The Portland daily press., 1900-12-05

A1-Ha
Of William A. Clark and Martin Magin.
mis-, appointed Ssnatots from Montana to
the committee on privileges and elections
was called mp by Mr.. Carter OF Mon
tana. Aftsr some discussion the matter
went over until tomorrow.
When the unfinished business-known
as the Spooner Philippine bill--was laid
before the Senate at 2 o clock, MIR. Frye
having previously yielded the gavei to
senator Gallinger, moved that the senate
proceed to the consideration Of the bill
ITO promots the commerce and increase
the foreign trade Of the United States. !"
and to provide auxiliary cruisers, trans
ports and ssamen for government uss
when necessary" better known as the
ship subsidy bill. The effe,t OF the mo-
tion was to make the subsidy measure
the unfinished business.
Mr.. Jones OF Arkansas demanded the
yeas and nays upon the motion. 1t pre-.
vailed ~ to 20, az follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Aldriah, Allison, Baker,
Bard, Beveridge, Carer, Clarke, Cullom.
Dolliver, Elkins. Foraker, Foster, Frye.
Gallinger, Hale, Hanna, Hansbrough,
Hawley, Hoar. Kean, Lodge, MoComas,
McCumber, Mcmillan, Mason, Nelson,
Penrose, Perkins, Platt OF Connecticut,
platt If New York. Quarles, Scott, Sew.
all, Shoup, Stewart, Thurston, wetmore.
Wolcott .-88.
Nays-Messrs. Bacon, Berry, Butler,
Clay, Cockreil, Culbersou, Harris, Heit-
field, Jones OF Arkansas, Kenney, Lind
say, Morgan, Psttigrsw, Pettus, Sulli-
van, Taliafero, Teller, Tillman, Vest,
weilingson-2O.
The bill having been taken up, Mr..
Frye, In charge Of the measure and the
sponsor for 1t, addressed the Senate In
Of IL. His statement was
elaborate and at times eloquent. He has
had the subject under consideration for
years and his familiarity with 10 enabled
him to present an Interesting and valu-
able array OF facts and figures in support
of his position.
In beginning, Mr.. Frye said this great
maritime nation was placed IN position
humiliating beyond expression by the
present condition Of our merchant ma
rine. With q boundless seacoast, unpar-
alleled and unapproachable natural re-
sources, shipbuiiders the equal OF any In
the world, the greatest exports In the
world ana evsry other argument In our
favor, the United States had permitted
Its commercial rivals. to seize the path
ways OF commerce and hold them practi-
oally to the exclusion of this country.
Last year OF all the enormous exports
and imports OF the United States, only
. per cent was carried In American bot
toms. Last year, Mr.. Frye said the
United States paid to foreign nations,
Great Britain and Germany,
$500, COO day for doing carrying trade
work for this country. He could not see
how any senator or other observer could
be blind to the condition. He pointed
out that during the war with spain the
United States was forced to search the
seas over for auxiliary cruisers ana trans
ports, the only reason tor such action
being that we had sacrificed our carry-
ing ships.
"The world" Mr.. Frye declared. "has
entered upon fierce commercial war
and 1t 10 to be long and strenuous con-
fiict. Each nation is seeking the advan-
tage OF it's rivals in this conflict and is
pressing forward to gain that advantage.
Most of the foreign nations are looking
for commercial advantages In the east
Russia, France. Great Britain, Italy
and Germany -are.paying an aggregate Of
81, ,00O, 900 per year IN subsidies for the
carrying ships Of the eastern trade"
He pointed out that under present
conditions 1t costs the United States
from 40 to so per cent more, principally
in wages and food, to operate It's ships,
than 1t costs Great Britain and about 80
per cent more than 1t costs Norway and
yet the United States is forced TO COM
pete under snch a handicap with the en-
coursged and protected ships of foreign
countries. n'hat was one Of the reasons,
he said, why the United States was In
a humiliating position as TO it's merchant
marine.
None of the original committee of 25
had favored free ships and MIR. Frye said
he could see no reason why any man
should favor them. Mr.. Frye showed
how much greater was the cost of build
ing and operating ships under the Ame-
rican flag. II these expenses were not
greater, he said. there would be no ex.
cuse for the pending bill and its foun-
dation would fall,
Mr.. Frye took up that provision Of the
bill which provides the amount of sub
sidy TO he paid vessels and explained
how the payment was regulated. He
showed that by the terms of the measure
a ten-knot vessel out for Its days would
draw sl5. 600 year beyond the cost of her
coal and handling ana that the amount
of the subsidy would in percentage d.
minish with the increase of the ships
expenses.
Mr.. Clay of Georgia. asked II it were
not true that 81 knot ship would draw
under the bill 1904, 900 a year.
Mr.. Frye replied that the amount
drawn by such vessel would be about
S22. 900 in excess OF her coal consumption