The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-21
WHAT THE SUBSIDY BILL WILL
NOT DO.

AS was confidently counted upon by
the Hanna gang the looting subsidy
shipping bill passed the republican
senate by eleven majority. McLaurin.
the new republican convert, deserted
the south and it's interests and went
with the men Of spells and plumber.
Six republicans were too honest to sup
port the outrage. What a body 1t is
that in broad day with the eyes Of 49,
1000. goo of people looking at them, can
deliberately, wickedly vote for a scheme
that has not a vistige of honesty or
Justice in it. OF all grab games this
Hanna and Frye ]concoction is the
most offensive and i~ndefensible. 1t has
been riddled in newspapers and in the
congress. but what of it? The guilty
fellows shut eyes and ears and make
the leap we hope will prove fatal to the
last one of them. They are political
I~reprobates and outcasts and deserve
the eternal stigma of an offended peo-
pie One republican senator, Spooner,
lof Wisconsin, had grace enough to say:
Tin my opinion the subsidy is a gift.
1 do not feel at all satisfied with the
bill" Mr.. Allison, Of Iowa. another re-
publican senator of prominence, init
Imated in the course of the discussion
that the bill is a makeshift with OBJ
liectionable features. But this made no
difference. The republican senators
save six, went for the bill, which is in
decd a robbery. Are there any really
just and honest men among the MAORI
ty. They are very blinded now if there
are any. How any man not a born
rascal or a deliberate political shyster
and gambler can vote away the mon
eys of the people to such a combination
iof raiders n s~hip-owners passes all
understanding. The Baltimore Sun
coolly says:
THE professed objects of the ship
bill are to provide for ocean
mail service between the United States
and foreign ports and the common de-
Tense; to promote and r en-
courage deep-sea fisheries There is no
treason to believe that the proposed leg
l~islation will accomplish these commend
able objects. On the contrary, the SUBJ
sidy seems to be intended simply as a
Igratuity to s~hipowners to aid them to
Ni4 vi NAASAA ! oN0AAANS 80 S-S l
expense Of the people Of the United
IStateS." |
That is precisely what the bill means, |
and for what it was planned and intor-
Iduced. The bill proposes to give far
more to the ship fellows than either
Germany or Great Britain gives for
transportation of mails. No gain will
come to the United States for the ap-
preparation made in the bill, but it is
nearly a free gift to interested parties
with no returning compensation. The
Baltimore Sun presents the facts in
this wise:
THE subsidy bill proposes to in
crease the expenditure of the United
Estates by 81, 600, 600 a year. without a
corresponding enlargement and i'm
iprovement of the service. The extra
amount will be a bonus. pure and SIM
pie. The existing service is paid for at
Iexorbitant rates. The subsidy bill pro-
poses to make the rate still more exor-
bitant. That is one way the measure
provides bounties out Of the national
Treasury for s~hipownerS. The other
way is through a general subsidy, as
follows: After July 1. 1902, the secre-
tary Of the treasury is directed to pay
to the owners Of n vessel or the
united states uuly lCSiSlSiSo "
american citizen and at the time of en-
try engaged in the foreign trade OF the
limited States / cent per gross register
led ton for each nautical mile sailed.
lShips built after the passage OF the
lact are to receive IA cents per register
led ton for a period Of five years. The
lsubsidy is to be paid to both steam and
Isailing vessels on each entry not eX-
iceeding sixteen entries in a single
Year
We have received the able and con-
Iclusive speech of Senator Clay. OF
Georgia, but have not as yet given 1t
1.-THE attention it's merits require. He
knocked the bottom out Of the spurious
Iplans of the conspirators and showed
THAT the bill would not increase our
merchant marine as the vessels Of 9TH
Ter countries may share in the benefits
of the provisions. He contended that
lin the bill there was nothing that real
lily promised to encourage ship bcildins
lin our own country. The bill allows sea-
linen OF other lands to be employed AS
Regards the wages paid on American
vessels Mr.. Clay showed that under the
revised statutes the American owners
lof vessels engaged in the foreign trad
lean hire seamen in any port out Of the
limited States. They are permitted to
lemploy the cheapest labor in Europe
land Asia and have awaited themselves
of the privilege. They engage h iden-