Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1900-10-05
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.
MEASURE HAS BADLY DiScON-
CSRTED The DEMOCRATS.


out of the Shipping Bill Tbey Show
Themselves to be About Evenly Die
vidcd For and Against 1T.
The Democratic leaders In Congress
have been making elaborate prepara-
tons t. make the shipping bill cam
paign issue. They have attempted to
terrorize the Republicans into the aban-
donment of the bill at the present ses-
sion at least. 1t is not known how much
tie foreign shipping lobby is willing to
contribute to the Democratic campaign
fund if the bills consideration is defer
red until the short session. Postpone
nIent. SLY the foreign shipping lobby,
Means the bills defeat
A S2Go.0G0,000 a year business is the
stake. If Democratic threats of filibuS-
tering are effective enough to induce
Republicans to postpone the considera-
ton of the shipping bill. the foreign
shipping lobby. their free trade allies
and Democratic dupes will each have
carried their point.
democratic success up to this time
Is the more amazing, as their own dis
organization on this question is dis
closed. 1t wonld be imagined that they
would be united in opposition to the
bill, if intending to make a campaign
issue of it. Just the reverse is the case.
They are about evenly divided for and
against it. This is shown 10y the two
minority reports that have been filed
by the Democratic members of the
House Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Committee. Tie first report filed was
signed by Messrs. William Astor Chan
ler. of New York: John H. Small. of
North Carolina. and Joseph E. Rams
dell. of Louisiana. Their report advo-
Gates government aid and opposes free
ships. Their suggested amendments to
the bill are not of q character to seri-
oIsly minimize its effectiveness.
The other foUr Democratic members
Of the House Merchant Marine and
Fisheries Committee who signed the
other report are MesSrs. John f. FitZ-
gerald, of Massachusetts; Marion De-
Nries. of California; Thomas Speight,
of Mississippi, and VIM. ID. DAILY. of
New Jersey. Their support opposes
subsidies and In effect advocates free
ships. Their report, said to have been
written by an attorney of the foreign
steamship lines, is largely an attack
upon the only American steamship line
engaged in the transatlantic trade.
The odium attaching to the Demo
Gratis who are lighting the battle of the
foreign shipping lobby in Congress, and
o1x In, 1f hi,
built abroad, instead of their construc-
ton in the United States. presents them
in a very sorry figure. They will be
Infinitely more busy. in defending their.
own attitude on this question than they
can be in assailing that of the Repub-
licans and large contingent of their
own party associates. The Democratic
leaders had made desperate efforts to
prevent public disclosure of their diff
ferences. but the courage Of nearly one
half of the minority made further CON
cealment of their condition impossible,
The Democratic members of the COM
Inittee who advocate government aid
by independently filing their report in
advance of the submission of the other
minority report, forced the signers of
the latter to lamely limp last into the
public eye. Their hopeless division
shows how utterly impossible it will be
for them to make a successful cam
paign issue of the shipping question.
If Democrats attack Il government
aided shipping, Democrats who have
the best of the argument may be quoted
In answer. Republican ammunition with
which to refute Democratic attacks of
this character need not be used-it is
furnished by. the more honest and cour-
ageous of the Democrats themselves.
Th is q sitlat Oh which seems al
most providential for the united Re
publicans. They seem to be assured of
the votes Of large cont nge ent-p1ssi-
bly, one half-of the Democrats in the
House in favor Of the ship subsidy bill,
if it Is brought up for passage now.
Such an opportunity has not been pre-
sented in a generation, and may never
again occur so favorable.
The same situation exists in the
Senate. The Democrats there ale un-
able to prepare, much. less present, a
minority report in opposition' to the
Iicly known that a number of Demo-
Gratis will speak and vote for the bill.
What the Democra tic leaders d sire to
avoid. at all hazards, is the effect it
will have upon their party followers
that will surely result from the discus
sion in the Senate of the ship subsidy
bill at this session, to disclose sub
g;antial contingent of their own party
associates in advocacy and voting for
that bill.
If Republicans can be coerced, intim-
idated or cajoled into pestpon:ng the
consideration Of the ship subsidy b !
at the present session. the Democrats
may be able to conceal their own weak
ness in divided opposition to the ship
subsidy bill in the Senate. A little in
c:dent has clearly demonstrated this.
and shown the despei alton Of the Dem
ocrat:c leaders.
The Chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, in his rage at the
EIi,,u of tb1, H. RancdaJ1 r,-