The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-17
FIGHT ON SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
CAPTAIN WV. RATES OF COLORADO
OPPOSES THE MEASURE.
He Condemns II In strong Language
and Gives some inside His.
tory OF the Matter.

80 NN'tS w 'blPplnE heetuEatlon.
is bitterly opposed TO the Hanna Payne
ship subsidy bill.
captain Bates talks with great deal OF
Snoiwedge on every phase OF the subject.
ana MS denuncatlon of the proposed sub
sidy measure is bitter and vehement In
the extreme lie was always consistent
republican until, as he expressed it. "the
present administration prostituted Ameri-
canism for personal gain and rendered the
republic subservient to the will Of Great
lbritain' He Is now a democrat and will
use all his influence for tho election Of
Mr., Bryan.
In discussing the ship subsidy bill. no
said In shipping promotion what IS it
that early and successful experience
teaches us? 1t is an easy lesson Simply,
II our foreign carrying trade is mostly
monopolzied by other nations we may
with certainty regulate II by law into the
possession of our own people. In 1859,
wnen government under the Constitution
! neSan, our situation with respect to navi-
cation was bad indeed Not only our for
elsn commerce, but our domestic, enriched
me shipping OF foreign nations. What vas
done ahont III For one thing, thir.yive
years were not spent ignoring the loss
ana disgrace OF foreign dependence. ON
The contrary shipping promotion to)a root
IN the hrst general nh passed by the first
congress few hours consideration set
lied the matter OF an American marine
We were to have it. No one opposed tho
idea nor was there much debate upon the
measures enacted as occasion demanded
No lobbyists formulated. dictated or
amended the bills. Every motion adopted
advanced business proposition carry
Ing practical principles. The aim OF con-
gress was to create and maintain an Amer
lean marine for American commerce,
thereby to establish commercial ind3pead-
ence and build up sea power for National
defense The instruments we're regulations
of trade, costing not a dollar TO the peo-
Pile but bringing money into the 'ra1sury
Discriminating tonnage dues and eX1a
tariff duties on foreign ships and goods
were the means used. Nobody decrled
them nobody proposed to limit their APP
plicaton to ten or twenty years then TO
open wide our ports TO foreign vessels
again. 10 give our rivals better chance
No provisions were made In any law in
foreign interest, to check the growth or
retard the progress of American nagiga-
lion. The acts passed looked 10 continue
Nnce, permanence and futrlty The tongue
of the tcmporizer kept silence. Consp,ra-
cies for private gain did not exist Tho
National interest dominated throughout
Nobody suggested the superiority OF
treasury aid to be supplied by taxes upon
the people for the support in pauper fash
ion OF American vessels, leaving foreign
ships free to supplant them in employ
ment by the various devices In vogue with
foreign underwriters, merchants. owners
and agents; and our vessels thus thrust
Ton tr
goNsrnment--for running empty On the
contrary the employment Of our shipping
was secured by legal preference operating
against the tricks of trade or any adverse
measures short Of war itself. The right
to make preference at the custom house
was Acknowledged on all sides. 1t was
National prerogative. The principle was
sound In ethics. practical in business ana
vital in sta.esmanship. II was the virtue
In this preference that won constant EN-
ploynpent and paying freights and prestige
gained for the stars and stripes.
"Nor were tine statesmen living then
who could rise up and say there We're any
dead and accursed conventions--time-e eek
piTing treaties or what not--oinding con-
gress twhat nonsensa 10 circulate!1 TO take
an inexpedent, ineffective and unbusiness-
like and costly course. or do nothing at
all to create and maintain an Am rican
marine. No ex-senators attended in COM
mttee rooms to hoodwnk aud bias the
congressional and public mind. No hear
ings were held surcharged with state
ments to astonlsh the natives OF mountain
and plain. No clique or cabsl drew up
bills or amendments to bills for commit
tees TO wrangle over, condemn and lay
aside. Nobody made fight against the
protection OF old vessels or sought fayors
for new ones to be built 1t was not moot
ed that slow ships should accept less pro-
lection than fast ones, or chat fast ones
would quickly ongross the little protee-
tion to be given. No enc suggested that
small vessels lacked 10 rights. while large
ones had prerogativss in proportion 10
tonnage. Vessels going short voyages one
year were not excluded from bensiits No
one mads the point that an existing YES
sci one year old would havs justice done
her by ten years of protection, but that
one to bs built after the enactment Of the
law should be blessed with aid for TWEEN
ty years. No one contended that twenty
years was the lifetlma OF well bnili yes
sells, nor was It. sought TO discourage by
law the building OF vessels 10 last forty
years or more. or course, there was no
steam to clamor against sail. and no iron
nor steel 10 claim superiority over wood. /
But all vessels carrying the stars aud
stripes were placed by the promotlve sys-
tsm adopted under early policy on a basis
Of absolute equality, of justice ana inhe-
rent right. NJ
Under the sysh,m of the fathers TINS
result of the law could be secured without
friction. simply because the principle OF
the system was busnsss-like and sound I
Under the system we are about TO Try I
probably, equality, justice and inherent I
right have little or no consdsrston' klghi
is iunlbled up with wrong Only SO much
money can be paid out in compensation
or course. there is rush and grab for
il. All kinds of fraud are actually invited (
There is nothing busin;ssl like either IN /
the principles or the limitations and re-
strictions OF the bin proposed. ~ us I
operation an ARTIFICIAL bias viii be glNeh
10 American shipbuilding. Il goes without
saving that legitimate trade reasons alone
should influence the size and dimensions,
model and machinery, materials ana
mechan ism. character and duraohlly OF 1
our vessels in any and evsry Iaue' (
Statute law should keen It's hands on rom
designing and building Shipping promo
lion TO the extent OF supplying marine
sufficient for our netds. and 70 the end OF
maintainlng II forever, viii be found
our fathers determined TIA purely 0usl-
ness problem only to be SOLVED by wise
regulations OF trade. but by compensation (
never, Only by treaeherous and cowa.ily
advice or foreign intimidation, unworthy
OF moments thought. arr we fooilng
away our time and opportunity not TO 90
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