The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-02-28
A SENATOR'S QUAINT HUMoR
The Ship Subsidy Debate Ell
nvehed by Unique Arrangement
of Democrats,

=
of Democrats.
Senator Pettus, Of Alabama, has de-
livercd notable speech on the ship
subsidy bill, which was repletc with
quaint humor, and was q unique ar.
raignment Of Democrats who would
vote for the bill, which he urged ought
not TO pass because of the millions ii
would draw from the treasury ny
violating principle imbcdded in the
constitution. Mr.. Pcttus spoke in part
as follows:
The sums demonstrate the wonder
full intellectual force of the trainers OF
this bill and their clear comprehension
of CONNER cial advantages, resulting
from having your own lawyer TO write
the laws for you, so as to fit the awI to
the facts and circumstances of your
case.
The moral part of the transaction, if
any, may well be referred to DR.. Palcy
or one of his successors. | Will only
say it might be little like the COM
ment on an ex-senator from Alabama,
who was then in the law practice with
partner-both great lawyers and
good men-real leaders at the bar.
They practiccd in the wirc-g:ass coun-
ties of Alabama. In the summer
1865 cotton was selling as high as
SO cents per pound. The Yankees"
q merely quntc) wanted the cot
ton and they took the cotton. From
one old farmer they took over 100
bales, merely on the plea that they
needed it in their business. The cX-
Senator and his partner Colonel CD
were employed to recover the cotton.
But about that time Colonel G.. went
off on business and the ex-senator was
left to manage the case alone. He
was equal to the task, or almost anv
other, if ability was the thing needed.
There were no courts. SO the eX-
Senator went to the head military
officer Of that "province" and recover
ed the cotton and received his fec. If
you had ever heard his voice (dccp as
a church bell, earnest almost to ad.
duration, with will power in every
tone) you would know why that cotton
did not go into the dive for ''capturcd
and abandoned property" Colonel G.
returned, sad and poor, repeating over
to himself, to keep up his courage
ls there, for honest poverty,
That hangs its head, and a tha,!
The coward save, We pass him by,
we dare be poor for a. that.
For a that and a that;
Our tolls obscure, and q that;
The rank is but the gulnea's stamp;
The mans the gowG for a that.
This Colonel was not accustomed to
being poor, nor did he have any "long
ing" for the beauties or blessings Of
poverty. lie went 10 his Office and
met his partner, who handed him
~ 800 without saying word. "What
am TO do with all this money" de-
manded the Colonel. " That IS your
half Of our fee in the cotton case,'
answered his partner.
The Colonel counted over the money
with great gravity, yet solemnly smil
ing, and '.hen he had finished the
count he turned to his partner and
with philosophical solemnlty remarked,
shaking his head: " Well, well, we
have escaped the poorhouse, but are
we not rubbing mp against the walls OF
the penitentiary ?' Lauybtcr.l
oiI' lCol'tClt, - IcIl lnC tulc DIS IL
was told to me-" 1t is old, and there
are other versions. The bcuciiciarics
under this bill, if it passes, can never
be in danger Of the poorhouse.
There is very unusual and crafty
method in this bill; the subsidy must
first be contracted for, and the con-
tract is to be made by the United States
of the first part, acting by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, and the ship
owner on the other part. The purpose
in framing the act so as to operate by
contract and not directly is twofoG.
The first purpose is TO prefer favorilics,
whose ships are distinctly pointed out
by description, partly finished and
with an established trade. and partly
to be built in foreign shipynrds, with
contracts for their building, filed two
years ago, illegally, in the Office of tho
Secretary of the Treasury, as | have
heretofore explained.
The second purpose is TO fastcn
liability on the United States by con-
tract which, the shipowners claim and
this bill provides, can not be changed
or violated without impairing the obi
CATION of the contract.
This is radical departure from the
ordinary course Of legislation. For
example, the Congress for years has
been engaged every session in granting
authority to railroads and other corpo-
ratlons to build bridges across the
navigahle waters in the States and
Territories. These grants of authority
to build bridges always amount TO a
contract between the United States
and the bridge owner, because the
United States always requires that the
government shall have the right to use
the bridge as n post road and highway
so that there is consideration for the
grant. These bridges arc very costly
some OF them costing over 800, ,00O
and some of them costing over 81 600, :,
600. Yet the Congress always puts into
these bridge acts the clause rcscrvino
the right on the part of the govern.
ment to amend or repeal the grant al
any time in the future.
We are all accustomed to see tho
bridge bills reported by the junior
Senator from Missouri Mr.. Vest1
and ho with tbo oyn of on no0lo oD,