Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-19
THE SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.
Final Draft Completed Of the Important
Amendments.

Washington, March 1S.-The final
drafts of the amendments to the ship
subsidy bill agreed upon by the House
committee on merchant marine and
fisheries have been completed. one of
these amendments declares the Sher-
man antitrust law to be specifically
Applicable to the builder. owner, or
either or both of them, Of any vessel
entering into contract provided for by
this act, and any such vessel is declar-
ed to be property in the course of
transportation within the intent" of
said law.
The other two amendments designed
to further prevent combinations either
between ship owners or builders, are
in effect as follows:
Sec. 25.-That upon complaint made
to the secretary of the treasury that
two or more persons owning or con-
trolling vessels registered and entitled
to compensation under this act, which
aggregate in tonnage one-third of the
total tonnage of all vessels 50 register
ed and entitled to compensation, have
entered into contract, combination or
conspiracy to control the terminal ia
cilties for shipping in any port of the
United States. or for regulating or in
crcasing the rates for freight or pas
sengerS in trade or commerce among
the several states or with foreign ma
tiUns, or for granting any special re-
bates or privileges to shippers, or for
otherwise putting any restraint upon
trade or commerce among the several
states or with foreign nation the sec
rotary of the treasury shall fix a time
and place for hearing such charges.
If such charges are sustained, there
upon the right of the person or persons
So found violating the provisions of
this section to any compensation from
the United States under this act shall
Immediately cease.
Sec. 26-That any contract, combina-
ton or conspiracy between the persons
owning or controlling two or more
shipyards in the United States. which
have constructed, are constructing, or
are capable of constructing during any
one year, vessels aggregating in ton
mage One-third of the total tonnage of
new vessels registered and entitled to
compensation under this act. for the
purpose of limiting or controlling the
number tonnage, classes, kind or type
of vessels to be constructed therein or
for regulating in any manner the terms
or increasing the prices for construc-
ton of such vessels, is hereby declared
to be illegal; and any consolidation
absorption, sale or transfer of the
privileges, franchises or property of
such shipyards and of placing control
of the terms and conditions of such
contracts for constructing vessels there
under one management is hereby de-
cared to be illegal. Upon written COM
plant of violation of the provisions
of this section hearing may be HAD
and if the provisions Of this section
are found to have been violated the
secretary of the treasury is authorized
upon the application of the person or
persons having contracts or applica
lions for contracts for the ConStruc
ton of vessels within two years next
thereafter. to grant register pro-
Vidcd by law as vessels of the United
States to foreign built vessels to the
aggregate tonnage of the amount of
tonnage Of the vessel constructed by
the persons SO found violating the pro
visions Of this section during the year
next preceding such order Such for
eign built vessels 50 registered shall be
entitled to all the benefits and prvil-
eyes and be subject to all the cOndi-
tons and obligations applying by this
act to new vessels constructed in the
United States, except that such yes
sells shall not enter the cOaStwise or
lake trade of the United States.