The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-18
SENATE.

pending ship subsidy bill. This was
really his first formal speech to the
body since he became a member of it.
Since his advent into the senate, SEN
ator Hanna has devoted much time and
labor to the preparation of a ship sub
sidy bill.
A resolution was adopted directing
the appointment of three of
the senate committee on public build
ings and grounds and five of the same
committee in the house to consider the
location and cost of a hall of records
in this city.
Senator Hanna then spoke. His
speech was in the nature of a reply to
the speech of Senator Clay, of Georgia.
Senator Hanna said that the remark
of Senator Clay had brought into Gues-
ton the motives of those who had as
sisted in the preparation of the pend
ing measure. AS a member of the
maritime committee, as we'll as a MEM
Der of the committee on commerce,
Senator Hanna said he felt it his right
and duty to explain the work of those
committees.
For myself, he declared, 81 resent
the imputation that any other motives
than those of interest in our country
and good public policy actuated the
committees"
Senator Clay disclaimed any such
imputatiOn.
Senator Hanna maintained that in
order to build up the American mer-
chant marine 1T was necessary to have
not only capital and experience, but it
was necessary likewise, to afford our
foreign carrying trade protection
some kind of fundamentally law"
Senator Hanna declared that the be-
ginning of the decline in the industry
was coincident with the outbreak of
the civil war.
Senator Vest, of Missouri, challenged
this statement. He declared the de-
cline had begun as far back as 1855.
senator Hanna reviewed the history
of the merchant marine from the es-
tablisment of the nation until the pres
ent time. He maintained that the de-
cadence in American shipping had be-
gun in 1860.
This marine industry" Senator
Hanna said, lis promotive of our ma
tional prosperity and at the same time
is one of the bulWarks of our national
defense. The foreign of the
United States is four times larger to-
day than it was in 1860, and yet the
production of the foreign carrying trade
is now less than one-third what it was
in 1860. This is a most humilating de-
cline in q great national industry.
He declared that the four ships OF
the American Line, which are carriers
of mail, had not made a net dollar
since they came under the American
flag.
Senator Hanna challenged the asser-
ton of Senator Clay that each of the
fast vessels of the American Line
would draw 1904, 090 annually from the
proposed subsidy.
Senator Clay quoted Mr.. Clyde, a
steamship owner, On this point.
sGT ON, not ,,ci,o~ Mr. T1u1a'S foI1roc -
replied Senator Hanna, "but my own"
Thereupon Senator Vest called atten-
ton to the fact that Mr.. Chamberlain
the commissioner of navigation and one
of the advocates of the pend
ing measure, also had said the Amer
lean Line vessels would receive $304t-
$50 annually from the subsidy.
After asserting that his figures show
ed that the American Line vessels
would receive less than $3.50, 900 a year
each, Senator Hanna declared that
with the subsidy the vessels of that line
ed by the vessels of the Cunard and
White Star Lines. under the mail sub
sides received from Great Britain.
Senator Hanna dwelt at length upon
the ~desirability of having a large mer-
chant marine to draw upon for aux
Hilary ships in case of war.
After dwelling at length upon the
efforts of the maritime nations of Eu-
rope to prevent the investment by
Americans of capital in the un-build-
ing, of an American marine, and urg-
ing that the proposed construction OF
the Nicaragua canal was. together
with the rehabilitation of this count
try's marine power, only a part of the
great problem of transportation, Sena-
tor Hanna said hat the pending bill
would attract capital and lay the foun-
dation for a great industry.
He commanded that this onyprnnnnnt'
recent achievements had placed it in
the firing line of nations and argued
that it's citizens should not shrink from
~availing themselves of possessing their
share or more than their share of the
foreign markets. The measure, he con-
Guided, was not designed to benefit any
particular class, but to advance the
interests of. the whole country. If we
did not seize our advantages in the
Orient. other powers would and in
event of war among any of the great
maritime powers now carrying "a pei
cent. of our foreign commerce., Mr.
Hanna asserted, our interests would
be paralyzed N the situation be ru.
inouS.
At 2:O5 o'clock the senate went into
executive session and at 1925 O'Clock
adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The debate upon the war revenue
reduction bill continued in the hous
today. 1t was dull and featureless
Genera debate upon the bill will close
at 2 o'colck tomorrow and Mr.. Payne,
the floor leader of the majority, expects
the bill TO pass before adjournment.
The house today adopted a resolution
for a holiday recess from Friday. De-
cember 21st. to Thursday. January
3rd. 1901.
Mr. Mcclellan. of New York, the
first speaker. said that he regretted
that the majority had not taken ad.
vantage of the present opportunity Il
= whole scheme Of interna
taxation A correct scheme of taxa
ton would include a progressive legacy
tax and a progressive excise tax por
Certain and an indirect ta1
on distilled spirits, beer and tobacco al
a rate somewhat below the maximum
revenue raising point With uch d