New-York tribune., 1901-03-07
SUBSIDY BILL NOT DEAD.
SENATOR FRYE SAYS HE WILL FIGHT
TILL THE MEASURE Is PASSED.
ERRORS AND MEASUREMENTS OF THE
OPPOSITION POINTED OUT.
Inr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

IrY TELEGRAPH TO THE TR1BUNEI
Washington. Iarch 6-Senator Frye was
asked to-day by The Tribune correspondent if
he had surrendered the Shipping bill
i certainly have not. and I never will sur
render until necessary legislation has been en-
| acted to restore our flag TO the oceans of the
world" he replied emphatically. We are mag
nif1cent in everything else, but occupy a most
| wretched and humilating position in this re-
| gard. A the Shipping bill at this ses-
! sion was prevented by deliberate hhbustering on
the part of six or eight of the opposition. II
/ began Immediately after the bill was made un-
finished business Two or three weeks were
spent in discussing the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
two three more the Army Reorganization
bill: indeed time was purposey consumed ON
every bill, including all the appropriation bllls
until within the last few days Of the SESSION
This made IL absolutely impossible 20 secure
vote. Tt did other thing somewhat un-
fortunate. While 1 had an opportunity TO open
+ the discussion the measure, and senator
Hanna to make his speech, when it became evil
dent to its friends that there a determina-
. tion to prevent any vote. they could not discuss
IL lest their use of the time might assist the
opposition. This resulted in misstatements Of
all kinds in relation to the measure going to the
country without any reply. Vituperation on
the part of those opposed took the place of argu-
ment. and bitter denunciation of statesmanlike
debate. I fully intended to close the debate
with an answer to all this, but the opportunity
was lost. As presiding officer Of the Senate
could not afford to violate its rules and make a
/ speech on the Shipping bill when other measures
under consideration.
SENATOR TURNER'S ERROR
Il would like 10 call attention to a few of the
utterly absurd propositions made against the
bill and the mistaken statements. Senator
Turner. IN a speech found by figures which he
gave that the cost Of the first year, If this bill
should become law. would be over SllOooooo,
a mistake OF at least 100000 In one state
mant Of his he named vessels aggresating over
49,. 900 tons. which he said would earn Sill
rs subsidy He admitted that he did not rnoW
. their speed or trade. He might have found the
speed in the report of the Commissioner of Navi-
cation FOR 1900. As a matter of fact, the amount
these vessels would earn, as shown by what they
did in 1899 would oe S154 $50. Senator Turner's
error was 81 .G1699S He included IN this state
ment such vessels as the Sarah, the Hanna and
the Susie, vessels Of about 200 tons each. re-
ceiving a subsidy. he claimed. of $4,000 a
year These three vessels wooden steam
boats feet 3 inches deep, drawing about three
feet of water. They from st. Michaels up
the Yukon River. and yet Senator Turner had
them making voyages from New-York TO South
ampton It must be remembered that ocean
I
1000 gross tons. He also included in that state
ment all of the vessels that run daily between
Eastport and ST. Johns, between Key West and
Havana between Puget Sound and Victoria
practically mere ferries In another place In his
speech he included the Thomas and the Mills,
giving them S5l $40 subsidy. These two boats
are steam dredges. built to carry on harbor i'm
provements in New-York, but the Senator, in
his figures proposes fer them eight round trips
=ntYs han rtrffT
These are fair samples OF many cf the state
/ rnents made and not contradicted at the time
for the reasons have given.
AS TO THE AMERICAN LINE.
! Another thing 1 am reminded Of There
! seemed 70 be a desire 70 make a somewhat
/ furious attack on our American Line between
| New-York and Southampton. 1t asserted
over and over again by several OF the speakers
that its ships perfectly useless as carriers
! of freight that the subsidy TO be paid them
was a mere present, when. as a matter OF fact
| these four ships last year carried over $4,000
900 worth of exports from the United States 10
! foreign ports exclusive OF specie and mails
Each one. as shown by the Custom House,
ried on each trip abroad Si44.0oo and over in
value OF exports. a slow cargo steamer of
/ practically the same size S any Of these
ships could carry ten thousand tons OF wheat
which would be worth about S2So00o So the
fast steamers OF the American Line actually
carried on an average last year Sl64.o0O more
in value OF exports a voyage than the slow
| steamers of the same size could possibly have
| carried had they been fully loaded, while these
/ fast steamers made an average of eleven voy-
I ages year and the slow steamers could not
make over seven The 81. Louis. one Of these
! ships would carry in a year 81 100000 worth
| of freight while a slow cargo steamer of the
same tonnage If fully loaded every voyage with
wheat could only carry Sl9GOO00 in value. In
| other words, the fast passenger steamer would
| in a year carry out OF the country nearly two
and half times much in value of exports
| the slow cargo steamer carrying wheat. 1t is
the value of exports that counts in estab
| fishing the balance Of trade for against
Another thing: Seventy-fve per cent of the
/ freight carried by these fast steamers was
| farm products, largely in concentrated form
/ like butter, cheese and other dairy products;
also fresh meats, canned fruits and meats and
! perishable fruits. The export trade in Califor
MIA fruits is largely dependent upon these fast
| steamers which alone enable them to reach
! Europe in marketable condition. While fast
| ships viii carry this class Of freight, the lower
| powered vessels must carry wheat. corn. coal,
| etc, at much lower rates. The bill encourages
the latter by larger bounties in proportion TO the
| cost OF operation.
| ar opportunity to reply to the statements made
| by the opponents of this bill and show their ut
| ter falsity. / intend TO devote a portion of my
vacation to a careful consideration of this sub
| iect and TO be prepared very early in the next
session of Congress to bring to the attention Of
! the Committee Commerce measure which
/ in my judgment viii restore our flag the
/ oceans of the world"
| HOPEFUL VIEW OF INDIAN AFFAIRS