Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-12
HEARING on THE FRYE BILL.
Judge Edmunds Addresses the Sem
ate Commerce Committee.

The Senate committee on commerce to-
day began hearings on Senator Frye's bill
to promote the commerce and increase the
foreign trade of the United States and to
provide auxiliary cruisers, transports and
seamen for government use when neces-
sary-the measure popularity known as the
subsidy BILL
Besides the members of the committee
among those present at the hearing were
Thomas Clyde, Colonel E. P. Wilson, Gin
cinnati Theodore A. Search, president of
the National Manufacturers Association;
A. r. Smith, secretary of the New York
state commerce commission; II. p. Booth
president of the New York and Cuba Mail
steamship Company; c. A. Griscom, presi-
dent of the International Navigation Com
pany: Aaron Vanderbilt secretary of the
American Shipping League; former Sena-
tor George f. Edmunds and Eugene T.
Chamberlain, commissioner of navigati ton
Of the Treasury Department.
Senator Frye chairman of the commerce
committee, presided, and made a general
statement of the efforts which have been
made during the past few years to ad-
vance the interests Of the American mer-
chant marine.
At the conclusion of the chairman's state
ment he called upon Mr.. Edmunds, who Is
attorney of the committee of those inter-
eSted in the shipping interests of the coun-
try, to make an explanation of the pending
bill.
Objects of the Bill.
Mr.. Ednunds said one of the objects of
the measure was to place vessels of Ameri-
can register upon equal footing with for
oign-built vessels in the trade with Cuba
Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines.
The compensation to be paid American ves-
sells amounted to no more than that, as
Americans never asked for anything more
than fair play.
In referring to the Philippines he said
that as an anti-expansionist he was bound
| To recognize the facts they existed. The
United States had expanded and it was
| necessary to regulate our business affairs
accordingly.
Another object was to provide for fast
vessels of large capacity, not only that
they should be able tc carry great cargoes
to ports Of destination quickly, but that
they should be vessels like the New York
and Paris, capable of being changed quick
ly into defenders of the country and its
interests.
This. too, IN anti-expansionist. he rec
ognized as necessary for the protection
not only Of our commerce, but also of our
dominions. He would not hesitate, he said,
to put s20,00O000 or $4,000, 900 into a plan
to accomplish the ends the bill had in view,
so that our merchant vessels might go to
any port where commerce was to be had
and be strong enough. with their associ-
ates of the navy, to remain there and get
their share of the trade.
MI EdinuiluS explained IN detafl the OBJ
ject of each section Of the bill, his state
| ment being merely elaboration of the
ideas set out in the measure.
long discussion was precipitated by an
inquiry of Senator Martin as to why it was
provided by the bill that so per cent of a
ship applying for registry and the subsidy
should be owned by Americans.
Mr.. Edmunds regarded the provision as
necessary TO insure practical American
ownership and control. 1t would be more
difficult for the foreign stockholders to ac-
quire control of the vessel If the American
stockholders held SO per cent than if they
held only 81 per cent.
In this connection Chairman Frye said it
was the principle of the bill to bring under
the United States flag American- owned
ships, manned by Americans, which had
| been compelled by financial considerations
! 10 sail under foreign flag. The vessels
| under the American flag will be able sue
| cessfully to compete with foreign ships only
| because of the subsidy provided for in the
pending bill.