Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-05
TO ENCOURAGE SHIPPING
MIR. FRYE'S ARGUMENT FOR PAY
MENT OF SUBSIDIES.
Hay-Paunccfote Treaty Pushed Out of
the Way-Mr. Vests Amendment
Providing for Free Ships.

Senator FryeS speech on the subsidy bill
kept the Senate SO late yesterday after
noon that it was found impracticable to
proceed with the consideration Of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, as had been intended
Senator Lodge gave notice that he would
at the first opportunity call the treaty up
and ask the Senate to give the question
close attention until the motion for ratifi-
cation Is disposed of.
After The Stars report of the Senate pro-
ceedings was closed Mr.. Frye discussed the
origin of the pending bill and referred to
the committee Of twenty-five prominent
Americans who had drafted the original
subsidy bill. The pending measure he eN-
planned had been amended materially and
radically by the committee on commerce.
None of the orig nal committee of TWEEN
1ive had favored free ships, and Mr..
Frye said he could see no reason why any
man should favor them. In this connec-
ton he referred to the ship yards of the
United States and expressed the opinion
that great maritime nation like this might
as well be without a constitution as to be
without ship yards.
Cost of American Ships.
Mr. Frye showed how much greater was
the cost of building and operating ships
under the American flag. If these expenses
were not greater, he said, there would be
no ehCtSe lOI pSiiuiIlSo biii diiN i'' AoNii
dation would fall. He presented, therefore,
an array of figures to prove that it cost not
only more to construct American ships, but
more to operate them after they were built.
His figures indicated that ships of Great
Britain had IN advantage of from 81 80 to
So per gross ION over American ships in the
expense of construction and operation.
He related The incident cited by MIR.
Clyde of the Clyde Steamship Company be-
fore the commerce committee, OF the oper-
- r1,i,, hn
and an exactly similar vessel under the
American flag. The expense of operating
the Norwegian ship was just half that or
operating the American ship between the
same ports. Mr.. Clydes efforts to operate
the American ship at the same expense as
the Norwegian vessel failed, and that was
the experience Of every such effort
Mr.. Frye also referred 10 he une OF yes
sells run by the late John Roach from New
York to Brazil. They came into compete
ton with line of Spanish ships exactly
similar in size and speed to the American
ships The Spanish vessels had yearly
advantage of S12O00O over the Amer can
ships and could make money carrying
freight at s. per ton, while the American
vessels. in order to make money, mad TO
charge $3.50 per ton Mr.. Roach was forced
to sell the line of vessels, and Mr. Ihur-
Der and the other purchasers of the ships
eventually lost their entire investment.
Payment of Subsidies.
Mr.. Frye then took up that provision of
the bill which provides the amount of sub
sdy to be paid vessels. and explained now
the payment was regulated. He showed
that by the terms of the measure ten
knot YES sel out for 175 days would draw
SIS, 900 a year beyond the cost of her coal
and handling and that the amount Of the
subsidy would in percentage diminish with
the increase of the speed of the ship.
Mr.. Clay (Ga) asked f it were not true
that 21-knot ship would not draw under
the bill s3A.OO0 year.
Mr. Frye replied that the amount drawn
by such a vessel would be about 81. 900 in
excess of her coal consumption and hand-
ling.
But" persisted Mr.. Clay, 'is not the
gross amount of the subsidy of the 2l-knot
ship saO4O9O per year under this bill?'
Mr.. Frye admitted that it was.
II understand" said Mr.. Clay. that the
ten-knot and twelve-knot ships which carry
the agricultural products of the country
do not receive more than one-th.rd the sub
sidy of the fast passenger vessels which
carry no agricultural products.
And I was showing, responded Mr.
Frye that the low speed vessels were the
ones which received the actual benefits
from the subsidy and not the fast passen-
ger ships
At this point Mr.. Frye yielded the floor
for the day.
Senator Vests Amendment for Free
Just before the adjournment of the Senate
Senator Vest gave notice of an amendment
he will offer to the ship subsidy bill. The
amendment provides for the repeal OF such
existing laws las either prohibit or restrict
citizens of the United States from pur-
chasing ships built in other countries to be
| used in the foreign carrying trade OF the
United States which impose taxes bur-
dens or restrictions on such ships when
owned by American citizens which are not
| imposed on ships built in the United
| States "
In addition to the repeating provision the
amendment makes it lawful for all citizens
of the United States to buy ships built in
| whole or in part In any fore gn country
| and have them registered as ships OF the
| United States
| When so registered these foreign-buit
vessels are. under the terms of the amend
| ment to be entitled to all the rights and
subjected to the same regulations as those
| governing ships built in the United States
| and owned by citizens of this country.
n1f