Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-02-08
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-
t~ions-Grcnt Change I'm Public SEM
timent Has Recently Beer
Wrought.
Especial Correspondence.l

The south is r~allying TO the support of
the shipping bill. This fact is likely to
prove the pivotal feature Of the struggle over
the measure. During the debate on
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.
multan eously 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 confirming it below a
maximum OF l6 knots speed, instead of Is,
as it stands at present in the amended form
of the bill. This, however, does not neces-
sarily indicate a change Of heart on the
part Of Senator Clay, who has been hereto
fore one of the strongest and most active
and uncompromising 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 90 large
and important southern associations, in
~ NcN ollCoho All VI WIN
nerce, 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 visw Of this great and growing senti-
ment in their W section, it is not surpris-
ing that tho solid opposition of the south
ern senator's has begun to weaken, as it has,
very perceptibly and decidedly. At first
these senators-Messrs. Jones, Clay, Bacon
and oth~ers-declared that they would fight
the bill by every means within their power,
and a disposition to flibuster was manifest
early in the week; but the news which they
have heard lately from their constituents
appears to nave altered their minds as to
the advissbility Of flibustering. Their pres
emit disposition seems to be TO deliver a GER
tain number of two-hours' speeches in the
negative, and then to let the republicans
90 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
oonsequenee-would be a very serious re-
~sponEbility 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 q goodly number of democrats-at least
six and probably seven or eight in the sen
ste, and ten or a dozen in the house. That
the examination and discussion of the meas.
urs have effected a 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
reported whereby two days will be SET
apart for debate upon the measure, and tina,
at the end of that period a final vote viii
be ordered. In the house the rules of pro
osdure allow Of such %peremptory closure Of
debate-in fact, without such closure moth
ing could be accomplished in such a largs
and unruly body as the heuse-but in ths
senate the liberty of debate is practically
untrammeled. Thus it happens that it i,
much more difficult to force or to hurry &
measure through the senate than through
the house.
The recent extra session gossip has besuI
to subside very materially. The senator
and representatives generally do not "se,
the point" of remaining here all the sprinl
to l~egislate about the Philippines, when thu
president, as they say, has ample powe
in the premises to do as he pleases. 1t il
possible that the Spooner measure in rela
; tion to this subject may be tackled on as
. rider to some appropriation bill, and tina
congress may let it go at that for the pres
, ent. As for the Cuban constitution, whicl
has furnished another reason for an extr'
session, many congressman are now ques
tioning whether this country has any RICH
to NEEDLE with that instrument. The wa
was undertaken to free Cuba, and it wa
expressly and officially declared by thi
government that We would assume no ful
ther control or supervision Of the island afte
its pacifcation. Many now assert that tn
phCllCd u mas Z oSSoihpl4SANd al
that the United States therefore, in realit
and justice, has nothing to say or to do abou
the Cuban constitution. This idea Ina
been canvassed in a lively manner in an
about the capitol during the last day @
9 two, and it appears to be becoming popular
The president is rapidly regaining h
: vented health and strength, after nearly
months tussle with the grip. Other di
tinguished victims of the distemper are ais
recovering, and the epidemic seems to hay
spent its force. This is fortunate for var
Gus reasons, but particularly so in view
the fast approaching inauguration Ger,
= monies. There have been inauguration
| amid billiards and zero gales, but an il
t auguration in the midst of grip ep;demI
Y would be a dismal event indeed. AS it j
= the preparations for the next 4th Of Mare
!. are on an almost ii not quite unpreecdente
i scale, and If the weather is only fairly d
cent the spe, tac!e will be one Of the mo-