill. just passed
by the house of representatives. Final
ly 1T went to the committee on agricuI-
ture. This was a victory for the
friends of the bill.
Senator Chandler. chairman of the
committee on privileges and elections,
asked that the resolution on the calen-
dar declaring that William A. Clark
was not duly and legally elected to the
senate be recommitted to the commit
tee.
Senator Bacon, Of Georgia. inquired
mis- object.
Senator Chandler replied that why he
desired a recommittal of the resolution
was that the committee might desire
to take some positive action, as the
whole case had not been disposed of by
the resignation and departure of Mr..
Clark.
Senator Bacon replied tina he could
conceive of no legitimate purpose in
the desire for a recommittal of a reSO-
ton which dealt with a question which
practically was dead. He intimated
that Senator Chandler might have
some Interior purpose. and the matter
went owe until Thursday.
Forty-five pension bills were passed.
Senator Clay, of Georgia, was then
recognized. He commended that the
promotion of and the in
creasing Of foreign trade of the United
States, two of the most important OBJ
jects of the pending measure (ship sub
Sidy bilD would. not follow its enact
ment. The n definite thing that was
known was that it would take from the
treasury of the United States 100000
a year for a period of twenty years
and donate that vast sum to the ship
owners carrying the foreign trade Of
this country-"In other words" he
said, one mans business is to be heav-
lily taxed in order to advance and to
\ make more profitable the private bust
ness of another Citizen"
- Senator Clay entered upon an analy-
] SIS of the pending measure. He point
&C out that an additional amount was
paid owners of vessels of greater speed,
regardless of freight capacity. He said
that the subsidy to be given vessels up
~ - MINUS lliCH are really our great
freight carriers, Is only n and a half
cents per gross ton, while the subsidy
given to a fast steamer which Carries
chiefly passengers and fine %anufac
tured goods, is three and eighteenth
cents per ton for a tWenty-orv knot
ship. An analysis of the bill would
demonstrate that the shipowners alone
are the beneficiaries of this legislation.
Senator Clay commended that the
greater part of the Xpor of the
ITnsEnI CAaTo- ~-.s- -
of less than eleven knots speed and
that it was not, therefore. within the
bounds of reason or Justice that the
fast vessels which carried only a
small percentage of the exports should
receive the great bulk of the subsidy.
Mr.. Clay ridiculed the proposition laid
down in the majority report of the
commerce committee on the bill that
the proposed law would be of greater
benefit to the agricultural interests of
the country than it would be to the
~Shlpbuildlng and shipOwning states.
Senator Clay maintained that the bill
as formulated by the committee would
not tend to increase the merchant ma
rine of the United States.
If" said he, will examine
the testimony taken before the COM
mittee, the conclusion will be reached
that the shipowners have a thorough
organization to carry through this leg
islation. They are not seeking oppor
t~unitfes to build ships. but they are
trying to secure legislation that will
enable them to go in the public treas
ury and di wv SO, 900. 900 annually to di-
vide among themselves. If those who
favor this legislation are acting in good
faith why did they not provide that the
subsidy shall be paid to those who will
build ships hereafter?
Senator IL maintained that the pro-
vision of the bill. which enables Ameri-
can owners Of foreign vessels to place
these vessels under American register
on condition that they construct in
American ~shipyards vessels of like tom
mage n speed, would not increase the
merchant marine. He said that mas
much as these owners of foreign vessels
brought under the American flag would
receive only so per cent of the subsidy
provided in the bill for the American
vessels they could not afford to come
in competition with these ships which
are now under American register. ?
At APO o'clock p. m the senate Went
into executive session and at o:45
O'Clock adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The debate on the war revenue reduc-
ton bill was opened in the house To-Day
Snut was confined to speeches by MIR.
Payne. of New York, chairman or the
ways and means committee, on behalr
of the majority, and Mr.. Swanson, or
Virginia. on behalf of the minority:
Inc speaker dppoinlSu nv
to investigate the death of Cadet BOOB,
at West Point.
A substitute resolution was reported
from the military affairs committee, re-
questing the secretary of war to report
the result of the investigation he is
now making of the Booz case TO the
z house of representatives, together with
a ueh recommendations as he may see
lift to make.
y Mr.. briggs, of New York, the author
= of the original resolution, protested Wig
orously against the adoption of the sub
> stitute resolution as it did not include
{ provision for an investigation of the
general subject of hazing at West
Point, with a view to putting a perma-
nent stop to such practices.
Mr.. Wanger, of Pennsylvania, who