The sun., 1902-03-06
THE SUBSIDY BILL DISCUSSED.
SENATOR CLAY OF ALABAMA AR
CUES AGAINST IT.
lie Says II VIII Add 81 ,OOO, 900 to the Cost
Of Carrying the Foreign Wall
There Il Nothing In the Claim That
Higher Wages Are Paid on Our ships.

WASHINGTON, March 5.-After the rou-
tine morning business in the Senate, the
Legislative Executive and Judicial Appro-
priation bill was taken up. II appropri-
ates s25. 400 1876, an Increase of s315.52j over
the bill as passed 10y the House, and an in
crease of ssg5. .227 over the appropriation
bill for the current fiscal year. The bill
was passed.
MIR Clay Dem. Ga) then spoke in oppo-
sition to the Ship Subsidy bill. He said
that the mail service for the current fiscal
year would cost s., $40, 40 under contracts
made by the Postmaster-General,a and the
lines so contracted with could be main
tanned, he believed, for less rates than were
now paid But under the pending meas
ure the cost of carrying the mails would
be, he asserted. largely increased. He
did not believe that any political party
would. as a business proposition, pay the
prices fixed in the pending bill for foreign
mail service. Besides. there was evidently
an intention to join postal and general
subsidies in the same feature Of the bill.
He asserted that under the act Of 1891. the
foreign mail service was amply efficient
The Post General had not made a
recommendation for any such change as
was contemplated in the pending bill.
Mr.. Aldrich rep. X. }, asked Mr.. Clay
whether this foreign mail service was per-
formed by American vessels.
Il think not" Mr.. Clay replied, but We
are getting the mail through | am not
able TO say how much OF this foreign mail
was carried in foreign steamships and how
much in American, but that the mail is
carried | have not a doubt because the
Postmaster-Ci Cieneral himself says so in his
report The increased expenditure under
the pending bill will amount TO nearly
So 900. 900 year. and cannot be justified by
anv information thus far presented TO the
Committee on Commerce.
Mr. CLAW was asked by MIR. Burton Rep.
Eanl why il was, II American shipbuiding
wards could build ships as cheaply as Eng
lish or German yards, they did not have
sufficient work TO employ them.
1T can be demonst rated" Mr.. Clay re-
piled. that the shipvards OF the United
States have from three TO four years work
on hand The reason why our foreign
ocean trade has fallen OF is that the coast
ing trade is so enormously profitable that
shin owners coniine their investments TO
il and avoid the foreign trade, where they
have no such monopoly.
Mr.. CLAW compared the prices Of steel
and iron shipbuilding material in Eng
land and the United states. in the year
1891 he prices being less here than there,
and he asked Mr. Hanna whether he be-
lieved that statement. Mr. Hanna in
timated his assent.
Il am glad that you believe it, said Mr..
CLAW. "and," he added, that condition Of
things would have continued had il not
been for he organization of the Steel Trust. +"
As to the claim that larger rates of wages
had TO be paid on American ships than on
foreign ships, Mr.. Clay argued that there
was nothing in il, as four-fifths of the men
employed on American steamships are
taken on al Liverpool, Antwerp and Hong
Kong, just as the men employed on foreign
steamships are.
Without finishing his speech Mr.. Clay
yielded the floor. saying that he would
conclude tomorrow. The bill was then
laid aside as the unfinished business.
Mr.. Frye. In charge Of the bill, asked
whether an arrangement could not he made
for taking vote on it, Mr.. Berry Dem,
ArkD. a minority member Of the Com
mittee on Commerce, said that he had
conferred with the other minority men,
bers and that they we're willing 10 have
Monday Of the week after next fixed as
the time for voting.
Mr. Frve then asked unanimous con-
sent to that effect but on Mr.. Pettus (Dem.,
Ala suggesting that there were TOO few
Senators present TO bind the Senate and
that the question should go over for the
present. Mr.. Eyre said that he would with
hold the request till tomorrow.
The Senate then went into executive
session and afterward adjourned till to-