Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-02-19
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL.
SPECIAL WASHINGTON LETTER.

LObby-Defeat of the Bill PrHctica1-
ly Assured.
WASHINGTON. d. Cit is amusing to
watch the continued retreat of the sub
sidy bill advocates.
Senator Hanna commanded them to-
meet on the opening day of the present
session and told his friends that the
bill would be put through during the
first week or So Batiled bit in this
contamination, he told the world
through the newspapers that the bill
would be passed before the Christmas
holidays. The senatorial satellites join
ed in this glad prediction, and the myr-
lad members of the subsidy bill lobby
rc-echoed the cry from Dan to Beer
sheba. The time of passage has been
gradually postponed until it seems now
a delightful possibility that the bill will
not be passed-at least not in such
shape that its syndicate fathers will
recognize it during the twentieth cen
tury. The gradual retreat in point OF
time is perfectly obvious.
Equal retreat as to the provisions of
tIlt uleikSuIe Is Sl1oN KY tliS stotS"
ments of Senator Frye to the effect
that the bill is now SO little like its
original self that the criticisms upon
the bill as first reported do not apply at
all to the bill as now advocated. This
statement is not at all fair, because
the underlying principles of the meas
ure have not changed particle, but
the doctrine of retreat is for that rea-
son the more clearly shown by these
statements of the senator from Maine.
Another funny thing about Senator
Fryes admissions and his continued
acceptance Of new amendments that a
watching world has not failed to under
stand Is that the bill as first presented
was "as perfect as human brains could
make It," Even the ganins in the gal
lery have wondered how q perfected
bill could undergo such changes as to
be by the admissions Of its author no
more like its original self than he to
Hercules, and still retain Its perfection.
Indeed, the advocates of the bill have
been from day to day during its con-
siderauon indulgfhg in series of legis-
lative gymnastics comical to behold.
Their backing and filling, their hem
ming and having, their pairing and
changing, their blufting and retreating,
have placed them before an observant
public In an attitude much worse than
that which commonly makes the angels
weep.
During recent days the press bureau
of the subsidy bill people has been
working overtime. Having associated
with the old lobby managers the best
newspaper talent that could be secur-
ed, this bureau has been making most
heroic efforts to convince the skeptical
public not only that this bill is the
best bill that ever existed, but that Its
passage is Us sure as the eternal verl
ties. This bureau prepares daily state
ments of what it wishes to appear as
the real subsidy bill situation and care
fully monographs these statements
| and places them upon the desk of every
newspaper man in Washington who
will in any probability use them. The
temptation to a fellow even slightly in
clined to laziness is very great to send
out this well prepared matter. In this
way great deal Of misinformation
about the situation goes out as we'll to
the papers which are Indifferent re-
garding the subsidy bill as to those
| which directly favor it. That, in spite
| Of these efforts and the innumerablt
| other efforts made to demonstrate thai
this is virtuous bill on the sure roat
to success, the great majority Of thu
newspapers and Of the people of thu
country are opposed to the bill is Ger
,tainly a proof that intelligence ant
honesty still predominant in this grea
country.
During these crisp wintry mornings
the subsidy advocates both Of thu
senate and Of the ever present lobb.
are getting up early and staying VI
late. Nearly every morning two o
three knots Of them can be seen arount
the Arlington, the Cochran, the Shore
ham and the various corners of th
capitol, intent upon the discussion O
the situation. Hanna and Griscon
Frye and F. B. Thurber, Grosveno
and Alexander r. Smith, either Of tn
Clyde brothers and most anybody, ar
among the pairs frequently seen tt
gether in earnest confab. At lat
hours Of the night these and numerou
others may be obseryed~in the clubs o
the hotels talking this ever new them
of contemplated raid on the treasury.
4 The subsidy people continue to pre-
sent bold front in the declaration tina
the bill will shrely pass-the oppositio
are equally bold in the declaration tha
it shall not pass. And, in the languag
A Of the country boy, the opposition hay
5 the "all underholt." The session 2!
9 rapidly drawing to close, and
o dozen appropriation bills and nun
Der Of other important measures mu:
!. be passed. In the face of these thing
the "hold up" of the senate on the shi
subsidy bill cannot last long.
S h It has been seen that threats to d
4 feat the river and harbor bill, threa
Y to force an extra session and threats
9 all sorts OF bogy men such as usual
! brighten senatorial children have Q
= failed Of effect as applied in the int
est Of this bill The fact is that the hi
. is so bad and bald and bold q robbel
of the whole people for the benefit Of
bakers dozen of multimillionaire shi
ping interests that the unpurchasab
II opposition cannot afford to give in.
j. There are now Is or 20 long speech
/ L. IL 81, =. 7