The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-30
Vigorous speech by Mr.. Turner I'm OPP
position to "LavvIess, Pirntical
Raid ON the Public Treasury"
DENOUNCED AS EXTRAvAGANT
WILL COST THE PEOPLE, ACCORDING
TO MIR. TURNER, $27O,OOO,OOO.
Washington's Senator Bitter Against
.This Atrocious and VfIIafnous
COncOction"-HOuse Debate.

WASHINGTON. Jan. Ex-senator Frye
gave notice in the Senate to-day that he
intended to keep the shipping bill to the
front, even as against appropriation bills,
not yielding to them without vote Of the
Senate. 1t indicated disposition on the
part of the Senate leaders to force to an
early issue the question whether the ship
ping bill Is going to pass at this session.
Senator Turner, of Washington. spoke to-
day in severe arraingment of the bill, de-
clering it to be 'lawless. piratical raid
on the public treasury" in the interest of a
few private beneficiaries and committing
the government to expenditures aggregat-
ing $40 1000. Before the session closed
the committee amendments were informal
ly agreed to.
Mr.. Turner said the bill was of the
most extraordinary measures ever brought
before Congress. 1t was vicious In prin-
ciple and absurd in the extravaganza to
which 1t proceeded. 1t had been devised
by select committee of private parties.
aided by distinguished counsel. with less
consideration of the public welfare than
of the private interests concerned. He did
not, he said. impugn the motives of those
in Congress advocating the bill, but he con-
sidered the measure a striking instance of
the strictly business policy of the party
in power and its readiness to listen to any
project in behalf of wealth as against the
interests of The people.
Mr.. Turner said he had been appealed to
to support the bill on the ground that it
would help his State. But he declared it
was not calculated to benefit any commun-
ity, but rather to enrich few private in
dividuals. He maintained also that the bill
was paternalism carried to an extreme. 1t
was one-quarter government paternalism
and three-quarters a ''lawless, piratical
raid the public treasury"
The only consideration given to the farm
ers by this BILL Mr.. Turner said. was for
the purpose of providing a sauce to force
this "atrocious and villainous concoction
down the throats of the American people" Z"
He declared that the subsidy bill would
commit the government to expenditures
aggregating s270,O00,O00. This, he said, was
a mere gift to favored industry, and he
predicted that the time would soon come
when the ship owners of the United States
could build their own ships independently
of government aid. He predicted that much
of such legislation this would work the
ruin of the Republican party. Mr. Turner
contended that, contrary to the popular
belief, the subsidies provided for by the
bill were to continue for thirty years. He
had been surprised, he said. to learn that
the subsidies were to continue for a longer
tod thoy
that popular opinion had accepted the
shorter period as the correct one.
Mr. Frye reminded Mr.. Turner that there
is pending an amendment TO the bill limit
ing the payment on existing ships to ten
years.
Mr.. Turner asserted that we already have
or very soon will have sufficient tonnage
to absorb $11, ,756, ,349 under the bill IL that
amount were allowed. This, he said, dem
onstrated that the full 100000 allowed
annually for subsidies would be required
from the beginning. He declared that un-
der the provisions of the bill the Ameri-
can line would receive s2,lSS,5Os, or almost
one-quarter of the entire amount to be
paid out annually.
Mr.. Frye said the committee on COM
merce had reported amendments which pro-
hibited the company from bringing in more
than six foreign ships.
WILL RETARD SHIPBUILDING.
Continuing Mr.. Turner said the treasury
doors should be padlocked and guarded by
Gatling guns when the American line pre-
pared TO make a raid upon the Nations $
vaults. Mr.. Turner said all the world out
side of the United States pays less than
$40, ,oO0 600 annually in the way of ship SUBJ
sides. This country was preparing to pay
almost half as much when it is admitted
that our tonnage is not e-hundredth part
of the tonnage of the world. He argued
that outside of the vicious principle of the
bill the greatest objection to the
bill is found in the fact that 1t will retard
instead OF advance American shipbuilding.
The result of such legislation would be
that shipowners would build ships for
foreigners far more cheaply than they
would build American vessels. He as
serted that the proposed subsidy would
amount TO more than 101z per cent. on
the capital invested in shipping. The ship
division of this bonus with the ship
builders.
He concluded at $50, whereupon Mr. Frye
took the floor with request for action on
the amendments suggested by the COM
mittee on, commerce. Mr.. Frye said his
only purpose at this time in requesting ac-
ton on the amendments was to get THE
bill in perfect shape and that there was no
idea of preventing opportunity to senator's
TO offer other amendments The amend
ments heretofore suggested were then
formally agreed to.
Mr.. Perkins took exception to the pro-
vision OF the bill limiting the amount of
subsidy TO go TO ships built on the Pacific
coast to 30 per cent. Of the whole amount