The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-19
THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
Republicans May Not Try TO Force
lis Passage by Congress.
A Deadlock in the House Committee
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Grosyenor Democrats May Draft
"a Substitute - other Suggestions.

The prophecy is made at the Capitol
that the Ship Subsidy bin viii fail Of
passage at this session. Early in the
present Congress it was said on high au-
thority that this bill would be made a
caucus measure by the Republicans. and
that II would probably be put upon its
passage directly after the disposition OF
the Currency bill. The weight of opinion
now appears to be that no determined eff
fort will be made by the Republicans to
force the bill through Congress until az
ter the Presidential election has been
held. The feeling seems to grow that the
Currency bill. the Hay Pauncefote Treaty,
and the Porto Rican tariff bill will be
enough for the Republican party to as
sumo responsibility for just now.
"0ne would think said a Republican
leader to a Times reporter yesterday,
that the Republicans are running this
Congress mainly TO furnish campaign ma
terial for the Democrats. The effect ot
all this VIII be that our party will have
TO fight the next campaign on defensive
lines, and this l consider disadN antage
in politics. A party to win, ousht not
to have too much to explain. ] think the
Subsidy bill and the reciprocity treaties
should be sidetracked.'
In the House Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries there is a dead
lock on the Subsidy bill. Representatives
Minor, Stevens. Jones. and Fordney. Re-
publicans. refuse to support the bill in
its present form. and the amendments
which they propose are not acceptable TO
Chairman Grosvenor and the other MEM
bers of the committee. The committee
will hold a meeting today, and should Mr..
Grosvenor and the advocates Of the pres
ent bill reject the amendments desired by
the four members named they will draft
new bill and introduce II in the House.
The bill which Representatives Minor.
Jones, Stevens. and Fordney would intro
duce will not be acceptable to the ship
ping interests of the Atlantic. but will be
TO the Pacific interests. and will be sup
ported by Western Republicans. This
Republican seism will be taken advantage
of by the Democrats. The Democratic
members OF the committee, under the
leadership of Mr.. Fitzgerald of Massa-
chusetts. will draft substitute, ia which
some of the salient features OF the
Hanna Payne bill will be ignored.
A potent objection to the bill in ques-
tion. 1t is said. is that It would discrimi-
nate against freight-carrying ships and
in favor OF speedy passenger ships. 1t is
alleged that a premium is put upon speed
rather than upon the carriage OF freight
Representative Minor. in an interview,
said: III is impossible for the Republican
majority of the committee to agree on the
present bill, and az we believe that fair
and just ship subsidy should be passed by
this Congress, a new measure should be
presented that will at least stand some
chance Of passage.
Representative DAILY. a Democratic MEM
Der Of the committee, said: While the
Democrats of the committee are willing
TO vote for an all-afourd equitable subsidy
that will encourage and foster our mer-
chant marine. L do not think we will ever
be willing to enter into a compromise with
the Republicans on any measure they can
suggest
The Senate Committee on Commerce Is
awaiting a report from a subcommittee
which has been engaged in going over the
bill with a view TO making necessary
amendments. The informal discussion of
the shipping question during the past two
weeks has disclosed important differences
OF opinion among Senators and Members.
These differences do not go 20 the merits
OF the entire subject of aid to American
OF the bill Yet the differences are OF a
radical type. and unless reconciled the bill
viii fail of passage.
The friends of shipping interests on the
Pacific have complained because. as they
slege, the present bill was framed with
a view to the conditions existing in the
foreign Carrying trade OF the Atlantic, and
does not take into consideration the long
trips of the Pacific trade, and the cargo
carriers of the Oriental commerce. An
effort has been made by the friends of
the bill to meet the Western men on these
grounds. and a number Of concession have
been made. notably in the proposed re-
duction of the classes of vessels that are
to obtain speed premiums and bounties
under the measure. The Senate commit
tee has also practically agreed upon an
amendment intended 10 limit the total
amount OF payments each year to the
fast vessels of the foreign carrying trade,
sgd the limitation has been fixed tenta-
lively at s2.ooo,cco year TO ships of the
higher speed classes.
The object OF this limitation Is to meet
the objection raised that under the bill
the greater amount OF the annual subsidy
payments viii go to existing fast vessels,
leaving practically nothing for the SLOW
cargo-carriers. and the tramp ships, or for
new vessels. the building of which is
sought TO he encouraged by the subsidy
policy.
These concessions arc not sufficient to
satisfy the Western men. The point is
made, based upon tabulations covering
many ships now engaged in our foreign
carrying trade. that the gross amounts OF
subsidies which may be paid to each vessel
during a ten-year period would be suffi-
cient to replace such ship. or. In other
words, amount 10 the total original cost
Of the vessel. 1t is suggested that the an
nuai subsidy payment te each vessel be d.
mfnished year by year. or that it stop. at
the end OF ten years, after running at the
full rate. The point is made that under
the policy OF the bill a large number OF
very old ships will be carried under the
subsidy policy, and contracts will be enter
ed into to pay subsidies to such ships for a
twenty-year period, thus failing In ma
terlai degree TO encourage the building of
new ships. which is one OF the avowed
chief objects OF the proposed Legislation.
The claim is made by some OF the sup
porters OF these changes that the natural
life OF a ship is twenty years, and that be-
fore the expiration OF that time the vessel
should be transferred TO the non subsidy
earning class assuming also that encour-
agement by subsidies during a greater
part of that period would enable such ships
10 have established prosperous line OF
business in the ocean carrying trade.
rrrE poRT0 pICAN TaRTEF