The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-14
BEHINDTHE SUBSIDY BILL
Corporations Which Have an H.
terest in It's Passage.
Where Practically All the Bounty
Would Go-Ex-RcpreEcnta II.
Measure il IL scheme TO Enrich n
Few Trusts-DanEcrs Pointed out.

| Hanna may get his Ship Subsidy bill he
fore the Senate this week. as soon as the
Army bill is disposed of, number of Re
publicans who are opposed to the meas
| ure are prepared TO fight the bounty grab.
1t is now openly asserted by these men
that the power behind the hill is the
| Standard Oil Trust and that a combina-
tion has been effected whereby the total
subsidy of 50 coo 900 per year will be seized
by single clique of financlers forming a
shipping and ocean transportation trust
and shutting out all of the small fry, te-
sides controlling freight rates.
These opponents of the bill show by
| Mr.. Frye's own speech that the Icterna-
tional Navigation Company expects to re-
ceive at least $2,5OOO0O per year in boun-
| ties. The men who control this company,
| it is said. are also the controllers of the
| Pennsylvania Railroad, the Standard Oil
Company, and the National Transit Com
| pany. which controls the oil distributing
| business of the world. Therefore, it is
! pointed out. the four corporations are one,
and what benefits the one must enrich all,
since the same men control the quar-
tette. The Standard Oil and National
Transit tank fleets will obtain $500 eco per
year. with The number of vessels row in
operation. while it is said that the cor
poratious have under construction, await
ing the passage of the measure, enough
tonnage TO run this up to SS09,g0 per
year. The soft coal fleet. which it is said
will be operated by Mr.. Hanna, Will. in
the ten years, keep SIS. .OO0, 900 OF The sub
sidy in the combination, and several
smaller deals are said to be on foot
1t is argued by many prominent Repub-
licans that il is very clear where the sub
sidy must go if few figures are placed
together. The first branch of the COM
bination. the International Navigation
Company, will get $500, 600 a year for the
ten years. This will bring in SIS 900 600
on this end. The Standard OIL and Ma
tional Transit branches Will obtain $780,
600 per year on tank lines. In the ten
years this means a present of SS 600. co.
The soft coal branch will bring in SIS OO0,-
GOO and the converted lake lines. etc,
will add at least SO 100000 more to the
Golfers of the combination. This will
make a grand total for these few finan-
ciers behind the bill of S5I 900. .0OQ out of
the total subsidy Of $50. 900 GOO carried by
the measure
After seeing the clear purpose of the
bounty grab. say the opponents. no man
can be ignorant of the fact that instead
OF aiding the merchant marine the bill
will fatten a clique of wealthy financiers
and magnates, while it will form a power
ful shipping trust
scheme to Enrich Trust.
Representative Thomas W Phillips
".Ha r-H' states that the bill is
rr.F e to enrich a few trust
naa eaa % control transportation
Hr philips has long been an ear
pll economic problems and
taai ms life and wealth to the
a..aa 81 tter-relations between la
zone d read the names of those
e bill in order to grasp the
lies behind it," said Mr.
are some of them. as
or Frye's speech c. p.
lway magnate; Charles H.
der; C. A. Griscom. Presi-
-s irrational Navigation Com
r .vth controlled by the Standard
OH ,H pass nd the Pennsylvania Rail-
rc.. -I..fanyJ; Aaron Vanderbilt, Har-
vey Goulder, and Frank J. Firth. of the
Lake Carriers Associations, and a number
Of others of like connection.
This bill, as described by its authors. !
is a bill to promote commerce, etc. The !
title is a misnomer. II should be called |
a bill TO destroy competition and create !
worldwide transportation trus, control !
led by the millionaire monopOlisls OF |
America The conclusive evidence that I
this is what it is intended for is contained
in the measure itself. and in the facts set |
forth in House and Senate reports. For !
example. the bill provides that the So /
COO GOO subsidy per year shall be distrib- |
uted among vessels owned and bull, in |
the United States, and among such for |
eign built steamships as were on the lst |
of January. 1900. engaged in foreign COM !
merce, and owned and contracted for ty I
American citizens or American corpora |
tiOns. or by foreign corporations of which 1
the majority of the stock IS owned by /
American capitalists.
This provision is a palpable act OF |
favoritism in the interest of those privi- !
legged individuals or corporations who for
considerable time prior to January 1, |
1900 had the exclusive information that |
this provision was to be inserted in the |
law. This section, together with other
features of the bill which make It neces- !
sary for new ship TO be built within !
five years In order to get the full benefit |
of the subsidy. gives those capitalists who !
possess inside infOramtion in advance an /
opportunity not only to make their con-
tracts for foreign built ships previous to
January l. 1900 but also to make con
tracts with American shipyards so as TO
monopoiize the capacity of the yards dur
ing practically The full period of five
years. OF both these opportunities they
may have availcd themselves, thus shut
ting out all other Americans from either
having their foreign-buit ships regis
tered. or getting their home built ships
constructed in time to take advantage of
the benefits of the subsidy.
With this bill enacted into law and
contracts already made securing to them
annually gift OF 50 coo, 900 OF the peoples
money taken in taxes, they Will be in a
position 10 complete the organization of
their ocean ship trust and to use the sub
5idy as a weapon to eNtermnate all com
petitors. That they will do this cannot |
be reasonably doubted. when il is known
that the men behind the job are the
Standard Oil officers and their associates
VINO have largely destroyed free competi-
ton in transportation. both in the oil
trade and 10 other Industries in the
United States, through large discrimina-
tions. They also heavily dominate the
franchises Of the great
cities
Farmers and all other producers and
merchants should be warned in time OF
the danger which menaces them through
this bill. For Il viii he found that under
It's operation a transportation syndicate
may have all exporters to foreign markets
as completely at their mercy in ocean
as the Standard Oil Com
Dany TOW has the oil producers.
Another Danger Pointed out.
Another danger involved in III, bjlI ia