The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-31
AGAINST THE SUBSIDY BILL.
John Dewitt Warner Opposes the
Hnnbn-Pnync Measure

! Former Representative John Dewitt
| Warner of New York yesterday appeared
before the House Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries against the ship
Subsidy bill. He claimed that under TIE
subsidy plan there would be no increase in
the competition for low freights, but that
ships could be run en- the subsidy alone.
and they would find it more profitable to
run in ballast than to tie up and wait Tor
cargo and in many cases they would
tramp around the world simply on the sub
sidy. He questioned Mr.. Gliscom's state
ment that the subsidy the American Lire
would receive would be no more than the
additional expense of maintaining their
ships under the American flag. II this was
true it was evident. he claimed. that not
a ton would be added to he American ship
ping by the construction OF new vessels.
He did not. however, believe Mir. GIis-
CONS statement. and he sought to prove
that the company would get far more than
the additional expense entailed. He
claimed that the majority OF the petitions
were fraudulent. being sent from defunct
commercial bodies and organizations of
little weight aud influence. Representa-
tive Grosvenor changed this statement,
and produced letter sent out by the Re
NiuU, CTdIBllS tue pl ttH-
gress with receiving bribes to vote for the
bill. The letter was as follows:
s. william St. New York.
December CO. 1870.
Dear Sir: Enclosed herewith are copies and ex.
tracts from some of the many recent newspaper
articles and editorials the shipping subsidy
scheme before Congress. As you will learn
from them it is the intention of the subsidy
hunters. aiied by Hanna and Mckinley, to rush
this grab through Congress, at carly date.
Lobbyists in the employ OF the prospective bene-
fciaries of this bounty have already carefully
"canyassed' Congress, which means that every
"7pprUachable' Senator and Congressman has, by
some kind OF a promise or bribe, been reasoned
with and made to see the benefits of subsidies
The subsidy lobby now at Washington is probably
the greatest in numbers, strongest financially and
politically, and most effective in every way. of
any lobby that infested our National Capital.
So confident OF quick success are these lobbyists
that there is 4 boom on in the stocks Of the
shipping companies which counting the days
until our Treasury doors will be opened 70 them.
This hundred million grab be defeated
only by prompt and active opposition on the part
OF those who oTJosed to it. We ask your
earnest cooperation from until this gigantic
steal is either made law again defeated. as
was the Hanna-Payn Subsidy bill, partly by the
aid OF former Speaker Reed. We hope that you
will make some use of the enclosed matter, and
;hat you will do what you can to expose both
the scheme and those who are promoting it. We
believe that il the corruption which it carries
with ii is exposed, and If it IS made obnoxious
as it ought TO be to the people, that many
Congressman who have obligated themselves to
vote for it will be deferred from so doing. Yours
truly BYRON ". HOLT. Secretary.
Mr.. Grosvenor asked If Warner had pre-
pared the letter. He said he had not. but
thought it represented the opinion of a
majority of the members of the club and
many others in New York and elsewhere.
Representative Fordney Of Michigan and
Wachter of Maryland expressed themselves
freely as to the tone of the letter, and Mr..
Warner closed his argument hurrediy.
+. c. Plummer, of Bath, Me; Captain
Humphreys. of the Boston Towboat Com
pany; Capt Samuel Samuel. who built ard
sailed the famous clipper ship Dread
naught. and A. Furuseth, of San Fran
cisco, also spoke briefly. the last named be-
ing opposed to the bill.