The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-02-12
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 Sem
timent Has Recently Been
Wrought.
ESPECIAL Correspondence


prove the pivotal feature Of the struggle over
the measure. During the debate Oh
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.
multaDeously 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 combining it below a
maximum of Is knots speed, instead of l8,
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 incorporating 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
Guiding 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
erD senator's has begun to weaken, as it has,
very perceptibly and decidedly. At first
i these senators-Messrs Jones, Clay, Bacon
| and others-declared that they would fight
the bill by every means within their power,
and dispc-ition 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 filibustering. 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
go ahead and assume the full responsibility
for the legislation. The alternative policy
involving flibustering, the failure of all
other measures, and an extra session in
consequence-would be 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 goodly number of democrats.-at least
six and probably seven or eight in the SEN
ate, and ten or 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
Grosvenor, of Ohio, says that a 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
untrammeled. Thus it happens that itNis
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 subsde very materially. The senators
and representatives generally do not 'see
the point" of remaining here all the spring
to legislate about the Philippines, when the
president. they say, has ample power
in the premises to do as he pleases. 1t is
possible that the Spooner measure in rela-
ton 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 congressman are now ques
tioning whether this country has any right
to NEEDLE with that instrument The wal
was undertaken to free Cuba, and it was
expressly and officially declared by this
government that we would assume no fur
Their control or supervision of the island afte,
its pactication. Many now assert that the
pacitication 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 lively manner in anc
about the capitol during the last day OIL
two, and it appears to be becoming popular
The president is rapidly regaining hi.
wonted hea!th and strength, after nearly
months tussle with the grip. Other dis
tinguished victims of the distemper are alse
recovering, and t. idemic seems to have
spent its force ness. ESrtunate for yari
GUS reasons, bum. sosnks 50 in view o
the fast Approx, and afts ouflt!on eere
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the preparaudd
are on an ia5ndaI
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