Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-12-27

after Is the connecting nBk between tne
International Navigation CO., the Pennsyl-
Gana railroad, ana the Standard Oil Co.
"Will the farmers, workingmen, and
legitimate business men OF the United
states submit 10 he taxed 80, COG, 200 o
year as a gift TO aid such coterie of
Trust magnates in their
latest scheme to secure monopoly of
ocean transportation as we'll as on the
land aud on the lakes! This scheme
would leave the farmers, miners, and
at tho tender mereies OF
the new monopoly, just as the Standard
Oil Trust now controls the production
and distribution OF petroleum, where
profits are governed only by greed,
"As late as December 9Th James j.
Hill, president of the Great Northern
railroad. in speech at Chicago said
cell ing the building of beats in this
country and on the Clyde. and found
that he could have them constructed
here at much lower figure than in
Scotland.
"This bill, as described by its
authors, is "a bill to promote COM
merce, &c. The title is MISSIONER.
1t should be called IA bill to destroy
competition and create a world wide
Transportation Trust, controlled by the
millionaire monopolists Of America.
The conclusive evidence that this is
what it is intended for is contained in
the measure itself, and in the facts set
forth in House and Senate reports.
For example, the bill provides that
the 50, 600, 600 subsidy per year shall
be distributed among vessels owned
and built IN the United States, and
among such foreign built steamships as
were on the lst Of January, 1900, en- :
gagged in foreign commerce, and Owned
and contracted for by American citi.
zens or American corporations, or by
foreign corporations of which the
majority of the stock is owned by
American capitalists. This provision
is palpable act of fagoritism in the
interest of those privileged individuals
or corporations who for considerable
time prior to January LIST, 1900, had
the exclusive information that this
provision was to be inserted IN the law.
This section, together with other
features of the bill which make il
necessary for a new ship to be built
within five years in order to get the
full benefit of the subsidy, gives those
capitalists who possess inside informa-
ton 10 advance an opportunity not
only to make their contracts for for
eign. built ships previous to January
LIST, 1900, but also to make contracts
with American shipyards so as tc
monopolize the capacity of the yard
during practically the full period o.
five years. OF both these opportunities
they may have availed themselves, thu.
shutting out all other Americans from
either having their foreign built ship
registered, or getting their home bull
ships constructed in time to take ad
vantage of the benefits OF the subsidy
with this bill enacted into law. ant
contracts already made securing tt
them annually gift of $4,000, 600 o
the peoples money taken in taxes, the!
will be in position to complete tn
organization of their Ocean Shil
Trust, and to use the subsidy as
weapon to exterminate all competitors
That they will do this cannot b
reasonably doubted, when 1t is know
that the men behind the job are tn
Standard Oil officers and their asso
ciates, who have largely destroyed fire
competition in transportation, both il
the oil trade and in other industries i
the United States, through large dis
ordinations. They also heavily domi
nate the transportation franchises G
the great cities.
Farmers and all other producer
and merchants should be warned j
time of the danger which menace
them through this bill. For it will b
found that under its operation a trans
portation syndicate may have all ey
porters to foreign markets as completed
at their mercy in ocean transportatio
as the Standard Oil Co. now has III
oil producers.
"Another danger involved in tt
bill is the autocratic power which
invests in single government officer
the Secretary of the Treasury
decide questions and controversies ari
ing under Its operation, thus makiI
him judge, jury and executioner. III
far reaching effect of this power al
the other features of the proposed la
is seen in the fact that the operation
! of the ship-owEers under it will be
the nature of contracts with the go
eminent, which the bill specitical
provides cannot. bs abrogated for 10
20 years. Its supporters say that uud
{ such law ocean freights would
{ lowered, but there is nothing in t
, bill exaoting a pledge from the shi
i owners that they will reduce rats
! They claim that all its benefits will
8 TO the shippers and farmers, and not
| the vessel-owners. IL this we're trr
9 the ship owners would not be spendi
3 so much time to get the bill passed.
It 1T may be import ant to obser'
i moreover, that there is nothing in
II DILL to prevent American owners
!, stock in the corporations benefit
;. under this law from selling their sto
IS to foreigners.
!, 1.-THE defenders of the bill are v
70 orously attacking other proposed pl;
of legislation to aid American shippi,
10 1t IS not now question of other pla
,r but is this plan good or bad? ]
10 subsidy plan is not made good by
h fact that some other plan is bad. 2
s, bill affords opportunity for fraud
Of providing that vessel can draw s
g. sidy if her cargo space is cod or @
Of tracted for, even il no freight is CARR
q. 1.-THE argument that the bill wo
K aid in the export Of agricultural pr
ly ucts to the temperate zone in ASH
IN asburd, since the agricultural prodt
OF the temperate zone Of Asia
of already in competition with us in
1g worlds markets.
to "The bill discriminates against
It. sailing vessels and in favor Of stf
in vessels, against small steamers arc
er favor of large ones owned by great
g porations. 1t puts the sailing YES
r.; and smaller steamers at the mere
,r- the big monopoly, which will get
m bulk Of the susbidy, because of
nd excessive premium paid to the
on mail and passenger ships owned
nix clusiveiy by the great corporations
Ia 1T is obviously designed that OK