The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-01-23
Ship Subsidy Bill Still Pend.
ing. -

Washington. Jan II The chin
subsidy bill will again become upfio
ished business in the senate on Jan
Il, just elk weeks before the end of
the session In these elk weeks the
senate must pass l3 big appropris
tioo bills. For the subsidy bill to
become q law, action by the house
will be necessary and it is doubtful
whether this can be obtained without
radical amendments Indeed, careful
investigation hes led to the assertion
that the bill, as at present drawn,
would be defeated in both the senate
and the house on q square test vote
This assertion as to the house. how.
ever, may be taken with q grain of
eslt, IS the Republicans 90 we'll un
derstand the methods of forcing their
men to vote for Legislation to which
they are really opposed
The latest plan to force the bill to
vote is the threat TO hold up the
river aud harbor bill until after the
subsidy bill has been passed. While
in q taIkstive mood today one Of the
gentlemen most prominently identi.
lied With the bill. ungusrdedly stated
that it was the purpose of his friends
to use the river and harbor bill az q
club "Yes," he said. Eve are
hearing that the Democrats of the
south. as we'll 90 few of our friends
In the north, are opposed to the
shipping bill, but wait until the river
and harbor bill reaches the senate,
and you will then see them change
their attitude. When they know
that unless Q. subsidy bill is passed
there will be no river and harbor bill
their opposition to the former will
not be so strong" AZ q matter of
fact, howiver, sny delay iu the river
and harbor bill will hurt the friends
of the subsidy bill quite az much ss
its enemies.
A more effective plan is acknowl
edged to be that of tacking the
subsidy to the river and harbor bill
Action of this class is admitted to be
altogether vicious and is absolutely
forbidden by the rules of the house
The senate, however. can do what it
plesses and If it it should adopt the
plan mentioned, the house would
have to consider it's action The
chances. however, are that the secret
Republican enemies of the project in
the senate would block such an
attempt while claiming to favor the
subsidy bill
Meanwhile. desperate efforts are
being made by Senator Hanna to Gre.
ate sentiment throughout the coun
try that will be favorable to the bill
10 this city press bureau has been
organized for the purpose of supply
Ing newspaper correspondence with
Information bearing on its progress.
Another has been mailing by the ton
literature favorisg tt, and third has
been directly in correspondence with
leading members Of business, fnan,
cial and commercial exchanges org.
ing action iu it's support
Where the money for this work
comes from is not stated Such
bureaus cost enormously, and there
ia much curiosity TO know what
disinterested citizens are financing
il. Senator Hanna, it will be remem
bered, declared recently that the
only organized body in reference to
the bill was that of the foreign steam.
ship companies, which he alleged had
raised q large sum to defeat il.
Meantime Republican newspapers
which have not yet been overawed
continue to publish dissgresable crit.
icisms of some of the provisions of
the subsidy scheme The New York
Press. for instance. quotes from q
letter written by Senator Frye to the
New York Tribune, in which the
senstor states with refreshing frank.
ness that the pending subsidy bill
"will enable the American company
to pay dividend of 81 per cent "
The Press observes that ITO figure up
q 81 per cent dividend on steamship
compsuy's capital stock and ssk
congress to appropriate. without in
vestigstion, the money to psy It, is q
form OF party begeary