Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-02-01
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.
1T is iNDEFENsleLE FROM EVERY
POINT OF VIEW.

Even the Rrotecttonists Cannot De-
fend N-The New York Pre.s Wig
Orously Opposes the heasure-The
Bill Designed For the Personal Gain
Of Few Big shipowners.
a striking feature of the pending dis
cussion Of the Hanna-Frye-Payne sub
sldy proposals is the extent to which
political and economic theories are rel
egated to the rear. The reason for this
Is plain, however when the bill itself
Is considered.
Politically our people are divided as
to the theory Of paternalism between
protection and free trade, and as to
each, while it's opponents may not con-
cede its propriety, on the one hand they
are prompt to appreciate the weight of
certain considerations urged in its be-
half and to recognize the sincerity
with which these are pressed. and on
the other, as to matters not involved
by their opposing theories. they are
apt to agree on first principles. Here,
for example, the general distrust Of the
| legislation proposed and the growing
opposition to it involve no political
theory.
From free trade standpoint one
could defend a bill to facilitate export
of American products in ships owned
by American citizens by granting to
American capital that freedom to pur-
chase foreign ships which by our laws
Ia given American shipbuilders and
owners to purchase foreign materials
and supplies, including labor, and from
protectionist standpoint one could
champion measure which would try
to attain the same end by distributing
government aid either to exporters in
inducing shipments abroad or to vessel
owners In such way as to prompt them
to carry export cargoes at lower rates.
The trouble with this bill, however, is
that on inspection it has become clear
to our citizens of all political beliefs
that as an economic measure 1t Is
equally indefensible from either "free
trade" or a protection" standpoint;
that our export trade, our shipbuilding
industries, our ocean carrying business,
as such, are each equally far from the
aims Of the concern Of the promoters
| Of this bill-that is, it is in no proper
sense even protective or other public
measure at all, but simply steal, de-
Tended by hypocritical concern for in
terests which it Is not intended to sub
serve and worthy Of support only by
| those whose expected share in the pro-
/ ceeds shall be such as to Justify the
loss, great or little, Of self respect and
repute involved in thus conniying to
deadbeat the public for personal gain.
The present issue, therefore, is not
for or against any economic theory, but
on behalf Of the taxpaying public, that
earns its own living, against tax eating
capitalists, to whom, for example, the
most representative protection" news
paper of the United States, the Repub-
lican New York Press, thus editorially
alludes in it's issue of Dec. Is, 1900:
THE SHIP SUBSIDY JoNAHs.
The "nine gentlemen OF the American line are
| engaged in an entirely legitimate business. They
! are carrying American mails, and they ought to
be paid SO that they carry them In American
Deutschlands and Oceanics instead OF sticking to
little, slow, old Parises and New Yorks. They
should not be let off again with the building
Of st. Pauls and St. Louises, but compelled to
| the construction OF vessels which the postofhce
would select with the sole eye which 1t is bound
to have to celebrity Of service The increase Of the
mail subsidy Of 81 knot vessels when % knots is the
typical speed OF the fast naiboat OF the day Is a
farce, not to call At anything harsher, upon lta
face. But whatever 1t is, let the government deal
with it separately upon Its merits and not mud
die 1t up with measure designed to freight thu
surplus products OF American EARNS mines, for
ests and factories which these vessels-haying nj
cargo space for grain, coal, lumber and locomo
} dves-never carry.
( With this separation the bill would be withou
= logical opposition in congress the country
and we fail to see why 1t should lose the votes
: the many senators and representatives whom tn
/ American line has been carrying to Europe an
back every summer for the last ten years in antic
patton Of this particular roll call. 1t may b
true Of our government as Hamilton said Of tn
English, that 1t cannot be worked without bril-
9 cry, but there is no reason why the measures an
men which require bribery should be mixed U
with those which do not.
Just before the late Christmas vacs
, : ton 1t was announced that arrange
4 ments had been made to take in" a
: recalcitrant shipping interests, and
: may therefore be expected that wit
r great flourish Of trumpets there wi
4 coon be announced amendments which
0 it will be claimed, will SO broaden tn
e scope Of the bill as to make 1t trul
r popular. In view, however, of thre
; years. experience with amendments
s this very BILL announced in just tn
: way, we may be entirely conhder
s that, so far as concerns the lions shat
S of the subsidy provided for, it will M
Y be diverted from the pockets of thoi
; who devise this bill.
v 1t may we'll be, indeed, that Dive
has quieted Lazarus with a few col
e victuals and the lIttle dogs with a di
d tribution of bones, but that he has a
j. tually reformed and has either give
It his goods to the poor or stopped stea
a ing their earnings for himself is tt
l. much to believe. The Hanna risco
e coterie is most decidedly mot mao
e that way" 1t will be easy at any m
# ment by watching Its attitude to kno
o the character Of the bill in whatev
II shape it may be amended. If 1t
really made such as mainly to benel
l. the interests 1t processes to favor,
h will be practically without supporter
n except new ones. If the Hanna-Gri
l. com interests are still clamorous in b
half of any amended bill, 1t will mee
e. that they who know best just what W
II be its effect are still convinced that 1t
D. in the main for their personal benefit.
Is
y 1t Goes Too Far,
80 Some of the best friends of the pr
" tective system are afraid Of the rea
y ton likely to be induced by the su