Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-13
Mr.. HANNA SPEAKS
Argues in Behalf of the Ship Subsidy
Bill
Consideration of the Tax Reduc-
ton Bill Resumed.
THE MINORITY'S ATTITUDE

Ry special order the Senate convened to-
day at IL o'clock The announced purpose
of the early convention was to enable MT.
Hanna of Ohio to address the Senate on the
ship subsidy bill before taking up the spe-
cial order of today-the further considera-
ton in executive session of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty.
Just four senators were at their desks
when President Pro Tenn. Frye called the
body to order. but in few minutes ABOUT
twenty-five members had entered the
chamber.
At the conclusion of the routine business
MIR. Hanna was recognized to speak upon
the subsidy bill. His speech was, In
sense a reply to that delivered a few days
ago by Mr. Clay (Ga.). Like Mr.. Clay, Mr..
Hanna is a member of the committee on
commerce, from which the measure now
pending was reported to the Senate
In opening his address Mr.. Hanna said
that the remarks of Mr.. Clay had brought
into que stion the motives of those VINO had
assisted in the preparation of the pending
measure As member of the maritime
committee, as well as a member or the
committee on commerce, Mr. Hanna said he
felt it his right and duty to explain the
work of those committees.
For myself" he declared, Il resent the
those of interest in our country and good
public policy actuated the committees"
Mr. Clay interrupted Mr. Hanna to dis
claim any such imputation.
Rise of Lake Shipping.
Taking up the bill, Mr.. Hanna said the
pending measure believed to be the
most practical legislation that could be en-
acted upon the subject He then sketched
rapidly the rise of the shipping industry
he JoGa He ba1 he hpan
connected with that industry for nearly
forty years. and had seen 1t grow from a
comparatively insignificant beginning to Its
present condition of unparalleled greatness.
He recalled the time, nearly a third of
century ago, when the ship Escanaba car
Red GOO tons of iron ore from Escanaba to
Cleveland. Today, he said. there were
steamers on the great lakes which were
carrying 5000 gross tons in one cargo.
He maintained that this great shipping
industry the lakes had been fostered
and protected by salutary and wise naviga-
ton laws To the advantage of these laws
were added the liberal approprat atoms made
by Congress for the improvement of the
harbors of the great lakes.
Mr.. Hanna maintained that in order to
build up the American merchant marine it
was necessary not only to have capital and
experience. but Ito afford our foreign car
rying trade protection-some kind of in
ducement-by law" If this protection
should be afforded. said Mr.. Hanna, the
growth of the American merchant marine
shipping industry on the great lakes.
Decadence of Merchant Marine.
Discussing the rise and fall of the Amer
lean merchant marine Mr.. Hanna declared
. that the beginning of the decline in the in
dustry was coincident with the outbreak of
the civil war
MI Vest tMo) Interrupted the Ohio SEN
ator to challenge his statement that the
civil war caused the decline of shipping.
He declared the decline had begun as far
back 1855
In response to Mr.. Vests challenge Mr.
Hanna reviewed the history Of the Amer
lean merchant marine from the establish
ment of the nation until the present time
He maintained that the decadence In Amer
lean shipping had begun in 1850 and not in
1872 as the Missouri senator had asserted.
He declared that, in the circumstances
there was not today question so import
ant to the maritime nations of the old
world as the prevention of American COM
petition on the high seas.
This marine industry Mr. Hanna said
is promotive of our national prosperity,
and at the same time is one of the bull
warks Of our national defense. The for
eign commerce of the United States is four
times larger today than it was in 1860 and
yet the proportion of the foreign-carrying
trade is row less than one-third what it
was in 1860. This is a most humiliatine
decline in great national industry"
After paying high tribute to Senator
Frye for the work he had done during his
public career in the interest of American
shipping, Mr.. Hanna said Of the pending
subject: There is popular question
which appeals strongly to the American
people as does this one of building up the
sea power Of the nation. 1t is a simple
question of business as affecting the in
vestment Of capital although there is a
phase of 1t that appeals to the patriotism
of the American people,
Adverting to the amount of the subsidy
which would be drawn by the vessels of
the American International Navigation
Company, Mr.. Hanna said he did not pro-
pose TO evade any of the ISLANDERS or cal
luminous assertions of anybody In connec-
ton with this matter.
No Profits to American Line.
He declared that the four ships of the
American line, which are carriers of mail,
had not made net dollar since they came
under the American flag.
Mr.. Hanna challenged the assertion of
Mr.. Clay that each of the fast vessels of
the American Line would draw 1901, $50 an
nually from the proposed subsidy.
Mr.. Clay directed the Ohio senator's at
tention to the testimony of Mr.. Clyde. a
steamship owner. before the commerce
committee. in the course of which he stated
the American Line vessels would receive
that amount of subsidy.
II am not using Mr.. Clyde's figures" re-
piled Mr.. Hanna, but my own
Thereupon Mr.. Vest called attention to
the fact that Mr.. Chamberlain, the COM
missioner Of navigation, and one Of the
strongest advocates of the pending meas
ure. also had said the American Line YES
sells would receive 500, $50 annually from
the subsidy.
After asserting that his figures showed
that the American Line vessels would re-
ceve less than 100000 a year each Mr.
Hanna declared that with the subsidy the
vessels of that line would not earn as much
as was earned by the vessels of the Cunard
and White Star lines under the mail SUBJ
sides received from Great Britain
There IS no profit in that line" declared
Hanna ,.-tlI
profit under present conditions"
Mr. Lindsay XIV manfred moe ,r,o