West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-02-21
SHIP SUBSIDIES.
the DIVISION OF THE spolls.
Who wiu Get the subsidy Under the
Pcndiag unlf

lie treasury, like that OF the Hanna
Frye-Paync ship subsidy bill Is
brought forward. It IS always loudly
heralded as bcnencent system OF
prizes for which all citizen. SO disposed
can engage In stimulating vompetitlon.
There il usually "nlggcr I'm the wood
pile" with such assertions, as we all
know. but II IL not often that he Is so
easily discovered as In the case of this
lmpudent measure. Accepting on their
face the figures put forth 10y the friends
OF the bin, some OF which are most pal.
pably falsllcd. the facts are that about
nine-tenths OF all full subsidies upon
existing steamships OF IL knots speed
or over would be gobbled up by Just
four concerns, which it Is well known
are those from whom the bill has cma-
mated. These are the International
Navigation company, owned by tho
pennsylvania railroad and the stand
ard on circle, which would get over
S1.l0o, 900, or with the Paris on her fun
service again about Si,5ooo00; the Pa
ellie Mall, Sl5T,o00; the Ward line TO
cuba and Mexico, $4,000. and the
American Mail company. owned by tho
principal stockholders I'm the Ward
line. whose share would be Si02, 900,
bringing up the interest of that clique
to from one-half Co one-thlrd that OF
the Standard oil crowd.
Outside OF these companies, receiving
In all about $2,000.0O0, there are nine
more whose vessels would be eligible TO
share In full subsidy, but who must be
content with n meager 5000, 900 divided
up among them. More than half even
or this sum goes 10 one concern the Pa
cific Coast company, which has already
enjoyed an exceptional amount Of gov
crnmental fnvors In connection with
transfer service TO the Philippines.
or foreign built ships which are TO
receive only onc.half subsidy the Inter.
national Navigation company is estl-
mated 10 claim only modest $3.50 600.
added Go the subsidy on It's express
steamers MS noted above. but the Stand
ard on interest in It's ownership has
quite little fleet OF vessels Of its own
which, unless excluded 10y the tank oil
amendment introduced In the senate,
VIII probably come I'm for an additional
$25o.O00, while the Atlantic Transport
company. whose affiliations have been
growing closer through PENNSYLVANIA
railroad sharoholdlngs. IL set down for
n $33i,0o0 plum IN The Pic still nnoth-
or railroad Interest the Chesapeake
and Ohio VIII have n right to demand
$4,000 on lts beats but a search out
side Of thls li,tlo family PARTY does not
reveal enough American owners 60 en-
JOY as much MI told az the smallest of
'he Interests jus, enumerated
That tllrrc may be clinngcs In the fu-
turc cannot of course be disputed. but
thege must como slowly FOR outside In.
tercsts that bad not boon laying their
plans In udgnncc az hnd tie group
which have prepared aud are backing
the bill. That these latter pont,cmcn
have not been anxious. 10 pcso a. fool
iSD virgins mas lac discovered Oh look
Ing up The position OF annlrs aa 20 ycs.
GELS now under construction In the va
rious shipyards. ON the Pacific waters
the leading Interest next 20 the Paclflc
Maitland racHcCoast companies basal
ways been that Of the Sprpckcis Jug
ar monopolists Like the Pacific Coast
companies. they have hcon cngorglng
particularly large meal of government
pap In transport service. and this may
have rendered them n little sluggish ut
getting into the pool. but they are just
putting some ness boats into operation.
from which they expect 60 draw s2i2,-
600 subsidy annually. about fifth OF
their valve something. at least. 90 keep
the wolf from the door
Ia the way Of looking 10 the future.
however no one can accuse tie Inter.
national Navigation company with he
Ing impr0yident. and we accordingly
flnd among the owners OF vessels under
construction entitled 10 subsidy they
again lead the list with about sfCs0O0
prospective benefits 20 their credit.
while the paclnc Mail are cloac on
their heels here. as they look for sl33..
600 additional when they get their new
boats curiousiy enough the Ward
people have only S1S5.OOO subsidy ca
pnclig under way. the smallest of any
or the leading c0nsplrafors. although
for requirements of trade proper wc
might expect them 10 be Ht the head.
rs number of their vessels are grow
ing old. aud theirs IL notably the most
prosperous OF all our transportation
companies. with the exception OF the
Mallory inr who are h0norably dis
tingulshcd by tbc way. On practical
absence from tho list Of subsidy benc.
fcinrics
Siill gnoibcr classification under this
inquiry ls lint of vessels building
abroad. and here we Gnd That the ublq.
uitOus international company with
$39TO0 lu sight and the Atlantic
Transport with $4,000 are the only
ones that seem 20 have improved the
shining hour. but as those two viii
have nine times as much coming TO
them from This source as MI outside
interests they arc readily secn 10 have
nObiy Kept up The average.
summarizing the situation. Il would
appear that of subsidy benefits that
can now bc calculated upon thc Inter.
national company would have about
S2.j00.O0O annually: the Ward inter.
csts. $12e000. Atlantic Transport.
Ssd.0O0: Pacific Mail. 100000: stand.
ard Oh. $250OOO. Sprockcls. 500. 900:
Pacific Coast, Sf2G.OOO: chesapeake
and Ohio. 100000 or. say. SJ.31O.OOO
among these eight concerns. while all
other possible interests IN sight 0n-
ciudlng s3S3000 to The Great Northern
railroad. which has not asked for sub.
sidy at alb. would be- able a. draw
S6730o0 only Further comment seems
unnecessary.
for spring tonic try tho fsmoos Geneva