The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-24
He Would Prefer Free Ships to the
Building Up of the Vessel Con-
structiOn Industry.
RAWLINS CREATES A STIR
HE ADvERTIsEs HIS VIEWS AS TO
POLITICS IN UTAH.
Arouses Senator Chandler and Has q
Brief Tilt with the Caustic New
Hampshire Statesman.

of the shipping bill was resumed this after
noon by the Senate. AT the Instance OK
Mr.. Frye. of Maine. who relinqushed the
chair temporarily to take charge of the
| measure on the floor, it was made the un-
finished business of the Senate. thus re-
storing it to it's privileged position. Mr..
Vest. of Missouri. took the floor imme-
diately in a characteristically brilliant,
forceful and interesting speech lasting
nearly three hours. He advocated free
ships and vigorously attacked the naviga-
tion laws of the United States, holding
that they were responsible for the de-
cadence of the merchant marine of Ameri-
ca. He was accorded close attention by
his colleagues on both sides of the cham
Der.
Early in the session Mr.. Rawlins Dem..
Utah) precipitated lively colloquy by
charging that deal had been entered into
between the Republican members of the
Utah Legislature and certain railroad inter-
ests and the officials of the Mormon Church
to secure the election of Thomas L. Kearns
to the Senate from that State. He aroused
Mr.. Hale, of Maine, and Mr.. Chandler, of
New Hampshire, who contended that the
made in the Senate at this stage of the
proceedings in Utah. as the Senate could
not consider the question in any phase in
advance of action.
Mr.. Chandler dealt briefly with the aues-
| ton which had been raised by Mr.. Raw
Inns, referring facetiously in his remarks
| to his own defeat in New Hampshire ten
days ago He maintained it would be high
| ly unbecoming in the Senate to take the
| slightest notice OF the developments in
| the senatorial contest in Utah, and init
mated that Mr.. Rawlins was merely ad-
vertising personal views regarding the con-
| test.
| In reply, Mr.. Rawlins adverted sarcastic
| cally to the recent New Hampshire seha-
| torial election, which resulted in the de-
| feat of Mr.. Chandler, indicating that Mr..
| Chandler had been caught in the cogs of
a conspiracy similar to that which seems
| tc be operating in Utah at the present
| time
81 have to confirm what the Senator has
| said about the recent New Hampshire elec-
| tion," said Mr.. Chandler, good naturedly.
'It was a horrible result Laughter
But during the contest my colleague did
| not rise in this body and advert to the
atrocious character of the proceedings
| [Great Laughter.] If the conditions are as
wicked the Senator paints them in Utah,
| and, as i believe they were in New Hamp-
shire, they are very bad. but they are not
at this stage proper subject Of considera-
ton by this Senate"
MR. VESTS SPEECH.
When the ship subsidy bill was taken up,
Mr.. Vest addressed the Senate in opposi-
ton to the measure and in favor of free
ships, which he had advocated consistently
for years. He said the pending measure
| came before the Senate ostensibly from the
committee on commerce, but had come real
ly from a committee of promotion COM
posed of twenty-five prominent and inteln-
| gent men appointed by the junior Senator
| from Maine, Mr.. Frye. "The chairman of
| this committee of promotion" said the
Missouri Senator, lis Clement A. Griseom,
| president of the International Navigation
| Company, man of high character. of
great intelligence and Of indefatigabIe en-
| crgy. The company he represents Is BIZ
| far the largest beneficiary under this bill
must express my surprise and regret that
no one member of that committee of pro-
motion is in favor of an American buying
| his ships where he can buy them cheapest
and then sailing them under the flag of
| his country. In other words, to use the
language of the Senator from Maine (Mr
Frye. the members of that committee are
unanimously in favor OF the obsolete. in
famous and outrageous navigation laws of
the United States, which are stain on the
statutes Of the United States, and which for
fifty years have been riding to death the
merchant marine of this country as the
old man of the sea rode to exhaustion Sim
bad the Sailor
Mr.. Vest sharply criticised Mr.. Chamber
lain, the president of the Commission OF
Navigation, who was appointed first by
Mr.. Cleveland. and then favored free ships
for drifting with the Republican current,
and now advocating subsidies. He said
that when he visited Hamburg a few years
ago, he saw in the harbor 152 ships flying
the British flag and not a single one carry
ing the stars and stripes. England he
said. had been wise enough TO do what
this country. in its stolidity and stupidity
had failed 10 do. She had maintained her
supremacy on the ocean by purchasing her
fast clipper ships from the United States.
Mr.. Vest declared that the policy pro-
posed by the pending bill was one of bar
haric exclusion" framed for New Eng
lands benefit. He thought the people al
large had done enough for the Northeastern
coast without contributing $50. 100000 more
TO build up Its shipping industry. Mr.. Vest
ridiculed the claim that the bill is intended
20 provide auxiliary cruisers in time OF
war He contended that bounties are un-
constitutional. and quoted a letter from ex-
Senator Edmunds, the author of the pend
ing bin. to Senator Frye. in support OF