The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-06
Foreign-BuiIt Vessels to Receive Only
so Per Cent. of Compensation
Allowed Americans.
MAILS TO BE CARRIED FREE
ANTITRUST ACT OF 1890 MADE AP-
PLICABLE TO ALL CONTRACTS.
Builders or Owners of Vessels Who
Enter Into Combinations to BE
Deprived of Benefits.
,ecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The feature of
the Senate proceedings to-day, as on Tues
day. was Mr.. Frye's speech in favor of en-
couraging the merchant marine. Senator
Frye probably is the best posted man in
Congress on shipping matters and his
speech was listened to very closely.
President Mckinley, in his message,
called attention to the fact that American
vessels carry only per cent of our ex
ports and imports. and adds: Foreign
ships should carry the least not the great
est, part of American trade" He then
quoted the opinion expressed in his mes
sage of last year favoring the policy of aid
to our merchant marine. For the practical
carrying out Of this suggestion there were
introduced in both houses. at the last ses-
sion. bills which were favorably reported
back by the appropriate committees. In
the Senate the report was made by Senator
Frye, in the House by General Grosvenor.
who is regarded as the personal spokesman
Of the administration or the floor. This
measure. for the bills of the two houses are
identical in character, is the one Senator
Frye discussed yesterday and to-day. 1t
has for its essential feature the payment
engaged in the foreign carrying trade. The
amount of bounties which may be paid in
any one fiscal year is limited in the bill to
ss,OO0,0OO. of which sum not more than 20
per cent. shall be expended in the Atlantic
ocean and gulf trade. the other 80 per cent.
10 be expended in vessels engaged In Pa
clic ocean trade. If the bounties that would
be earned by the vessels engaged in foreign
trade in any one year exceed s9,0O0.OOO, the
secretary of the treasury is required to
make such regula tions as would cause any
excess in the total amount of compensation
above that sum to be deducted pro rata
from the total compensation of each person
or corporation entitled to bounties during
the said year.
DURATION OF LIFE OF CONTRACTS.
The measure as reported comprises twen-
ty-seven sections. The first section author
ICES the secretary of the treasury to con-
tract with the owner or owners of any sail
or steam vessel engaged in foreign trade
for the payment of the bounties provided
in the bill for a period of ten years where
the vessel vessels shall have been
launched prior to Jan. i, 1900, and where
launched after that date for a period of
twenty years. 1t is provided that the COM
pensation of sail or steam vessels shall be
based upon the cargo without regard to
the speed or tonnage of the vessel, but the
number of compensated trips that SUCH
vessels shall make in twelve consecutive
months is limited to sixteen. The compen-
sation provided for is ~ cents per gross
ton for each 100 nautical miles not exceed
ing 1900 sailed outward bound, and IL
s.,tc TON, fo~
miles not exceeding 1900 sailed homeward
bound, and cent per gross ton for each 100
additional nautical miles sailed. To receive
full compensation under this clause YES
sells must carry cargo of so per cent. of
their gross tonnage, and where the amount
of tonnage falls below that amount the
amount of compensation is to be propor-
tionately reduced.
Steam vessels are to receive in addition
10 the compensation above noted, additional
bounties according to classified tonnage and
speed, as follows Vessels of over 1000 tons.
of eleven knots speed. four-tenths of cent
per gross ton; twelve knots, six-tenths:
thirteen knots. eight-tenths: fourteen knots.
one cent; fifteen knots, one and one-tenth
cents; sixteen knots, one and two-tenth
cents. Vessels over 1000 tons of seventeen
knots speed, one and fourteenth cents per
gross ton: eighteen knots. one and six
tenth cents; nineteen knots, one and eight
tenths. Vessels Of over 10000 tons, of twen-
ty knots speed, two cents per gross ton;
twenty-one knots, two and three-tenths.
No vessel shall be entitled to compensa-
ton under more than one of the tonnage
and speed classifcations. Foreign bulls
vessels admitted to American registry shall
receive only so per cent. of the compensa-
tion provided.
The secretary of the treasury is directed
to contract with any citizen or citizens of
the United States, including corporations
created under laws Of the United States or
any State. who shall. within five years
after the passage of the act. apply for its
benefits, the person or persons so applying
being required to give bend 10 the United
States in a penal sum equal 10 ten per
gross ton of the vessel or vessels to be
built pursuant to such bond, with security
that they will. within five years next after
giving such bond. make ready for service
and register for foreign trade one or more
of the vessels described in the act. Any
vessel to be entitled to receive the benefits
OF the act must classify as /.
DECREASE IN BOUNTIES.
1t is further provided that any vessel
launched after Jan. /. 1900, shall receive
the compensation provided for the first ten
years under the contract concerning such
vessel. and that for the ten years follow
ing the amount TO be paid shall be de-
creased for each year below the year next
preceding by per cent 1t Is further pro-
vided that no vessel shall be entitled TO
compensation unless at least one-fourth of
her crew shall be citizens OF the United
States. or have declared their intention TO