West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-08-29
Spco,al Washington Corrc,porseno,

W NAshiN0IoN, ~. -. -. -, le0l.-
The doathknell OF the ship subsidy
bill for tho present session was sound
ell on Feb. lG when the senate by n
vote Of a. to passed motion 10 take
up the olcomargarine bill in its stead.
Until then the ship subsidy bin held
the enyiable position OF the unfinished
business OF the sennte. This gave IL
priority over everything except appro-
priaiion bills and conference reports.
Since early I'm December the ship sub
sidy bill has had the right OF way.
Senator Frye had declared with dra-
matte fervor that he would not let IL
be displaced even by appropriation bills
unless the senate ran over him by
force. For this great. favored meas
ure, covering I'm the estimate OF its pro-
moters the fate of the nation on sea
ana on land. TO be knocked out by n
measly little bill defining the differ.
ence between good butter and doctored
lard was. indeed. fate for Hanna and
Frye and their friends TO weep over.
This means that the bill cannot be
fesurrected at this session except for
debate at odd times, when the chances
are that 1t Will be appropriately "am-
basted' by It's opponents. One OF the
funniest things about the discussion OF
the bill is that nearly all OF the speech
es made upon IL have been against II.
Senator Frye made an argument I'm it's
favor which did not. in either private
or public opinion. help his reputation
as statesman or an orator. Senator
Hanna made an effort TO startIe the
country In It's defense. but his effort. I'm
the Judgment OF all competent critics,
fell far short OF demonstration and
was, indeed, considered lame and halt
and weak. Senator Dcpcw made n
brilliant after dinner speech upon the
general subject. but barely touched at
all upon the specific features OF the
bill. Senator Perkins OF California
made very good speech. which ia
Vored 1t I'm general terms. but most of
which was devoted TO criticism of its
Objectionable features. especially the
provision allowing what he considered
too liberal admission OF foreign ships
to American registry.
Among those who have delivered
carefully prepared speeches against
II are Senator's Clay OF Georgia. Berry
of Arkansas Teller Of Colorado. Vest
of Missouri, Pettus OF Alabama. Mon
ey Of Mississippi. Bacon OF Georgia.
Jones of Arkansas. Allen OF Nebraska.
Rawlins OF Utah, Morgan OF Alabama
and Caffery OF Louisiana. These are
II speeches against the bill TO four In
favor of 1t, and one of the four in ia
yor of IL under much protest.
Every argument of the speakers In
favor of the bill was answered by
those against It. Besides those oppos-
ing il so riddled It with arguments and
criticisms, with facts and figures. with
premises and conclusions, that IL re-
mains with those who have heard or
read the debates but a battered pre-
tense and an unworthy sham. Its op-
ponents have challenged Its indOrsers
TO answer their arguments. but never
challenge has been accepted.
Those favoring the bill have attempt
ed TO force IL through under the party
lash. They have tried their best TO cut
Off debate upon II. They prepared II
in the privacy OF star chamber and
brought It forth with an insolent de-
mand for its prompt passage. They
dogmatically asserted that II would
build up the merchant marine and rev
olutlonize the foreign trade, and then
they began to abuse everybody who in
sisted upon fair debate upon It, call
Ing them fllibusters and obstructionists
and mossbacks and other things that
are not nice. The opponents have re-
piled by proving that the session did
not afford time enough TO properly
point out the Objectionable features OF
the bill. They have proved that II
was yiolatiyc OF the principles OF the
constitution; that It was drafted in the
interest OF a bakers dozen Of special
beneiiclaries who superlntended the
drafting; that 1t was totally unfair
even 90 all OF the shipping interests I'm
that II specially favored n few; that
under the present growing condition Of
the shipping business no necessity for
II exists; that lt has been planned. pre-.
pared and lobbied I'm a way calculated
TO utterly disgust an unbiased public;
that, In short, II Is the boldest bnldest,
most shameless and lnexcusable steal
that has shown its head in congress for
many years.
I'm the face OF arguments bringing
out facts such as these and challenges
repeated every hour OF the debate the
advocates Of the bill have retained
rhinoceros exterior and have simply de.
manded o vote. That they have not
obtained q vote IS small wonder
The night sessions adopted to force
vote proved n fzzlc. n farce. n bur
lesque. They did not bring forth n sin
gle speech on either side OF tho ques.
tion. They were taken UP in discuss.
ing rules OF procedure and the methods
adopted 90 force through n measure
which stood no chance 10 pass under
the regular course Of procedure. After
several nights OF this sort Of thing.
which disgusted senators and only
amused the galleries, the subsidy peo-
pie, with Characteristic cfTrOntery, as
sumcd n virtue in abandoning these
night sessions and pleaded most diplo-
matically with the opponents to agree
upon n time TO close the debate and
take vote. The opponents replied
that it would be time enough for this
when an attempt was made 20 answer
at least some Of the speeches ln which
they had shown that the bill was an at
tempted robbery Of the treasury for
the benefit Of n favored few No an.
'swer TO these challenges was forth.
coming
GAME Law Copies Of ihe game and
fsh laws Of West Virginia, compiled and
rrfvfoT tr r-..t i...f ...s..ft.