The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-24
SHIPPING BILL
In THE SENATE
Restored to Its Former
Privileged Position.
VESTS FINE SPEECH.
Made Vigorous Attack on the Nayi-
CATION Laws.
SUBSIDY Is MAKING ROBBERY.
PART of the Protective Policy OF the
Republican Party, " hi II MI
Vest Declared Was Drunk With
Victory, and Mould Stop at
Nothing = Legislative
Bill Passed.
SUBSIDY Is MAKING ROBBERY.
(Br Associated Prcss.)

(By Associated Prcss.)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2a-Considera-
ton of the shipping bill was resumed
this afternoon by the Senate. 1t was
made the unfinished business, thus re
storing it to it's privileged position.
Mr.. Vest, of Missouri, took the floor
Immediately in a characteristic brilliant
forceful and interesting speech lasting
nearly three hours. He vigorously at
tackled the navigation laws of the United
States, holding they were responsible for
the decadence of the merchant marine of
America,
The blind chaplain, Mr.. Milburne, in
his opening invocation, referred beau
tifully and touchingly to the death of
Queen Victoria.
LEGISLATIVE BILL.
The legislative bill was then taken up.
The pending question was the amend
| ment Of Mr. Jones, of Arkansas. provid-
ing for the appointment of an associate
encouragement to represent govern
.nent in all matter of claims pending be-
fore Congress.
Mr.. Chandler opposed the amendment
and offered an amendment providing that
the assistant attorney-general should
have an office in the Capitol and an as
sistant, at a salary Of $500 per annum,
and be assigned two clerks. who should
assist him in the work OF his Office.
Mr.. RawIins, of Utah, discussed the sem
atorial situation in Utah He referred to
! newspaper statements that a deal had
been entered into between certain Repub-
licans and the Mormon Church 20 bring
about the election of Thomas Kearns.
Such a deal said Mr.. Rawlins, would
cast nfamy and disgrace upon the State.
Mr. Hale maintained that it was not fit
ting that the Senate should inquire into
senatorial contests in the various States
before an election was effected.
Mr.. Chandler withdrew his amendment
to Mr.. Jones amendment, and offered as
a substitute a provision enabling the Sec
retary of the Treasury and Secretary of
the Interior each to appoint d competent
lawyer to represent them before commit
tees of Congress, when requested by the
committees to do so, concerning claims
against the Government: salaries OF each
to be $1,000. The substitute amendment
| was agreed to without further debate.
The bill as amended then was passed.
FAVORED FREE SHIPS.
The shipping bill was proceeded with.
| Mr.. Vest, of Missouri, addressed the SEN
| ate in opposition 20 the measure and in
| favor OF free ships, which he has advo-
Gated consistently for years.
| AS a member of the Committee on COM
merce, he said, the pending measure had
i come really from Il committee Of promo
| tion composed OF twenty-five xgominent
! and intelligent men appointed by the
/ Junior Senator from Name (Mr. FryeD
The chairman OF this committee of pro-
notion said the Missouri Senator, lis
| ClSment a. Griscom, president of the
International Navigation Company. a
man of high character, of great intelIi-
! gence and of indefatigabIe energy. The
| company which he represents is by far
/ the largest beneficiary under this bill.
Not one member OF that committee
of promotion is in favor OF an American
| buying his ships where he can buy them
! cheapest and then sailing them under
the flag Of his country. Its member are
| unanimously in favor of the obsolete, in
| famous and outrageous navigation laws
of the United States, which are stain on
the statutes Of the United States, and
which for fifty years have been riding to
| death the merchant marine of this.
| country,
Mr.. Vest referred to the advocacy of
! the measure by Mr.. Eugene Chamberlain
| the present commissioner of navigation,
who he said had been appointed to his
/ L.
| signalized the assumption of his duties
| by his advocacy of free shipping. Now,
| he said Mr. Chamberlain was vigorously
| in favor of the subsidy legislation.
! He intilnated that this was the opinion
| of a man only who drifted with the cur
| rent.
NAKED ROBBERY.
| Mr. Vest said that our merchant marine
| had continued to decline since 1855. He
| i y Z n
| pending bill was one OF ''barkaric eX-
| clusion' He thought the President at
| large had done enough for the northeast
| country without contributing $lS0,OO0,oe0
to build up its industry.
Mr. Vest claimed that the bill is to
| build up auxiliary cruisers in time of war.
! He claimed that bounties are unconsti-
| tutional In his opinion to give sub
| s!dy to anybody was unjustifiable and un-
! constitutional, but to give it to great
| corpora tions was naked robbery unier the
guise of law.
| Mr. Vest said that the vessels OF what
! is known as the American Line (the In
| ternationaI Navigation Company, in the
course of the 20 years the subsidy was to
| run, would receive 81, 2,G0O,000 of the total
| which was TO be paid out. The Pacific
| Mail Steamship Company would be tile
| next beneficiary under the subsidy. Witt
| its present ships and the two vessels 1t
| was building now, it would receive Soo0, GEO
| year OF the subsidy.
STARVING CORPORATION.
1.-THE next poor emaciated starving cor
poration which will receive subsidy
| Under this bill,'' said Ar. Vest, sarcasti-
cally. rs the Standard Oil Company"
Uaugater)
He believed trust would be formed
for control of ALL this American shipping
"a trust that would get every dollar of
the subsidy.
Everything in the country is under a
trust said the Missouri Senator. from
the cradle to the grave.
| The Republicans, he asserted, dared
not raise the black flag against the trusts
! before the last campaign. and now In