The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-01-31
SHIP SUBSIDY LOBBY.
ITS CHARACTER AND ITS METHODS
EXPOSED.

Beneficinries = The International
Navigation Company, Pennsylvania
Railroad and Standard OIL CompH-
ny Interested In the Deal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-The Hanna
Frye-Payne ship subsidy bill has been
and still is the most persistently and
continuously lobbied bill that has been
before congress in many years. Indeed
it is doubtful whether such lobby as
that back of this bill has been known
Of in Washington since the scandals
unfolded by the Pacific Mail steal
shocked the country.
the pending ship subsidy bill was
drawn by it's chief benefciaries. Under
the kindness of Senators Frye and
Hanna their benefcent services were
called into requisition for the announc-
ed purpose of framing a 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 shipbuild-
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 and
continuous effort to bring to legislative
fruition the results of their advisory
labors.
Selections from this committee who
drafted the bill taken in connection
with their well known presence in
Washington during most Of the legisla-
tive days in which the bill has been
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.
Prominent among them are: General
Clement A. Griscom, president of the
International Navigation company and
chairman of this committees; ex-Sena-
tor George E. Edmunds Of Vermont,
the most capable and the highest priced
lobbyist in the United States, who Is
likewise leading counsel Of the Inter
national Navigation company; Charles
H. Cramp, the great Philadelphia ship
builder; @. P. 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; II. P. Booth, presi-
dent of the New York and Cuba Mail
Steamship company; Samuel s. Sewall
and Edwin w. Hyde, representing the
shipbuilding interests of Bath, Me-;
Alexander r. Smith, former editor OF
Seaboard and later secretary of the
New York commerce commission, and
Theodore G.. Search, president OF the
National Association of Manufacturers
"All, 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, naively said: Il was
aware that to succeed in enacting any
bill into law there must be an agree
ment of sentiment among the friends
of such a measure; that 1t would D'
hopeless to go into congress with these
people entirely divided as to what thu
remedy should be. l then concluded
that l would take the responsibilit.
myself of naming committee-neces
sarily of men who owned ships o
built them or ran them or were ia
miliar with the conditions Of the mer
chant marine and it's necessities" 81
then named the committee, from whicl
the names above taken are selected
After enlightening the uninitiated con
corning these gentlemen, Senator Fry
added, 81 will say right here that tn
committee has been indefatigable II
this business and has had innumerabl
meetings In New York, Philadelphia
and Washington" The humor Of thi
statement will be appreciated in pro
portion to the knowledge which tn
reader hereof has of the situation.
When the time came to exploit tn
bill before the congressional committee
of both house and senate, these gentle
men and others came to Washington
and took charge of things. They file
the committee rooms and controlie
the hearings. Ex-senator Edmunds
who seemed to be considered smarte
than anybody else, acted as gran
sachem. The committee "sat at his fee
and learned" When some doubtin
Thomas Of the committee asked
question, the chairman Of the commit
tee-Grosvenor on the house side an
Frye on the senate side-either mad
him feel like 80 cents by the crushin
profundity of his reply or turned hiI
over to Edmunds. generally the la
ter. After the advocates of the bi
had used up all the time Of all tn
hearings telling what a great thing
was, they were told by the respectiy
chairmen that they could put in wri