Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-06-01
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.
MEASURE HAS BADLY piscoN-
CERTED THE DEMOCRATS.
In Attempting to Make Party Capital
Out of the Shipping Bill rhcy Show
Themselves to he About Evenly Di.
vidcd For and Against 1t.

Themselves to he About Evenly Die
vidcd For and Against 1t.
The Democratic leaders in Congress
have been making elaborate prcpara-
lions to make he shipping bill a 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
the foreign shipping lobby is willing to
contribute to the Democratic campaign
fund il the bills consideration is defer
red until the short session. Postpone
ment, say the foreign shipping lobby,
means the bills defeat.
y S2O0,000,000 Il year business is the
stake. II Democratic threats of 1ilibus-
tcrfng are effective enough to induce
Republicans to postpone the consihera-
ton of the shipping bin, the foreign
shipping lobby, their free trade allies
and Democratic dupcs 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 would be imagined that they
would be united in opposition TO the
bill. ii intending TO make Il campaign
issue of it. Just the reverse is the case.
They are about evenly divided for and
against it. This is shown by the two
minority reports that have bccn filed
by the Democratic members of the
House Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Committee. The first cport filed WIS
signed by Messrs. William Aston Chan
Ter. of New York: John VI. Small, of
North Carolina. and Joseph T.. Rams
dell. of Louisiana. Their report advo-
Gates government aid and opposes free
SHIPS. Their suggested amendments to
the bin are not of Il character To seri-
ously minimize its effectiveness.
The other four Democratic members
OF the House Merchant Marine and
Fisheries Committee who signed the
other report are Mcssrs. John l.. l'itz-
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 al attorney OF the foreign
steamship lines. is largely an attack
upon the only American steamship line
engaged in the transatlantic trade.
The odium attaching 10 the Demo-
Gratis who arc fighting The battle of the
foreign shipping lobby in Congress. and
who advocate the purchase OF ships
built abroad, instead of their construc-
ton in the United States. presents them
in Il very sorry figure. They will be
Infinitely more busy in defending their
attitude on this question than they
can be in assailing that of the Rcpuh-
lc1ns and Il large contingent of their
own party associates. The Democratic
leaders had made desperate efforts to
prevent a public disclosure of their diff
~ferences, but the courage of nearly one
half OF the minority made further con-
~cealnlcnt of their condition impossible.
The Democratic members of the COM
mittee who advocate government aid
by Independently fling their report in
advance of the submission of the other
minority report, forced the signers of
the latter TO lanlely limp last into the
public eye. Their hopeless division
shows how utterly impossible it will be
for them to make Il 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 rcfute Democratic attacks of
this character need not be used-it is
furnished by the more honest and cour-
ageous of the Democrats themselves.
This is a situation which seems al
most providential for the united Re
publicans. They seem to be assured of
the votes of IL large contingent-possi-
bly, one-half-of the Democrats in the
House i'll favor of tile ship subsidy bill,
II it is brought up for passage now.
Such an opportunity has not been FIRE
scnted in q generation. and may never
again occur so favorable.
The same situation exists in the
Senate. The Democrats there are I'M
able to prepare. much less present. Il
minority report in opposition to the
ship subsidy bin. 1t is we'll and pub
licly known that Il number of Demo
Gratis will speak and vote for the bill.
What the Democratic leaders desire 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 Il sub,
stantial contingent of their own party
associates in advocacy and voting for
that hill.
II Republicans can be coerced. intiu,-
idated or cajoled into p%ostponing the
consideration of the. ship subsidy bill
Mt 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 i'll
cidant has clearly demonstrated this,
and shown the desperation of the Dem
ocratic leaders.
The Chairman of the Democratic Ma
tionM Committee, in his rag MT the