The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-22
SHIP SUBSIDY STEAL.
A Summary of Bill as Reported:
Democratic Members of Com
nlittee Vote Against 1t.


Washington, Jan. 17.-The senate
committee on commerce today author
ized favorable report upon Senator
Frye,s ship subsidy bill. The report
viii be made by Senator Frye.
phe Democratic members OF the
committee voted against reporting the
hill They also voted solidly for a
motion offered by Senator Mallory TO
striI1e ont the general subsidy provis-
ION of the bill. The committee made
several amendments to the Dill. Inc
most important were:
Allowing mail carrying vessels IN,
der the bill to be either. IRON OF steel
instead of steel only, as originally pro-
vided. and another reducing to one
thousand gross registered tons the YES
sels receiving bounty under the bill.
Senator Frve furnished the follow
INC summary of the report:
ssThe establishment of this complete
American ocean mail service, lnvolV-
ing much shipbuilding, viii require
several wears. twill render the Unit
cd States as Independent of foreign
nowers for its mail service as is Great
Britain. The cost of the American
ea-y;oe nv American mail steamers
viii be 81, 100000.
Receipts from ocean postage oy the
United States. are now estimated at
The The annual deficit under the new
American system proposed, lncluoIng
minor services, Will be about 81, GOO,
100. The annual deficit under the
British colonial system is 81, lSS, OOO.
sssThe postal subsidy provisions
enable the postmaster general to estaD-
ilsh an American ocean mai! system
snnerior to. the systems OF Great
Britain, France and Germany.
The American ocean mail system
outlined contemplates on the Pacific
Wegklv mail service to Hawaii, the
Philippines, Japan, China ana hong
knog, and a fortnightly service TO
Pago-Pago. New Zealand, Aus5ral1a. all
The maximum cost would be 81, 33o,-
TX sson the Atlantic the bill contem-
mates semi weekly mail service to
Jamaica. Habana and Europe, weekly
to Mexico. Fonee in 10 days to Venezuela
and fortnightly to Brazil at maxi
mnm cost Of 81, ,365, COO. -
1T will gixe the United States Y
auxilIiary merchant cruisers compared
with Great Britain's 80.
The second part of the report deals
with the general subsidy to all Amer,
can vessels, steam and SAIL except mall
steamers. It quotes President Roose-
velt's message, showing tnas 1ne COSY @
of building American ships is greater
than abroad, that American wages on
ship board, is higher, and that the
government should remedy the IN
9uslities. Discriminating duties. ex-
bort bounties and subsidies based, on
eyDort cargoes are in violation OF our
International obligations, SO direct
snbsidies is the only practical
method. The susbidy proposed is not
= naked bounty, for it is based on pub
lie service to be rendered in return.
6. Americans have absolutely free
trade in foreign ships, SO no ship
builders trust is possible under Sne
bill. Ship builders can import now
free of duty materials foT snlps 1or
foreign trade, so no combInat!on, TO
raise prices of material is practicable.
.sThe average cost of building ocean
steamers, mainly for cargo IS SlO2 per
ton in the United States and Sl6 IN
Great Britain. Average wages on
oeean steamers mainly fer cargo are
American S;36: British s26: German and
Scandinavian SIT. The general sub
s;dies proposed equalize American and
ecro;-- c.octS on these bases.