The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-04
OPPOSITION TOO STRONG
The Ship Subsidy Scheme to Be
Left TO It's Fate.
A Feeble Attempt to he Mnde to
Test the Strength of the An
tngonism-The Appropriation Bills
and the sPooncr Philippine Rcso-
luton Then 10 BE Considered.

One month from yesterday the Fifty
sixth Congress will expire by law. There
is mass OF legislation yet to be disposed
of, including nearly all Of the regular ap-
preparation bills and the war revenue tax
reduction. The Spooner Philippines reso-
luton and other matters of Importance
must also be considered and it is therefore
probable that during the present week the
advocates of the Ship Subsidy bill will
abandon the effort to pass il at this ses-
sion.
This action seems inevitable in view of
the evident purpose of the opposition to
flbuster against a vote. The advocates of
the bill admit that the developments of
the past three days in the Senate indicate
that if the appropriation bills are 10 be dis
posed Of, and the legislative calendar
cleared so that an extra session will be
unnecessary the Subsidy bill must be dis
placed as the regular order of business
Until Thursday last the leading RepubH-
can Senators were confident that they
could bring the Subsidy bill to a vote, and
they were led to this belief largely by the
attitudeaof the so-called leaders of the
Democratic side, who gave assurances
that they would not organize a filibaster
nor hold a caucus to take action against
the measure. Suddenly a change came
over them and it became apparent to the
Republicans on Friday that the Democrats
were determined TO prevent a vote on the
Subsidy bill even if it should be neces sary
to block all legislation to accomplish their
ends.
The Republican steering committee
therefore held meeting Friday and agreed
10 give Senator Allison carte blanche in
The matter of withholding or pressing the
appropriation bills. Acting under this au-
thority. Mr.. Allison who has never been
more than lukewarr1 to say the most in
supporting the Ship Subsidy measure will
allow IL to retain its place as unfinished
business fN day or two, and then if the
hlibaster is still effective, as undoubtedly
II Will be- he will call up an appropria-
ton bill; the Senate will proceed to consid-
er 1t, and that viii be the end of the Ship
Subsidy bill, as far as the Fifty-sixth Con-
gress is concerned.
In deciding to defeat the bill the Demo- /
Gratis, 1t is understood, are acting on the
advice of influential members of their
party not now in the Senate. These in
nuences have represented that the Re-
publicans will certainly enact a Subsidy
law at the next session of Congress If
not now, and that a matter of policy
~ hOdlN DC DtlleT LOT tne DemO- |
cratic party to have it passed next year |
when it can be used as a political issue
against the Republicans in the campaign |
of 1902, when a new Congress is to be |
elected.
In successfully opposing the present |
measure the Democrats have had the !
negative support of some OF the abIest Re |
publicans in the Senate. Men like Ali |
SON, Aldrich, Spooner. Mcmillan and |
others are strongly opposed TO the par
ticular measure reported by Senator Frye |
from the Commerce Committee and not /
altogether favorable to the passage of any /
kind of Subsidy bill.
In view. however. OF the fact that the |
party had repeatedly endorsed the prin-
ciples of subsidies. and because of the |
anxiety of Senators Frye and Hanna for !
the passage of the bill the Senators |
named, with the exception of Senator |
Spooner. agreed TO support it after GER /
tain radical amendments proposed by |
them had been accepted. Senator Spooner
was meyer reconciled to the measure but /
IL has been thought that he would not
openly oppose it. Now however he says
that if it is not at once disposed of he
viii at the proper time move to dlsplace
1t with the Grout oleomar rgarine bill.
which has already passed the House of
and which. in his
opinion, has a chance of becoming law.
while the Subsidy bill, he thinks, has not,
even IL the Senate should pass it,
But it is well known that those who
control legislation in the Senate have de-
cided that the Grout bill is one of the
measures that will be left to die with the
session.