The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-19
THE FIGHT ON subsidies
Republican Programme in the Com
ing Session of Congress.
ship Subsidy MN, Ii Is said, VIII
Provoke stubborn COntest-The
Measure Not satisfactory to Ma
JorIty of the Members of the
Committee on Merchant Marine.


Politicians in Washington appear to
agree that the Republican legislative Fro
gramme calls for the passage of four i'm
portant measures exclusive of the regu-
lar appropriation bills at the approaching
session of Congress. These are the 18th
mian Canal bill, the Army Reorganization
bill, the Ship Subsidy bill, and the bill
providing for revision OF the War Reve-
nue. act.
It is quite likely. it is said, that the
most stubborn contest viii be upon the
Subsidy bill, for this measure. even IS
amended, does not meet the views of ali
the Republican members of the House
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fish
cries. from which committee the bill was
reported at the last session.
The amendments TO this bill, which
were prepared by Mr. Grosvenor, provide
for an increase Of the tonnage limit from
1900 to 900 tons Subsidies are provided
for ships of eleven knots at four-tenths
Of a cent; twelve knots, six-tenths Of
cent, and thirteen knots, at eight-tenthS
OF q cent per gross ton, per hundred nau-
tical miles sailed.
In a statement accompanying the bill.
Mr.. GrosyeRor said: The reason for
these two amendments Is that after con-
sidering the evidence given at the hear
ings. il seems desirable to make provis-
ions for speed compensation TO the extent
stated for vessels of eleven, twelve, and
thirteen knots speed, and at the same
time to increase the size requirements CT
the vessels which are to receive speed
compensation Both these changes are
,F e-c-r.He II NM
crate speed and large cargo capacity,
which are specially relied upon to convey
our products across the Pacific TO the new
markets in the Orient
The next class is raised from 5000 tons
and over to 1900 tons and over, with
speed of seventeen knots to nineteen
knots, and the next class from 5000 tons
and over to 10 coo tons and over. with
speed of twenty and twenty-one knots and
over.
1t is provided that of the 100000 an
nuaIy available for subsidies not more
than 81, 900, Goo shall be paid TO vessels OF
over twenty knots
Sections are inserted to prohibit ships
engaged in coasting trade from receiving
compensation under the act. One OF these
includes in the prohibition class: a yes
sci on voyage carrying any passengers
or cargo destined for any port or any
States from any port on the Atlantic Or
Gulf Coast Of the United States TO any
port OF place on the Isthmus Of Darien or
any port or place in Central America or
Mexico, and a vessel on q voyage carrying
an. passengers or cargo destined for any
port OF place on the Atlantic or Gulf
Coast of the United States from any port
on the Pacific Coast of the United States
TO any port or place on The Isthmu5 Of
~
America or Mexico.
One OF the amendments provides that
all steam vessels under contract pursuant
TO this act shall be visited and classified
from time to time under the direction Of
the Secretary OF the Navy. with view to
their possible Use by the United States as
auxiliary cruisers or transports. or for
other purposes, in time of war, or ether
public necessity; and the owner Of any
such steam vessel as shall be SO classified
as an auxiliary cruiser shall bind himself
TO so strengthen the deck of said vessel,
consistently with her use for commercial
purposes, as to make said deck strong
enough TO carry suitable guns: Provided,
That d vessel which shall have already
been constructed in accordance with the
regulations applying to auxiliary cruisers
shall be deemed to hare fully complied
with the provisions Of this section
Section Il which Is an amendment
provides that vessel receiving com
pensation under this act shall not be sold
to any foreign subject, citizen, company,
or country, or transferred to any foreign
flag, without the written permission of
the Secretary of the Treasury
Three of the majority OF the Commit
tee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries de-
clared in the closing days OF the last ses-
SIGN that they would not vote for the
hill in c nTaCp7T shane and At T1a
er time would seek to eugreft upon it
amendments which would radically alter
it
Representative Minor favor5 a reduc-
ton of the period of subsidy for each ship
from twenty to ten years, the payments
20 be either graded or uniform for that
term His objections to making the Pc
Rod twenty years are that il would be Of
too great advantage TO existing lines, be
cause vessels which were built later
would receive payments only for frac-
tiOnaI portions OF the twenty years This
he contends would work to the disad-
vantage of the very object sought by the
bill, namely. the building of new vessels
Therefore, he proposes that the payments
for each vessel shall continue for ten
years, regardless Of the date of starting
Another vital objection by Mr. Minor to
the twenty-year term is that the life of
vessel is approximately the same period,
and IN the latter part OF the term, when
the ship had naturally deteTierated IN
value and safety, would receive the same
bounty as a new up-to-date. or, perhaps
as the amount of bounty is limited by
receiving II would bar the new ships
from bounty altogether. BY limiting the
twenty-year period for any one ship to
ten years, Mr. MinUor thinks the bill
would accomplish the object fer which it
was intended, the stimulation Of amer
lean shipping
What is known as the antitrust amend
ment to the bill viii be vigorously op-
posed because Of the excess OF authority
which it is claimed would be vested in
the Secretary of the Treasury.
This amendment, which is section d
Of the bill, provides:
THAT upon complaint made upon the
Stops the Cough
and Works on the Cold.