The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-06
SUBSIDY ANGLE
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT DESIRES
TO HAVE ALL INFORMATION
OBTAINABLE
C0NsULTS WITH J. J. HILL
st Paul Mans Views as to Payment
of Subsidies Favor the Freight
Carriers of Large
Capacity.
OPPOSED TO THIS
GLOBE WASHINGTON BUREAU,
Post Building. Room As.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 5.-Con-
siderable Importance is attached by pee-
pie in the East to the visit to the White
house of James j. Hill, of the Great
Northern railroad. While it has not been
officially admitted, it is understood that
Mr.. Hill came in response to a sele-
graphic request from the president. 1t
is known that Mr.. Hill was in New Tork
Wednesday engaged in Important Eusi-
ness. He had planned to go from there
to New London, Conn, where he has
some shipbuilding in progress. but he
was obliged to suddenly alter hls plans
He arrived in Washington Friday cvan-
ing and went straight from his private
car to the White house, where he re-
mained until Ii O'Clock. Secretary of
State Hay was also a guest. BY mid
night Mr.. Hill was in his car bound for
New York.
The fact that Mr.. Hay was one of the
party at dinner has led to the conclusion
that the isthmian canal was one of the
subjects on which the president wlsned
to talk with Mr.. Hill AS one Of the
largest ShipbuilderS in the country, Mr..
Hill is naturally interested in tha project
of connecting the two great oceans. His
railroad interests are also involved. fut
1t is as an expert on the subject of ship
subsidies that Mr.. Hill is best known,
and that he gave valuable information to
the president on this matter is not
doubted. Before drafting this section of
his message, the president has been ami
Gus to gather views of all shades On the
shipping subsidy question.
Differing Views on Subsidies.
Mr.. Hill represents the interests of the
Middle West and of the Pacific slope, as
opposed to those of the Atlantic sea-
board. He is as much of an expert and
is as well acquainted with his constitu.
ency as is Clement Griscomb or Senator
Frye with theirs. The two !atter rep
resent the International Navigation com
pany and the allied interests, Which would
like about so per cent of the money pro-
posed to be distributed in subsidies given
to the vessels of the Atlantic seaboard,
and particularly to the swift going pas
senger ships which make up their fleets.
Mr.. Hill is a builder of freighters and
favors a subsidy based on the freight car
rying capacity of the vessels. He argues
that in this way only will the people of
the Middle West profit by the legislation.
They are interested in enlarging their
commerce and the markets abroad for
their surplus agricultural products. So
the people on the Pacific coast see pros
perity in the enlargement of their COM
merce, with the Orient. incidentally Mr..
Till Is not waiting Tor the nelp OF SUBJ
sides, but has established new line OF
freighters of the finest type and Of tre-
mendous capacity to ply between the
Chinese ports and the cities of the North
west which are tributary to his railroad
system. If the government lends it's aid
to enlargfng our merchant marine he
will be benefited along with others who
will then be able to go into the carrying
trade.
With the prospect that the country, Will
be divided in it's opinion on the subsidy
question, and that there will be a warm
fight in congress this winter a fight
which will take the same turn as the one
waged in the last session, President
Roosevelt is disposed to be conservative
in his recommendations. Undoubtedly he
will call attention to the desirability of
a greater number of ships carrying the
American flag. He will touch on the
policies pursued by foreign nations with
whom we compete, and almost all OF
which have built up their merchant fleet
by subsidies. AS to the details of the
legislation he will be silent, leaving that
to be worked out by congress.
Stevens TO Be in Fight.
The four men who will actively repre-
sent. the views of the North and Middle
West in the subsidy controversy will be
Stevens, of Minnesota; Minor Of Wiscon-
sin; Fordney of Michigan, and Jones, OF