Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-01-25
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL,

Z Ox144. =o~DkJ4DA D11llle r
r. IS lNDEFENsleLE FROM EVERY
POINT or view. 3,
evea the RFstee1lenists OaA1ot De-
fend It-TAe New Yeek Frees Wig
ofously ODDsses tho lEeas1re-TAe
%: Dill Desi9.eA Per the Fsrssnal 0asn
q . Few NJ sAiDevvaers. 5 81 f.
A striking feature Of the pending dis
cussion Of the Hanna-Frye-Payne sub
sidy proposals. Ia the extent to which
political and economic theories are rel
egated to the rear. The reason fer this
IL plain, however, when the bin itself
IL considered.
Politically our people are divided as
to the theory of paternalism between
protection and free trade, and as to
each, while it's opponents may not con-
cede it's pEopriety, on the one hand they
are prompt to appreciate the weight Of
certain considerations urged in It's be-
halt and to recc6nize the sincerity
with which these Gre pressed, and On
the other. AZ to matters not involved
by their opposing theories, they are
apt to agree on first principles. Here,
for example, the general dfstFust Of the
legislation proposed and the growing
opposition to it involve no political
theory.
From a free trade standpoint enc
could defend bill 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
10 given American shipbuilders and
owners to purchase foreign materials
and supplies, including labor, and from
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 q Gree
trade or ''protection' standpoint;
that our export trade, our shipbuilding
industries, our ocean carrying business,
as such, are each equally far from the
aims of the concern Of the promoters
Of this bi1l-that is, It is In no proper
sense even protective or ether public
measure At all. but simply Z steal, de-
Tended by hypeerttical concern fer in
terests which Il IL not intended to sub
serve and worthy OF support only by
those whose expected share ri the PRO.
ceels shall be such % to Justify the
loss, great or Httae, OF self respect and
.repute involved in thus conniving to
deadbeat the public for personal gain.
> The present issue, therefore, IL net
for or against any economic theory, but
ON behalf Of the taxpayine public, that
earns it's own living, against tax eating
capitalists, to whom, for ex4mple, the
most representative protection news.
paper OF the United States, the Repub.
Nean New York Press, thus editeraally
alludes in it's issue Of Dec. u, 1890:
THE SHIP 1UB61DY JOHANNA
The ft1ine gentlemen Of the Amerioan line sre
engaged in IN entirely legitimate btaiHsas. They
sFe Carrying American nsi1s, and they oAGit t.
be paid 70 that they on carry them In Asseficaa
Dertsoha>nds assd 0cssniss iaGtaad Of Etiekisg t.
little, slow, cid Parfsss and New Tesis. Htey
shoahd net be let 81 again with tie bnildihs
q st. Paula and It. Leuisse, but esnpai1xd to
the construction Of vessels Witch tho pestoAes
would select with the sole eye which it Is beuni
to have to celebrity OF service The iAereoss q TN
mail subsidy Of II knst vessels wien q knots N TX
typical speed ot the taEe patlboat Of the dey is
farce, not to call it anything haralaf, leou il
face. But, whatever it 10. let the government deal
with 1t separately upon it, merits and not saud
die it up with = measure designed 10 freight The
surplus products Of American '1allne mines, ftr
ests and factori.s' which than vesssls-hAviug ne
cargo space for grain. coal, kns>r and loeomo
tires--Aever carry. -.
With this separation tAs iii would be without
logical opposition in congress q the eouAtry
and We fail to re why 1t sheuid lose the votes d
the many senators and representatives whom tn
American line hes been carrying to Europe aad
back every summer for the last ten years in aAtie
patton Of this particular roll call. It may h<
true OF cur government, - Hamilton said ~ IL
English, that 1t cannot be worked without briA
cry, but there ii no rssson Why the measures and
N0cu WHICH require 09t8ety SdOu4O W H2xeo VI
with those which do net.
Just before the late Christmas vaca
ton it was announced that arrange
ments had been made to ":take in al
recalcttrant shipping interests, and II
may therefore be expected that will
great flourish Of trumpets there will
soon be announced amendments which
it will be claimed, will SO broaden the
scope Of the bill as to- make it truly
popular. In view, however, Of three
years experience with: amendments tt
this very bill. announced in just THU
way, we may be entirely conf1den
that, so fur as concerns the lions shar'
of the subsidy provided for, it will no
be diverted from the pockets Of thos'
who devise this bill
1t may well be, indeed, that Dive!
has uuieted Lazarus with a few colo
victuals and the nttle dogs with a dis
|, tr1bution Of bones, but that he has &C