The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-16
SPOONER is AMONG THEM
Allison Also and Elkins Dsmns With
Faint Praise.
1T IS RAKED BY THE MINORITY REPORT
Even We're a Subsidy Needed it is Not Con-
S -s gress' Business to Take The Peoples
Money to Prop up Private
Interests.
(By the Associated Press.)


Washington, March 15.-Diferences of
opinion of the Republican side appeared
in the Senate debate on the Ship Subsidy
Bill today. Mr.. Allison, of Iowa, indi
Gated that he was not quite satisfied
with the measure, as it stands now, and
gave notice of amendments he proposed
to offer to it limiting the time of its
operation and limiting also, the amount
oof money annually to be paid from the
treasury on account of it,
He was followed by Mr.. Spooner, of
Wisconsin, who took exceptions to some
provisions of the measure. He was not
at all certain that the bill would accom-
plish the great results which its advo-
Gates claimed for it, and he urged that,
before it's enactment into law definite
information upon that point ought to be
furnished to Congress. He did not care
to vote for measure making an appro-
priation that not only would not accom-
plsh definite results, but which might
be simply a large largess to ship own-
ers He gave notice of an amendment,
which ne proposed to offer providing
that the bill. might be amended or re-
pealed by Congress without, however,
impairing any contract made under its
/ provisions. This amendment would be a
notice, he said, that the subsidy could
not be a safe foundation upon which to
/ build largely.
Earlier in the day Mr.. Teller, of Colo
RADIO, made a speech in opposition to
the measure, and was followed by Mr..
, Elkins, of West Virginia with a brief
address in support of it, although the
West Virginia Senator admitted that he
would much prefer the adoption of the
policy of discriminating duties.
Mr.. Bacon, (Georgial, gave notice of an
amendment which he proposed to offer
to the subsidy bill providing that no
contract under the bill shall be binding
upon the Government until it should
have been submitted to and approved by
Congress.
In the course of some remarks in sup
port of the amendment Mr.. Bacon urged
that the Postmaster General ought not
to be made responsible for the making
of such contracts. 1t was such dele
cation of authority by Congress as he
did not think would be approved by the
American people,
Discussing chiefly the general purpose
of the bill, Mr.. Bacon said that the word
Subsidy" had no terrors for him. If
bill to provide increased compensation
for mail lines between this country and
South America, for instance, were pend
ing before the Senate, he would support
it. He was opposed. however, to bonuses,
the effect of which would be to give COM
pensation to those who did not need it.
| Mr.. Bacon had inserted in his remarks
a table showing the exports of American
| products from the port of Boston for
| ten months-the object being to show
! that het bulk of those products was car
| ried in slow vessels, much in vessels
under 1000 tons burden. The vessels,
he contended would receive little or no
subsidy. Similar table were presented
| for the ports of Savannah, Galveston and
other places. Mr.. Bacon asserted,
| Therefore, that the subsidy would go to
few favored large class mail steam
ships, which did not carry the commerce
| of the country.
| Washington, D. c., March Ex-senator
| Berry, representing the minority report
! of the Senate Committee on Commerce
today presented their report i'll Opposi-
tion to the pending Ship Subsidy Bill.
Most Of tho points have been covered in
speeches in the Senate. The minority
deny the accuracy of both the predics
| tions and the facts in the majority re-
| port. They urge that the bill is wrong
| in principle aud declare that it will ut
I terly fail in the accomplishment Of its
| protested objects. They also say that
while it is not so complicated as the
subsidy bill of the Fifty sixth Congress-,
! it is in some respects even more opioE-
! tionabe The minority continue:
1.-The bill proposes to tax the whole
| people to the extent of several millions
| for the beEefit fone single industry.
Besides. the statistics of the last two
years prove that the ship building in
dustry does not need such special asf
sistance, lut is rapidly increasing under
natural conditions
They criticise the feature of the bill
which carries the subsidy for foreign
mails and SAYS:
"The highest rate of the subsidy is
given to twenty knot vessels, while the
fast ocean mails are really carried in
twenty three and twenty four knot yes
sells. The mail compensation to the slow
| Anne rican vessels, already too high, is
made immensely higher by this bill. We