Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-01-28
SHIP SUBSIDY LOBBY.
ITS CHARACTER AND ITS METHODS
EXPOSED.

Most Persistent Lobby since Pacific
Mali scsndsIs-BDl Drawn by Its
BenencInrie. The International
Navigation Company. Pennsyivnnia
Railroad and standard OIL Compn-
ny Intererted In the Deal
WASHINGTON, Jan. The Hanna
Frye-Payne ship subsidy bill has been
and stlll is the most perslstently and
continuously lobbied bill that has been
before congress in many years. indeed
1t is doubtful whether such a lobby as
that back Of this bill has been known
If in Washington since the scandals
unfolded by the Pacific Mail steal
shocked the country.
It ia not In any sense a secret that
the pending ship subsidy bill was
lrawn by its chief beneflciaries. Under
the kindness Of Senators Frye ana
Hanna their beneticent services were
called into renuisition for the announc-
ed purpose of framing shipping bill
which was to build up the American
merchant marine. They were called
into the senatorial councils because OF
their interest in shipping and shipbuiid-
ing. and It is not natural to suppose
that in taking care of the subject in
general they were going to neglect
their own pockets. They helped to
draw the bill, they made it. as the
farmers would say, "hog tight and
mule high" in protection to themselves,
and they have been on hand at Wash
ington early and often. If not always,
engaged in a consistent persistent ana
continuous effort to bring to legislative
fruition the results of their advisory
lnbors.
Selections from this committee who
drafted the bill taken In connection
with, their we'll known presence in
Washington during most of the legisla-
tive days in which the bill has pee1l
under consideration leave no doubt OF
their purposes and of their entire ear
nestness to use all means within reach
to see these purposes accomplished.
Pro- inent among them are: Generai
Clement A. Griscom, president or the
International Navigation company and
chairman of this committee; ex-Sena-
tor George b. Edmunds of Vermont,
the most capable and the highest priced
lobbyist in the United States. VINO ~
likewise leading counsel of the Inter
national Navigation company; charles
II. Cramp, the great Philadelphia ship
builder; G. F. Huntington, whose pow
er with congress Is fit subject FOR ro-
nance and whose interests since his
death are capably represented: William
p. Clyde. president. and Thomas Clyde,
secretary, of the Clyde line; Aaron van
derbilt secretary of the American
Shipping league; H. P. Booth presi.
dent of the New York and Cuba Mail
Steamship company; Samuel 5. Sewal'
and Edwin W. Hyde, representing the
shipbuilding interests of Bafn, Me-,
Alexander r. Smith, former editor oil
Seaboard and later secretary of the
New York commerce commission, aud
Theodore c. Search. president of the
National Association of Manufacturers
, can. all honorable men," of course
, but none Of them, so far as the RECORDS
show. ever accused of neglecting his
own interests.
In opening the senate hearings Sena
tor FRYE, chairman of the senate com
merce committee, naiyely said: u was
aware that to succeed in enacting any
bill into law there must be an agree
ment of sentiment among the friend'
of such a measure; that it would b'
hopeless to go into congress with these
people entirely divided as to what th'
remedy should be. l then concluded
that would take the responsibiilt,
} myself of naming q committee-neces
, sarily of men who owned ships %
!, built them or ran them or We're ia
miliar with the conditions OF the mer
chant marine and its necessities III
2 then named the, committee, from which
the names above taken are selected
After enlightening the uninitiated con
cerning these gentlemen. Senator Fry
added. 81 will say right here that th
committee has been indefat1gaple II
. this business and has had innumerabl
$ meetings iu New York. Philadelphia
and Washington The humor of thi
statement will be appreciated in pro
= portion to the knowledge which tn
n reader hereof has of the situation.
il When the time came to exploit til
bill before the congressional committee
of both house and senate, these gentle
u men and others came to Washlngto
l. and took charge of things. They lille
V the committee rooms and controlle
q the hearings. Ex-senator Edmunn'
who seemed TO be considered smarte
than anybody else, acted as gran
h sacheln. The committee "sat at his fee
land learned" When some doubtin
Thomas of the committee asked
=. question. the chairman of the commi
i tee--Grosvenor on the house side an
FRYE on the senate side either mad
him feel like 80 cents by the crushin
profundlty of his reply or turned hil
over to Edmunds, generally the Ia
ter. After the advocates of the bi
n had used up all the time of all III
hearings telling what a great thing
was. they were told by the respectiy
d chaiimen that they could put in VIII
ing to be printed as q part of the hea
@ ing, anything that they had torgotte
"A or omitted or had not had time to sa,
This open privilege was added to L
special requests for further detaile
N information wherever 1t was consde
T. ed possible that such information coul
a | nj