Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-06-01

how much the foreign shipping lobby
| II willing % contribute 70 the Demo
cratic campaign fund II the bills ccn-
sideration Is deferred until the short
session. Postponement say the for
eign shipping lobby. means the btlps
defeat. VI 4;5 " S. l3435 VI
IA 5000 900 900 ! year business is the
stake. II Democratic threats Of MI
clustering are effective enough to In
duce Republicans to postpone the con-
alteration OF the shipping bill the
foreign shipping lobby, their free
trade allies and Democratic dupes will
each have carried their point.
| Democratic success up to this time Is
the more amazing. 40 their own dis
organization on this question ts dis
closed. It would be imagined THAT
they would be united In opposition to
the bill, II intending to make cam
paign issue Of 1t. Just the reverse Is
the case. They are about evenly
divided for and against It. This Is
shown by the two minority reports
that have been filed BY the Demo-
cratic members of the House Mer-
chant Marine and Fisheries Commit
tee. The first report fled was signed
by Messrs. William Astor Chanler, OF
New York; John H. Small, Of North
Carolina, and Joseph 3. Ransdeil, OF
Louisiana. Their report advocates
government aid and opposes free ships.
Their suggested amendments to the
| bill are not of character to seriously
minimize its effectiveness.
The other four Democratic members
Of the House Merchant Marine and
Fisheries Committee who signed the
other report, are Messrs. John f. Fltz-
gerald. of Massachusetts,; Marion De-
Vries, Of California; Thomas speight,
Of Mississippi, and VIM. D. DAILY, OF
New Jersey. Their report opposes
subsidies and in effect advocates free
ships. Their report, said to have been
written by an attorney of the foreign
steamship lines. is largely an attack
upon the only American steamship
line engaged in the transatlantic
trade.
The odium attaching to the Demo
Gratis who are fighting the battle OF
the foreign shipping lobby In Con-
gress, and who advocate the purchase
of ships built abroad, instead OF their
construction in the United States. pre-
sents them in a very sorry figure.
| They will be infinitely more busy IN
defending their own attitude on this
question than they can be In assa1l-
Ing that Of the Republicans and
large contingent Of their own party
associates. The Democratic leaders
had made desperate efforts to prevent
a public disclosure of their differences,
but the courage of nearly one-half OF
the minority made further conceal
ment of their condition Impossible
The Democratic members of the COM
mittee who advocate government aid
BY independently filing their report IN
i advance OF the submission OF the otnel
minority report, forced the signers o.
1 the latter to lamely limp last into the
public eye. TIER hopeless division
shows how utterly impossible 1t viii
be for them to make successful cam
paign issue OF the shipping question.
II Democrats attack government
aided shipping, Democrats who have
the best Of the argument may be
quoted in answer. Republican anu
milton with which to refute Demo
cratic attacks of this character need
not be used-it is furnished by the
more honest and courageous OF the
Democrats themselves.
This is situation which seems al
most providential for the united Re-
publicans. They seem to be assured
of the votes Of a large contingent
possibly one half-of the Democrats In
the House in favor Of the Ship Sub
sidy Bill, IL it is brought up for pass.
age now. Such an opportunity has not
been presented in generation, and
may never again occur so favorable.
The same situation exists In the
! Senate. The Democrats there are un'
able to prepare, much less to pre-
sent, a minority report in opposition
to the Ship Subsidy Bill. 1t Is vel
and publicly known that number o.
Democrats will speak and vote for the
bill. What the Democratic leaders de-
sire to avoid, at all hazards, Is the
effect 1t will have upon their party
followers that will surely result from
the discussion in the Senate OF the
Ship Subsidy Bill at this session, tt
4 disclose substantial contingent O
their own party associates in advo
cacy and voting for that bill. ~.
| II Republicans can be coerced, In
Inundated or cajoled into postponint
the consideration Of the Ship Subsid.
Bill at the present session, the Demo