Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-01-17
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.
r is tNDeFENslsLE FROM EVERY
POINT OF VIEW.

nven the protcctionists Cannot De-
fcnd 1.-THE New York Press Wig
orousiy Opposes the Mcnsure--The
Bill Desis. ned For the Personal Gain
of Few Big shirowners.
striking feature of the pending dis
tusslon of the Hanna Frye-PayDe CUB
sidy proposals Is the extent to which
political and economic theories are rel
egated to the rear. The reason for this
is plain, however, when the bill itself
Is considered.
Politically our people are divided as
to the theory of paternallsm between
protection and free trade, and as to
| each, while its opponents may not con-
cede its propriety, on the one hand they
| are prompt to appreciate the weight of
certain considerations urged In its be-
| half and to recognize the sincerity
with which these are pressed, and ON
| the other, as to matters not involved
by their opposing theories, they are
| apt to agree on first principles. Here.
| for example, the general dlstrust of the
| legislation proposed and the growing
opposition to 1t involve no political
/
| theory.
From free trade standpoint one
could defend q hill to facilitate export
Of American products in ships owned
by American citizens by granting to
American capital that freedom to pur-
chase foreign ships which by our laws
Is given American shipbuilders and
owners to purchase foreign materials
and supplies, including labor, and from
a protectionist standpoint one could
champion measure which would try
TO attain the same end By distributing
government aid either to exporters in
inducing shipments abroad or to vessel
owners in such way as to prompt them
to carry export cargoes at lower rates.
The trouble with this BILL however Is
that on inspection it has become clear
to our citizens Of all political beliefs
that as an economic measure it Is
equally indefensible from either "free
trade" or protection" standpoint;
that our export trade our shipbuildlng
industries, our ocean carrying business,
as such, are each equally far from the
aims of the concern of the promoters
of this bill-that Is. It, is in no proper
sense even protective or other public
measure at all, but simply steal. de
Tended by hypocritica concern for in
terests which 1t is not intended to sub
serve and worthy of support only by
those whose expected share in the pro
ceeds shall be snch as to Justify the
loss, great or little, of self respect and
deadbeat the public for personal gain.
The present issue, therefore, is not
for or against any economic theory, bu'
on behalf of the taXpayng public, tha
earns its own living, against tax eatln
capitalists, to whom, for example, tht
most representative protection" news
paper OF the United States, the Repuh
llcan New York Press, thus EDITORIAL
alludes In its issue of Dec. 10, 1900:
THE SHIP SUBSIDY JoNAHs.
, The "nne gentlemen OF the American line a
| ngased in entirely Legitimate business. TIL
re carrying American mails, and they ought
2e paid 40 that they can carry them In Amerca
Deutschands and Cceancs instead OF sticking to
little, slow, old Parises and New Yorks. They
should not be let of again with the building
" st. Pauls and 81. Louses but compelled tc
the construction OF vessels which the postoffce
would select with the sole eye which II IL bound
to have to celebrity OF service. The increase OF the
mail subsidy OF 81 knot vessels when % knots Is the
4 typical speed OF the fast mailboat Of c day is
, farce, not TO call it anything harshcr. upon it.
face. But, whatever il is, let the government dea
with 1t separately upon its merits and not mud
die II up with measure designed to freight tn,
, surplus products of American "iarms, mines, for
csts and factories" which these vesselshaying nc
: cargo space for grain, coal, lumber and ocomo
tives-never carry
with this separation the bill would be without
! logical opposition In congress or the country
and we fail to see why It should lose the votes O
the many senators and representatives whom tn,
American line has been carrying to Europe anC
back every for the last ten years In antici
patton of this particular roll call, II may b
. true of our government, as Hamilton said OF III,
English, that II cannot be worked without brib
cry but there is reason why the measures anC
men which require bribery should be mixed ~
S with thoce which do not.
Just before the late Christmas vaca
tlon II was announced that arrange
meats had been made to take In" al
J recalctrant shipping interests, and Il
may therefore be expected that viii
great flourish of trumpets there viii
coon be announced amendments which
/. 1t will be claimed, will so broaden tn,
scope of the bill as to make 1t truly
popular. In view, however, of three
years experience with amendments tt
this very bill, announced In Just thi.
way, we may be entirely confden