Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-01-18
SHIP SUBSIDY LOBBY 81 ;]:} 7
ITS CHARACTER AND ITS METHODS
EXPOSED. ~


EXPOSED. ~ ~. ~#
Most Persfstent Lobby since P:c!no
Mail scandals-Bill Drawn by Its
Benenclaries The International
Navigation Company, Pennsylvanin
Railroad and standard Oil Compa-
nv Iuterested In Jhe Deal. ~.."
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-The Hanna
Frye-Payne ship subsidy bill has been
and still Is the most persistently and
continuously lobbled bill that has been
before congress in many years. Indeed
it is doubtful whether such lobby as
that back Of this bill has been known
of in Washington since the scandals
unfolded by the Pacific Mail steal
shocked the country.
, It is not in any sense secret that
the pending ship subsidy bill was
drawn by it's chief beneficiaries. Under
the kindness Of Senators Frye and
Kama i1eii rcnef1cent services were
called into requisition for the announc-
ed purpose of framing. a shipping bill
which was to build up the American
merchant marine. They were called
into the senatorial councils because of
their interest in shipping and shipbuild-
ing, and it is not natural to suppose
that in taking care of the subject in
general they were going to neglect
their own pockets. They helped to
draw the bill, they made it, as the
farmers would say, ''hog tight and
mule high" in protection to themselves.
and they have been on hand at Wash
1ngton early and often, If not always,
engaged in a consistent, persistent and
continuous effort to bring to legislative
fruition the results of their advisory
labors.
! Selections from this committee who
drafted the bill taken in connection
with their we'll known presence In
Washington during most Of the legisla-
tive days in which the bill has been
under consideration leave no doubt of
their purposes and of their entire ear
nestness to use all means within reach
to see these purposes accomplished.
Prominent among them are: General
Clement A. Griscom, president Of the
International Navigation company and
chairman of this committee; ex-Sena-
tor George =. Edmunds Of Vermont,
the most capable and the highest priced
lobbyist in the United States, who is
likewise leading counsel of the Inter-
national Navigation company; Charles
H. Cramp, the great Philadelphia ship
builder; c. F. Huntington, whose pow
er with congress Is fit subject for TO-
nance and whose interests since his
death are capably represented; William
P. Clyde. president, and Thomas Clyde.
! secretary, of the Clyde line; Aaron Van
derbilt, secretary of the American
| Shipping league; H. p. Booth, pres1-
dent Of the New York and Cuba Mail
Steamship company; Samuel S. Sewall
and Edwin w. Hyde, representing the
shipbuilding interests of Bath, Me-;
Alexander R. Smith, former editor OF
Seaboard and later secretary OF the
New York commerce commission, and
! Theodore c. Search, president of the
National Association Of Manufacturers.
"Al1, all honorable men," Of course,
show, ever accused OF neglecting his
own interests.
In opening the senate hearings Sena-
tor Frye, chairman of the senate COM
| merce committee, naively said: II was
| aware that to succeed in enacting any
! bill into law there must be an agree
! ment Of sentiment among the friends
| of such a measure; that it would be
hopeless to 60 into congress with these
people entirely divided as to what the
remedy should be. l then concluded
| that would take the responsibility
myself Of naming committee-neces-
! sarily of men who owned ships or
built them or ran them or were "a
miliar with the conditions Of the mer-
| chant marine and its necessities" He
then named the committee, from which
the names above taken are selected.
After enlightening the uninitiated con-
corning these gentlemen, Senator Frye
! added, II will say right here that the
committee has been indefatigable In
this business and has had innumerable
meetings in New York, Philadelphia
and Washington" The humor Of this
statement will be appreciated in pro.
portion to the knowledge which the
reader hereof has of the situation. =.
|: When the time came to exploit the
bill before the congressional committees
Of both house and senate, these gentle
men and others came to Washington
and took charge Of things. They filled
the committee rooms and controlled
the hearings. Ex-senator Edmunds
who seemed to be considered smarter
than anybody else, acted as grand
sachem. The committee ''sat at his feet
and learned" When some doubling
Thomas Of the. committee asked q
question. the chairman Of the commit:
tee-Grosvenor on the house side and