The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-14

the high seas and to float our flag wher
1t should lie. am proud to be here Il
speak for such high object. l am pleas
ed to dwell on this great question whicl
| appeals more strongly to the American
| people than any other measure. If til,
people of this country are willing to stud,
| this matter from the standpoint of mu
| tual benefit they will see what a grea
thing ii is. 1t will give US prestige an,
| power both in peace and in war. Their
is too much politics and sectionalisn
| mixed in the matter in the minds of thu
| people,
Mr.. Hnnnn Excited.
Here Mr.. Hanna became excited and
smote his desk resounding blows.
rs it any wonder that no intelligent
man will today invest his money in for
| eisn trade?. No, If my facts are no,
convincing. l can offer no better This is
| a simple business question affecting the in
| vestmont OF capital. Still, there is another
element which should appeal to patriot
| ism and pride. But the business must
| come first.
The nations of the world would have
been fighting for our trade and have been
! literally subsidizing all kinds of vessels
to get them into our ports. This was done
that there would be no temptation for
Americans to invest in shipping. Every
time a measure looking to the develop
ment of our merchant marine is brought
before Congress, the agents of the fol eign
lipes are here to defeat the measure.
Il do not propose to run away from
the slander which has been brought
against me in this matter. l will dodge
no issue. for my motives are of the high
est and best. Several years ago we passed
a Subsidy bill which was considered fair
In the House the bill was cut down and
became useless. Now there has always
been a pride in seeing the American flag
at the masthead of vessels in our harbors,
yet this, | say, it is unfair to say that the
men who have been building up the mer-
chant marine all their lives should re-
ceive no encouragement from Congress.
There are millions of people In the
United States who favor this bill, but have
had their minds poisoned by statements in
the daily rewspapers-cowardly state
ments-irresponsible statements-state-
ments which cannot be proven-as to the
motives of men who are in favor Of the
bill.
Now the Senator from Georgia (Mr
Clay) said that the American Line would
receive 100000 in profits for each vessel
per year.
II said nothing of the kind" said Mr..
Clay.
Well, then. you said that the subsidy
would be that much" reioined Mr.. Hanna.
DO You challenge the statement made
by the Senator from Georgian asked Mr..
Vest.
Il do replied Mr.. Hanna.
Then you tell us what the st. Louis
would earn in the twenty years under this
BILL said Mr.. Vest.
Il don't believe that she could earn
SeSn in, S,th
said Mr.. Hanna
''Mr. Clyde whom the Senator quotes
as an authority, said himself at the hear
ing that the exact figures would be S3O4.-
eSs per year as subsidy for each vessel"
said Mr. Clay.
Depends on His Own Figures.
Il am not hearing Mr. Clyde's figures,
am hearing my own" snapped Mr.. Hanna.
The Commissioner of Navigation has
figured this out" said Mr.. Vest. land oddly
enough his figures are exactly S30i, ,2S9 per
year.
Il don't want his figures" interrupted
Mr. Hanna. Il have figured this out my
self. No matter. The American Line would
not get as much as the British pay their
lines. There is no profit to this line and
never will be until the subsidy is given"
DO I understand the Senator to say
that the American Line would not get as
much as the subsidy paid by the British
to their l!nes?" asked Mr., Lindsay.
Il did," replied Mr.. Hanna.
Then with higher wages and greater
cost to the American Line. of what use
would the subsidy be as far as competition
WENT" asked Mr.. Lindsay.
1 don't want to get TO that yet" Mr.. |
Hanna answered 81 will try and en-
Tighten the Senator later Now my only |
idea in wanting this bill passed is to in !
crease the shipbuilding of the country II |
we are too fearsome to pay subsidy we !
have no business on the high seas. Dur |
ing the Spanish war the people on the |
coast were terrorized until they learned |
that the four vessels of the American Line |
were on guard There was no more fear |
it was confidence and safety. That was |
worth more than all the subsidy in this |
bill If you would get the prejudice out |
of your heads you would listen to the de-
mands of the people and go behind the
agents Of the foreign lines
Mr.. Vest asked if the transports and !
supply ships used by the War Department /
and navy would be classed as "auxilia-
ries to the naval power" and receive a |
subsidy. rs there anything to prevent
these vessels from drawing subsidy be-
sides the pay from the Government" he
asked
Il don't so understand said Mr.. Han
M.
Then change the language of tie BILL"
said Mr. Vest.
Il have noticed many newspaper criti-
cisms which say that this bill is in the |
interest of certain lines and people, said |
Mr.. Hanna. Il deny this. and ieny it !
absolutely. l speak for myself and the
and i deny it. We are enti-
tied to as much credit for honesty of pur-
pose as the people who criticise the meas
ure.
I'VE are talking of building the .iicara-
qua Canal Now, this Subsidy bill is of
as much Importance as the canal measure
They go hand in hand. OF what use will
the canal be without American vessels to
use IL? It would be suicide to construct it
unless we passed this bill and created some
vessels TO use the waterway. The rejec-
ten of this bill would make the canal
practically useless and all men know it."
MIR. Hanna then took Up the matter of
he increased employment to be given by
he passage of the bill Mr.. Hanna closed
with 4 mighty sweep of his arms and the
Il have done all I can. I
cave the verdict in your hands" When
Mr.. Hanna concluded the Senate immedi-
,teiy went into executive session.
THE SENATE ROUTINE.
inn Taken fa H.p