Arizona republican., 1900-12-19
NOT CLEAR SAlLR>
Obstacles in the Way Of the
 Ship Subsidy
Probable Fate of the Hay-Paunoefote Treaty-The Plans For Enlarging the White House - Arlington Cemetery.

Washington, Dec. 13-(Special cor | respondence of The Republican.)- .)-The
 attention of congress is largely taken up with the ship subsidy bill introduc- ed during the last session. The bill is 1 receiving a great deal of adverse crit icism and there is slight prospect that it will fail of passage. It is entitled "A bill to promote the commerce and in- crease the foreign trade of the United States and to provide for the national defense" It provides for the payment
 of subsidies to ships engaged in the carrying trade and sailing under the ! American flag, to the amount of nine million dollars year for 20 years. Foreign built ships may under certain conditions be admitted to American
 registry and secure 50 per cent of the
 subsidy allowed American vessels.
 The chief objections are based on the fact that American cargoes are now | carried in foreign bottoms at the lowest
 possible freight rate, which is a good | thing for the exporters. and because the admission of block of foreign ton 1 mage controlled by limited few would | result in giving to that few the practi- | cal control of the long distance freight ! ing of our foreign commerce and be q 1 serious menace to the maintenance of 1 its present proportions and it's future . progress.
 l am surprised to find so many re- i publicans opposed to the bill. AIr. Bur i ton, of Ohio, chairman of the house . committee on rivers and harbors, is do- | ing his utmost to compass it's defeat
 Senators Pettigrew, Teller, Vest and | others in the upper house are working
 against it. I'm strongest point I have heard made against the measure is 1 that America can now builr ships as ] cheaply as Great Britain. Twenty
 years ago a subsidy, or permission to 1 buy ships abroad and run them under
 the American flag, would have been I l busin-ss-like proposition. The con-
 gress would not give us free ships, and now that we are able to build ships l ckeaply the need of a subsidy would seem go have ceased. There is likely to be some sharp talk in both houses be-
 fore this matter is disposed of. There is big lobby here to fight the meas
 ur5
 The Grout oleomargarine bill. design- ed to prevent the loose methods now permitted in placing doctored foods on
 the market has passed the house and i gone to the senate committee on agri- . culture. There is bound to be stiff i fight against it in the upper house. 1 When the bill first made it's appearance 1 there Mir. Vea- of Missouri designated
 it as a dishonest bill. That brought
 Mir. Spooner of Wisconsin to his feet
 with the declaration that it was a me
 ri 3tcTious measure. MT. Vest declared
 that it was revenue measure, in that
 it places a tax of ten ccnts on coIored
 oleOmargarine. After quite a dispute
 it was sent to the committee on agri-
 culture, where it is apt to undergo
 some hard knocks. A tremendous in
 fiuence is being brought to bear against
 it.
 A BIGGER WHITE HOUSE.
 For the last ten years there has been ! talk of enlarging the White Housa i When Harrison was president plans i were drawn under the supervision of ] Mrs. Harrison and it looked for time i as if something would be done. The | building is altogether unsuited to the use to which it is put. There is pre- ! cIous little privacy for the president or | his family in the historic mansion. | Now the subject has been revived and q model has been placed on exhibition at the White House which attracts
 much attention. It looks as if congress would soon take some action in the | matter. There is plenty of ground available for enlarging the mansion, | and enlargement would obviate the danger of some future congress tearing down the noble old building and erect | ing its stead something modern"
 After revising their canvass the re- publican managers feel confident that | 61 votes will be cast for ratification of | the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, with the | Davis amendment, or three smore than | is necessary. The only republican who. | it is said will vote against the treaty, is |
 MT. Mason of Illinois, but it is by no l means certain that his opposition will 1 go to the length of breaking with his | party and with the administration on | the frs. question of importance that | has come up in the senate this session. l
 Eight democratic senators, and possi- |
 ply ten, it is asserted, will unite with | the republicans. Senator Jones, of Ne vada, who was on the doubtful lis.. has | wired that he is favorable to the trea- ty.
 LEARNED NOTHING.