New-York tribune., 1900-05-12
DEMOCRATS IA TOR SUBSIDIES
VIEWS OF REPRESENTATIVE CHANLER,
SMALL. AND RANSDELL ON THE
PAYNE HANNA SHIPPING BILL.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.


PAYNE-HANNA SHIPPING BILL.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
Washington. May 11.-Of the seven minority
members Of the House Committee Merchant
Marine and Fisheries three have Just united in a
report on the Payne-Hanna Shipping Subsidy bill
which though 1t opposes certain features of that
measure. gives cordial assent TO the general prn-
ciple of subsidy grants means of stimulating
the growth Of domestic shipping The three Demo-
Gratis who have thus put themselves on record as
favoring the development through Government aid
of American ocean steamship lines are Messrs.
Chanler. of New-York Small of North Carolina
and Ransdell. of Louisiana. Mr.. Chanler, whose
interest In the problem of ocean transportatio is
both keen and comprehensive. has written the re-
port for that section of the minority which is will
ing TO rise above the demagOgic clamor raised
by most Democratic leaders in and out of Congress
against the stimulation of American commerce
through moderate system of subsidies. The New
York Congressman declares at the outset that the
Payne-Hanna bill is designed to serve a po-
lical purpose and ii has not. therefore. been
considered from partisan point of view. Indeed,
he and his associates are inclined to commend
broadly all legislation designed Ito increase our
exports and build up depleted merchant marine
as worthy the serious. painstaking and patri
otc consideration OF every citizen" The report is
in part follows:
No maritime nation ever enjoyed substantial and
civilization among the nations of the world which
did not send its own ships across the seas laden
only Increase our foreign trade. but the vessels
which are the carriers OF that trade must be built
seamen There are some persons who say that the
it IS nmateriai whether our commerce is Carried
in foreign or Amercan bottoms. provided the rate
equanlmity upon the decadence in the efficiency and
Who are wns ha our are
Power shall continue to be in condition of un-
TO be blind to the Importance of merchant marine
@ h se ma may 6e wt se
auxiliaries of our vessels of war. There. those
as to comprise only the needs of to-day and to
whom WI % the ag Ia upon the ship carries no sgnicanse
sfoTd of tb do otherwise than m9mze the mportanee
With unfrendy criticism @ s'''u' content themselves
The The fact that exports have grown from a
1899 in the face of the continued proportionate de-
Why aY the gToW RH o or 2
ports to continue. II our exports have grown
foreign ships. how much greater would have been
me h growth If II we had been our own carriers
be engaged in transporting our foreign commerce
our exporters in seeking new markets and new
buyers for our products. and would afford
trade Such condition would g give Stability u to
W wGu Nson and to Gnr on ne
immense annual tribute which we are paving to
merce estimated to amount more than 100000 900
and ana thereby annually Increasing our National
consideration the benefits which would accrue by
own materials in the construction of same.
FREE SHIPS OUT OF THE QUESTION.
Referring to the remedy of free ships proposed
by the other Democrats the committee Mr.
Chanler and his associates say:
Another remedy which has been proposed is the
which denies to d built Hur vdsc ws
registry. 1t has been contended for years by many
smps In any market and have them admitted to
useless to discuss the ppactca res Tegard o ii it las as
down the arguments that have been advanced upon
enact such egisaton The Democrat d 0q wodid id
had the power to do So nor will it do so at any
publican party would decline to adopt this remedy
} Sncn a law & would be recognized as an irreparabe
and would result in the encourag cement of foreign
labor at the expense of the American workman
Though opposed to class legislation of any kind
the sgners of the report declare that they feel
constrained to make exception in this particular
instance II the bill could be framed so as to oper
ate solely in the interests OF our commerce and
result in an increase of ships and our sea-
men, and provide auxiliary means of defence
in time of war" They also say that 'conceding
the necessity for some legislation as a solution
or the problem. not able suggest as
practicable or feasible any other general plan for
the upbuding of our merchant marine than some
method OF governmental aid.'
The following notifications of the Payne-Hanna
bill are suggested in the report:
First-That the denial of the full payment OF tho
compensation proposed in clause A of Section l OF
the bill, In the of such ships do not carry
carga outward equal to one-half their gross tom
mage, shall apply also TO clause B. and which
latter is the speed compensation clause :
Second-That the bill should provide that during
the first four of the bills operation TWENTY
five per cent of the and all its officers should
be American citizens that during the succeeding
three years one-third should be American citizens
and that during the remaining period least one
half OF the crew should be American citizens and
that the licensed officers who must be American
citizens. shall not be included in the term crew for
the purposes of the act.
Third-rhat the trust amendment. which provides
for the withdrawal of the compensation from such
ship owners combine In trust, ETC. shall be
enforced by the instead of the Secretary of
the Treasury. as the bill now provides.
An additional amendment provides that subsidies
shall not be paid on voyages made between ports
OF the United States and those OF Hawaii or Porto