The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-12-09
FRYE AND
GROSVENOR
CONFIDENT
Believe Subsidy Meas
ure Is Certain of
Passage.
All Objectionable Features Of
Former Bills Are
Eliminated.
Its Success Would Mean Building Of
New Lines of Vessels to Ply
Between This Coast and
the Orient.

CALL BUREAU. 14O6 G STREET, N.
Frye of Maine and Representative Gros-
venor of Ohio will introduce in the Senate
and House tomorrow the ship subsidy
bill, which has at last been completed.
II have spent much time and thought on
this measure" said Senator Frye tonight
to The Call correspondent. ''and it is very
largely my own creation. I think all the
objections made to former shipping bills
are met and I hope it will pass. expect
it will receive the almost unanimous sup
port of the Republicans of the Senate. In
the House have strong hopes Of enough
votes to enact the measure into law"
The first section Of the bill takes the
postal subsidy law Of 1891 as a basis and
restores the rates practically to what they
were in the bill as it originally passed the
Senate. 1t increases the tonnage required
in that law and makes the class Of each
knot above fourteen up to twenty.
The bill next provides that all American
ships engaged in foreign trade shall re-
ceive one cent a ton for every 100 miles
sidy act relating to the employment Of
sailors, apprentices and Government in
spectors on vessels having contracts to
carry United States mails are in the new
measure. Vessels receiving Government
subsidies according to the provisions OF
the act shall be built in a manner salts
factory to the Secretary of the Navy and
must be capable of being used for pur-
poses of national defense in times of war.
No Premium on Speed.
All speed premiums are omitted in the
present bill. The provisions for extended
contracts in the subsidy bill defeated in
the last session are also eliminated.
The repeal of or amendment of the law
rests absolutely with Congress. No for
eign built ships are admitted to American
register. The provisions of the former bill
relating to fisheries are renewed.
The bill, which passed the Senate in
1891. providing for postal subsidies. was
amended in the House by cutting down
rates. As amended the bill became a law
and proved an utter failure. Senator Frye
now believes that if a bill containing
higher rates as put in by the Senate ten
years ago, should be passed it would be
a success. Senator Frye believes the
measure he has prepared will establish
regular American lines Of ocean traffic
Certainly" he said, I'VE shall have
| new lines of American ships from the Pa
cific Coast to China and on the Atlantic
we shall soon have new American lines
running to the south. where we have a
right to look for the greatest extension OF
our foreign trade.
1.-The provision for I cent per on for
every 100 miles sailed is put in on the
theory that it will equalize conditions be-
tween American freight carriers and those
of Great Britain.
Will Boom Shipbuilding.
There is absolutely nothing in the bill
that is favorable to any of the big trans
Atlantic lines and there is nothing what
ever to encourage a combination in So
called trust form of any large shipping
corporations. The ship-building industries
all along our coasts will get renewed life
! and stimulation by the increased demands
for American vessels"
Senator Hanna has seen the provisions
of the new bill and has given them his
cordial approval. He says he shall make
a speech in support Of the measure and is
advising his friends to work and vote for
it. He declares he sees nothing in the
Frye bill to which any friend of Amer
lean commerce and shipping could object.