Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-01-02
" WASHINGTON LETTER.

" AS|HlI[1NG1QN ID' ! 'DR[l
STHE CAPITAL DURING THE 6aEAT
ING SPELL CONGRESS.
Getting Ready6to Daspose Of the i-s
mad and shipping Bills---England5
and the WAITING: NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
information on shipping Bill.
WAsH1HaToN, Jan. 1.---So far as mas
tionaiN legislation is concerned, the
present or immediate population of
washington seems to be utterly In
different. Everybody seems TO have:
abandoned himself to m~errymaking
and to the enjoyment of social func-f
tons. During the week Just past
no thought of pending measures seems
to give any considerable concern to-
the press Of the city, and even the
correspondents here of the great
dailies of the country turn their
thoughts more to personal than to pub
lie matters. washington, in fact, like
all other portions Of the United States,
is given up during the closing days OF
the year to have a good time and
without worrying as to the future OF
legislation. Es$*g}# % %t
The breathing spell, however, is Civ!
ing those massed on each side of the
great measures now pending loppor.t
tunity to strengthen their lines, to re-
pair their weak spots and to get ready
to make o~,lsiaughts upon the weak
points of the opposite side. This seems
to be eminently true of the two great.
isthmian canal adyocates---the advo5
Gates De the Panama and the advocates.
of the Nicaragua routes. The manner
In which Great Britain acts uponthe
Hay-Pauncefote treaty, all seem.
agreed, will decide the fate OF canal.
legislation during the current session,
Quite e few arc beginning to believe
that the British government will defer
action until it is too late for congress-
to pass any canal constructing bill.
II J. H. FGInEtE &-$ELsESsSE %%j
Judging from the amount of space
given up Il the discussion of the de.
tails and the prospects of the. shipping
biIlS5in the press OF the country,tit is
one Of the most prominent8subjects
in the public MUD to-day. Theienemies
OF the bill have been putting forth&the
statement that the passage of the
measure will be OF ne assistance to
American shjppingga and viii in no way
Increase the&ttonnage under the Ameri-
can flag in the foreign trade The
friends of the bill have countered on
this assertion by pointing out that no
one will be permitted to- enjoy a dol
lars worth Of benefit under the bill
until he has actnallyhad built and put
into operation in our foreign trade
new constructed in American
shipyards. So, they say, IL the bill does
not increase American shipping twill
take nothing from the national treas
ury. a #E S$ "A #sf
s$ 55
THE rural press OF the country seems
to be devoting its consideration D the
bill t that feature which viii be Of
greatest benefit TO agricnlturists. The
friends OF the bill i assisting them
In this by saying that unless the#neW
American ships put into existence un-
der the bill are willing to carry d ex-
ports cheaper than they are nov car
ried theySsWiN not secure the carrying
of them and that unless they de5Garry
cargoes outward they receive no com.
Ipensation under the bill. Senator Frye
is being widely quoted is having said
In his speech in the senate that,While
1.-the bill will take nine millions year
from the treasury, it will effect q re
duction in freight rates Of fifty mil
lions year. S=s5
The opposition to the shipping bill
does not deny that it, passage would
Between American and foreign vessels
and that ocean freight rates%Would,
probably for years to$come,,sbe greatly
lowered and the general shipping in
terests Of the entire world be most Sc
riously affected. The friends O the
! bill admit tile truth of this, but they
say that the efectSWilI be to force the
adoption of economies in construction
and III operationsth that Will still yield 4
profit to- the shipoWner.. 1t Isl here
that Yankee ingenuity is expected ID
come TO the assistance of prospective
!; American shipoWners and place them.
with brand neW,#mueh more econom.
Eical ships than foreigners possess, IN 2
position to earn a profit In operation,
however fierce the competition on the
foreign ships now enjoying 80 per CEN
ST our ocean carrying. #
It seems to be generally agreed, 81
far MS this particular measure HI con
cerned, that the president will be ths
deciding factor as TO its passage.
{ he indicates, in that tactfulWay which
50 impresses our national Legislators
that he regards the passage Of IL,
shipping bill as OF vital Importance II
our national security and ouf uationa