Evening star., 1901-11-18
Republicans in Congress Torn Up on
Several Questions.
OPPOSITION TO SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
Representative Young Against Any
Tariff Revision.
FEARS OF ESTERN MEN

Of Congress is being manifested in advance
of the assembling of the House and Sem
ate. Public men are discussing with great
eagerness the many important questions
pending and which will come up for consd-
Grafton during the winter and spring
months.
The fact that there are wide differences
of opinion over these questions in the party
in power adds to the interest of the occa-
sion and draws attention to the views OF
prominent members of the national legisla-
ture as they reach the city,
1t looks little now as if the tables might
be turned and the spirit of dissension
transferred from the democratic side of
the House to the republican benches. The
republicans are pretty badly torn up over
the questions of tariff revision, reciprocity,
war tax reduction and ship subsidies.
There is this difference between them and
the democrats, however-it is possible to
hold caucus and harmonize their conflict
Ing opinions in a definite policy, which
would be scrupulously followed when once
decided upon.
Opposition to Ship Subsidy Bill.
Signs multiply that the ship subsidy bill,
proposed by Senator Frye and backed by
Senator Hanna, will meet with vigorous
opposition in republican quarters. Trouble
is brewing for the bill in several state dele
cations. Indiana and Wisconsin furnish the
most conspicuous examples. but opponents
Of the bill are scattered generally through
the western delegations. Some republican
representatives in private conversation de-
clare positively that the bill shall not be-
come law.
Representative Burton of the Cleveland,
Ohio, district, Senator Hanna's own baili-
wick who is one Of the prominent republi-
cG House
the rivers and harbors committee, Is out
spoken against the ship subsidy bill.
"1 do not know that shall take an active
part in opposition" he said to Star report
er today, but l do not favor the ship sub
sidy bill. The comparison of this measure
so often made with the system Of protection
will not bear analysis.
'In the first place, tariff brings money
into the treasury; this bill takes it out. BY
a tariff communities can be built up within
country, a diversity Of occupations OBJ
tained and the various capabilities Of the
people developed. You can control the in
dustrial situation within a country, but
when you seek to manage competition on
the oceans you fall.
THE situation there is controlled by diff
ferent conditions and facts, notable among
which is the impossibility of dealing with
competition with another country or coun-
tries. The argument made that it will give
benefit to American producers cannot be
sustained Freight rates will not be lower
ping will not materially affect the freight
situation. The benefit of the subsidy will
go to the ship owners rather than to the
producers
Mr. Burton will call his committee to-
gether early in the session to begin work
On a river and harbor bill. ...l
II anticipate that a river and harbor bill
will be passed." he said. ut will be a task
of great difficulty to frame one which will
satisfy all parts Of the country, but there
Is a pressing demand for legislation of this
kind, in view of the great increase in trans
portation. domestic and foreign. as well as
the necessity for securing the lowest pos
sible freight rates.
Against Tariff Revision.
Representative James r. Young of Penn
sylvania. who was reelected to this Con-
gress by most fiattering majority, is in
the city.
'I am against any tariff revision" he
said to Star reporter today. 81 want to
raise my voice In behalf of the small manu-
facturer. He is the one who would first
suffer from reduction of the protection
which the republican party has given him
and which in the past four years has ena-
bled him to expand his business, extend his
little plant, take on a few more hands and
pay better wages to his old employees. l
don't want to see his work wiped out with
a single stroke of the pen.
There is a subject of legislation that is
far more important to the people at large
than tinkering with the tariff. 1 refer to
the Chinese exclusion law. If not extend
ed it will expire next May, and American
labor will be subject to the competing in
roads Of hordes of Chinese coolies.
1.-The reason which twenty years ago i'm
PEELED Congress to prohibit the coming Of
Chinese laborers applies today with even
greater force: Twenty years experience
the wisdom of that law. for which Ameri-
can labor has been duly grateful.
Experience has shown that 1t would not
be the skilled labor or the better paid me-
chanic that would suffer from coolie COM
petition, but the day laborer and the poor
man. The coolfe can live upon fraction
of the cost of sustaining an American
workingman, and he saves the remainder
Of his wages to carry back to China after
few years residence here. Upon the
earnings thus accumulated he lives in COM
parative luxury in his country the rest of
his life.
deal with this question early in the session,
and will be in favor Of re-enacting the ex-
cluston act"
Fear Extrnvagant Appropriations.
Some western representatives who have
arrived in the past forty-eight hours say
in private conversation that they fear there
will be tendency on the part of this
House to be extravagant in appropriations.
They report that there is a feeling Of that
kind among their constituencies, and say
that extravaganza, while keeping up heavy
internal revenue taxes. will certainly be
resented by the people in the congressional
elections next fall.
A republican, who stands high in the
councils Of his party in the House. said to
Star reporter today: II am not afraid on
that score. 1 am in position to know that
Speaker Henderson Is determined to keep
appropriations down to a reasonable level,
and that extravagant schemes will not be
countenanced."
Return of Capt. Lemly.