The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1901-04-04
The Shipping Bill Is Winning.
Friends Among Southern
Business Men.
DEMOCRATS. FAVOR SUBSIDY MEASURE.
Petitions in Behalf of the Bill from
Many Large Commercial Associa-
tions-Great Change In Public Sens
timent Has Recently Been
Wrought.
Especial correspondence.l


prove the pivotal feature OF the struggle over
the measure. During the debate on
Wednesday last news reached the capitol
that the Savannah board of trade had
unanimously adopted resolutions directing
its delegates to the coming Brunswick
Maritime conference to favor subsidies ST.
multaneously with the spread of this intelli.
gence through the capitol, it was noticed
as a singular coincidence that Senator Clay
of Georgia rose and offered amendments to
the bill, limiting the period of the subsidy
to ten years, and confining it below .
maximum of l6 knots speed. instead Of IS,
as it stands at present in the amended form
of the bill. This, however, does not neces.
sarily indicate change Of heart on the
part of Senator Clay, who has been hereto.
fore one of the strongest and most active
and uncompromising opponents of the meas
ure.
This is not the first gun from the south.
by any means. Petitions in favor of the
bill are on file from more than 20 large
and important southern associations, in.
cluding the New Orleans chamber Of com.
merce, board Of trade and produce exchange,
the Richmond chamber of commerce, the
Norfolk board of trade, the Little Rock
board of trade, the Alabama state grange,
the Tarboro board of trade, the St. Louis
merchants exchange and the Southern In
dustrial association and the Southern Cot.
ton Spinners' association. In fact, nearly
every southern state has furnished an en-
phatic Endorsement of the bill by its lead.
ing commercial bodies.
In view of this great and growing senti.
ment in their own section, it is not surpris-
ing that the solid opposition of the south.
ern senator's has begun to weaken, as it has,
very perceptibly and decidedly. At first
these senators-Messrs. Jones, Clay, Bacon
and others-declared that they would fight
the bill by every means within their power,
and disposition to filibuster was manifest
early in the week; but the news which they
have heard lately from their constituents
appears TO have altered their minds as to
the advisability of ilibustering. Their pres
ent disposition seems to be to deliver Ger.
tain number of two. hours speeches in the
negative, and then to let the republicans
90 ahead and assume the full responsibility
FOR the legislation. The alternative policy
involving fiibustering, the failure of all
other measures, and an extra session in
onsequence--would be a very serious re-
sponsibility for the democrats to shoulder,
especially if not sustained by the citizens
Of the southern states.
More than this, it has been ascertained
that the shipping bill will receive the votes
of q goodly number Of democrats-at least
six and probably seven or eight in the SEN
ale, and ten OF q dozen in the house. That
the Examination and discussion of the meas
ure have effected great change in public
sentiment already is unquestionable, and the
change is still going on and spreading.
As soon as the bill passes the senate and
gets over to the house it is practically sure
to have plain sailing. Representative
Grosyenor, Of Ohio, says that rule will be
reported whereby two days will be set
apart for debate upon the measure, and that
at the end of that period final vote will
be ordered. In the house the rules of pro-
cedure allow of such peremptory closure Of
debate-in fact, without such closure moth
ing could be accomplished in such large
and unruly body as the house-but in the
senate the liberty Of debate is practically
untranmeled. Thus it happens that it is
much more difficult to force or to hurry a
measure through the senate than through
the house.
The recent extra session gossip has begun
to subside very materially. The senators
and representatives generally do not "see
the point" Of remaining here all the spring
to legislate ABOUT Che Philippines, when the
president. as they say, has ample power
in the premises to do as he pleases. 1t is
possible that the Spooner measure in rela.
tion to this subject may be tackled on as a
rider to some appropriation bill, and that
congress may let it go at that for the pres
ent AS for The Cuban constitution, which
has furnished another reason for an extra
| session, many congressmen are now ques.
| tionng whether this country has any right
to meddle with that instrument. The war
was undertaken to free Cuba, and it was
expressly and officially declared by this
government that we would assume no fur,
ther control or supervision of the island after
its pacifcation. Many now assert that the
| paciiication has been accomplished, and
that the United States therefore, in reality
and justice, has nothing to say or to do about
the Cuban constitution. This idea has
been canvassed in a lively manner in and
about the capitol during the last day o1
two, ard it appears to be becoming popular
The president is rapidly regaining hi:
wonted health and strength, after nearly a
months tussle with the, grip. Other dis
/ tinguished victims of the distemper are alsc
recovering, and the epidemic seems to have
spent its force. This is fortunate for vari
GUS reasons, but particularly SO in view ol
the fast approaching Inauguration cere
4 monies. There have been Inauguration;
amid Billiards and zero gales, but an in
suguration in the midst Of a grip epidemic
would be dismal event indeed. As it is
the preparations for the next 4th of Marcel
are on an almost if not quite unprecedented
scale, and if the weather is only fairly de
cent che spectacle will be one Of the mos
! brilliant IN the history Of Washingtons 4