Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-05
SENATOR FRYE.

bounties were impracticable and that in the matter of discriminating duties the United States would encounter no less than 31 different treaties. These would have to be abrogated if discriminating duties are enforced. The abrogation of these treaties would be an offense to ev- cry nation involved.
 Our relations with European countries today" said he, ''are most amicable Do you think it wise to disturb these rela- tions at this time?'
 At considerable length Mir. Frye dis cussed the origin of the pendn. bill and referred to the committee of 25 prominent Americans which had drafted the oisi nal subsidy bill. The pending measure. he explained, had been amended materially and radically by the committee on com mcrce.
 None of the original committee of 25 had favored free ships. and Mr. Frye said lie could see no reason why any man should favor them. Tn this connection he referred to the shipyards of the United States and expressed the opinion that great maritime nation like this might as well be without constitution as to be without shipyards.
 Mir Frye showed how much greater was the cost of building and operat:n. ships under the American flag. If these expenses were not greater, he said, there would be no excuse for the pending bill and it's foundation would fall. He pre- sented, therefore, an array of figures to prove that it cost not only more to con- struct American ships, but more to oper- ate them after they were built. His fig ures indicated that ships of Great Britain had an advantage of from S4.50 to s per gross ton over American ships in the cx- pense of construction and operation.
 Mir f'rye rpfprrp1 to tho line of yeScaIr run by the late John Roach from New York to Brazil. They came into compe- tition with line of Spanish ships exact ly similar in size and speed to the Amer ican ships. The Spanish vessels had a yearly advantage of S120,O0O over the American ships and could make money carrying freight at 8 per ton. while the American vessels in order to make money had to charge S1.50 per ton. Mir. Roach was forced to sell the line of vessels, and MT. Thurber and the other purchasers of k the ships eventually lost their entire in vestment.
 Mir. Frye then took up that provision of the bill which provides the amount of subsidy to he paid vessels and explained how the payment was regulated He showed that by the terms of the measure a ten knot vessel out for 1T5 days would draw S15,0OG q year beyond the cost of . her coal and handling and that the amount of the subsidy would in percent age diminish with the increase of the speed of the ship. a
 At this point, MT. Frye yielded the floor for the day. and the senate at 3:55 D. m. held a brief executive session, after which it adjourned. et
 The session of the house was brief. The real work began today with the con sideration of the army reorganization bill, which Mr. Hull, chairman of the commit tee on military affairs, reported yester- say. He explained the urgent necessity for immediate action upon this measure. saying that under the present law the .rlly must be reduced to 2I,0OO men cIi .yuy next and asked unanimous con sent for the consideration of the bill. When Nr. Sulzer of New York objected to the request, N1r. sHul introduced ] resolution for special order for the con siderat ion of the bill today, with pro .vision for vote at the end of six hours general debate.