The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-14
MR.. CLYDE'S ARGUMENT
He Urges the Passage of the Ship
Subsidy Bill.
The BountS Ncccsssr. Rccnusc of the
Heavier Operating Expenses of
pared Win Foreign Crnft-Eouid
stimulate All Branches of Trade.

The subcommittee on shipping of the
Senate Commerce Committee resumed its
hearing on the HANNAH Payne ship Subsidy
bill at i O'Clock yesterday. The frst
speaker was Thomas Clyde, Of the Clyde
Steamship Company. who resumed his ar
gument at the point where it was inter
rupted by the adjournment of the commit
tee on Friday.
Mr. Clyde began by saying that he would
attempt to answer n question that had
been previously asked by Senator Clay as
10 the relative cost of operating and main
tanning vessels sailing under the Ameri-
can and under foreign flags. He referred
10 statistics that had been furnished by
the Commissioner of Navigation to bear out
his statement that the expensesof American
vessels are much the greater and that one
of the necessities for subsidy is to make
Gp for this excess and thus TO prevent
financial considerations from inducing
owners Of American vessels to procure
foreign registration. The cost Of man
ming vessel said Mr. Clyde. is at least
"a per cent OF the total expense of her
construction. aud maintenance and a ref
erence to the rates OF wages paid TO sea-
men in this country and abroad will give
convincing proof that in this important
particular American shipping corporations
are under far the heavier expense"
Continuing on this subject Mr. Clyde
claims that the cost Of construction OF a
vessel in this country is much greater
than abroad and in fact that nearly every
item OF expense in shipping is greater
here. Referring 10 the statements that
have been made that the subsidy bin WIS
drawn up in the interest of fast vessels
MIR. Clyde offered comparisons to show
that vessel Of large carrying capacity
and SLOW rate OF travel would receive
much greater benefit from subsidies than
fast mail and passenger steamer having
less carrying capacity. He stated. fur
thcr, that vessels Of about fourteen knots
speed would be the greater benefciaries
under the act and suggested that il would
De advisable TO insert a provision 70 give
extra subsidies 10 vessels Of the regular
tramp class. which average ten or eleven
knots
Senator EllSins asked Mr. Clyde what in
ms cpiliion would he the immediata -esult
ci the passage Of the bill. receiving he
ieiiy that IL would cause gradual in
crease Of more than 1000 600 tons in
American shipping.
Would our tonnage ever equal the
S.ee0oe0 OF England?" asked Senator Ell
kins
Yes. sir" was the reply. there is no !
reascn why il should not exceed it,
Ia response 10 a suggestion that England |
mlght retaliate by Substituting her own I
shipping. Mr.. Clyde said that that would /
do her more harm than good for the iaa- |
son that it would be impossible for he
10 pay each Of her great number or ships 1
an amount equal to that paid 10 our
smaller number I
do YOU think that $4,000 O0a wear
VIII be enough to carry out the provi- /
sions OF the bill2" asked Senator Frye.
i think II would be wise TO make the /
limit a larger one. replied Mr. Clyde. !
for while ! believe with Mr.. Nixon that 1
there should be limitation. ! think hat |
Il should be made large enough 10 Kermit /
the payment Of all subsidies for the iirsi
Jew years. after which The amount required /
would gradually decrease
SeBator Elkins made the objection .a
This that he doubted If Congress would /
authorize greater expenditure.
The question was not settled bgt will /
be referred to at a later date
Mr. +. b. Thurber. OF New York. who
was the next speaker. represents the
United States Export Association ana he
began by saying that he favcrs n. uas-
sage OF the subsidy bill. not as ship
builder or ship owner but because Of
its effect on trade interests AIr Thur
Der confined his remarks TO this line Il
argument. and explained fully the .esults
thai you'd accrue to both producers and
exporters.
Theodore A. Search. President OF the
National Association Of Manufacturers. sub
nitted carefully prepared statement q |
MS views on the subject OF the bin. lie
said in part:
a commanding motive for my great ia
terest in this measure, as the head Of the
National Association of Manufacturer Is
my soil :itude for what is a very important
branch of manufacturing industry The
construction OF ships is an enormcus bust
ness. Consider for moment wltat ascen-
dcncy in respect to such an industry would
mean TO this country. First-Steady re-
munerative employment to tens Of thou
sands of persons. Second-proftable In
vesimcnt for large amounts of capital
Third--lmmense expenditures Tor supplies
and maierials-steel plates mschiuery, and
q great variety Of products OF use in the
manufacture of a ship. The demand for
Tho metals Of which modern ships are large
sy built would be reflected in the inpor-
qsHi metal industries that are now Gaming
10 De the backbone of the country The
uited States has taken fits place definitely
among the export manufacturing nations.
and its manufacturers desire that The ships
may be at hand at eyers port to take their
goods away TO other markets. The Anleri-
can ship, whose home is on this side 81 ne
Atlantic. can perform these duties better
1han the foreign ship. That foreign ships
1n the last fiscal year carried more ttan
80 per cent Of all our foreign trade by sea
1s not proof that they did not do their work
well: IL is also not proof that It might not
have been done very much better Ia our
own vessels sailing under our own Dag
I have stiil 10 speak Of another maI,r
Z llich perhaps manufacturers are IN q pO-
Giiion 20 UEcef iauj be'ter Than o:bcr peo-
gle. This T. 8 g. pee; to the influence on
1raac expansion. Aion Is implied ia the
veg eAisicrtc in foreign countries os The |
cT5c. -t1 asa1cies of American
.., 40 American iEc 10
Hamburg O. Sfaugsai f9- Instance. mus'
cG,C.- h. fkc ciiitE ard 90 tbe
various ports q cc g. Iacsa office NoIll
b. mourcd il inl. cGs trl.Ucd -T. bred