The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-04
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
MIR. FRYE URGES MEASURE ON THE
SENATE.
AMERICAN SHIPS NEEDED.
THE REPUBLICAN VIEW STRONGLY
PRESENTED.

which Has Not Received the Bene-
fits of the Protection Policy and
Hence Our Lack of Ships-Practi-
cnlly All Fast Steamships of Other
Nations Are Observation-Disclosures
ages of DistriburfuE American
Products in American Ships.
Washington, March S.-The Senate
began to-day consideration of what is
popularity known as the shipping bill
Mr.. Frye of Maine. chairman of the
Committee on Commerce, made the
opening statement in support of the
bill. He occupied the floor for nearly
two hours, reviewing the measure re-
ported by the Committee and dealing
with questions which have arisen in
connection with its consideration
Mr.. F'rye's address was largely tech
meal, but his argument was listened
to with close attention by senators on
both sides of the chamber.
1t seemed to him. he said that the
policy of protection had been vastly
beneficial to the American people The
United States, he asserted, had no
peer industriaily. Only one industry
had been without protection--and
without protection for fifty years-and
with the logical result. The shipping
interests of the country had been neg
lected in the giving of protection This
country had permitted its interiors to
seize upon the pathways of ocean
commerce almost without a struggle.
1T seems to me- said Mr. Frye,
that that picture ought to humiliate
and mortify beyond expression any
patriotic citizen of the United States
who glories in the power and pros
perity of his country. 1t is not alone
humlliating-it is absolutely danger
GUS"
Mr.. Frye asked who was going to
carry the $4S7 900 of exports in the
event of a war between Germany and
Great Britain. Why" he said, the
farmers and the manufacturers and
the wIage-earners of the United States
would pay "a penalty equal to that
! paid by either of the contending par
| ties.
| Mr.. Frye then sought to show that
| this condition of things was caused by
| American wages, which increased the
| cost of our ships for the foreign trade
| at least 25 per cent.
MIR. Frye declared that OF all steam
| ships in the world of ii knots and up
ward, so per cent. are subsidized by
the countries whose flag they carry.
OF 16 knots and upward, he said, all
but six in the world are heavily subsi-
died by the countries whose flags
they float.
Are we to submit to this humiliat-
ing, wretched condition of things %
asked Mr.. Frye
The nations paying these subsidies,
he declared, did so for the purpose OF
extending their trade and for nothing
else. Trade cannot precede the
mail" he said. The mail must pre-
cede the trade"
Why We Need American Ships.
MIR. Frye commended that there is not
nation on this earth that needs mar
7 kets for its surplus products more
than the United States. An American
ship, handled by intelligent, active,
earnest and interested American Off
GERS, he said, is a better instrument
for the distribution of our products
abroad than a German ship, differed
with Germans, Germany being a dan
gerous rival of the United States MIR.
Frye declared that free ships, for
which some senators were contending
would mean an increase in cost of 20
per cent. more than they do now and
would close every shipyard in the
United States against building any
ship for foreign trade. He said that
bounties had been suggested, but these
were repugnant to the constitution
and violation of thirty-four CONNER
cial treaties with different nations Of
the world Now these nations are
to-day looking jealousy at u.s. said
Mr.. Frye, land it is said that they
are studying the problem as to how
they can stop us from getting into
these foreign markets"
To abrogate these treaties, he said
would only serve as an excuse for re-
taliation. He said that the only way
to accomplish anything in the direc-
ton indicated by him would be to pay
from the treasury of the United States
annually a sum of money which shall
be equal to the difference between the
operating and carrying on of the trade
in foreign ships and that carried in our
own. The Republican party had stood
by that idea Of protection and encour-
agement ever since 1t had been a party
in power, and that party, he insisted.
could not excuse itself from leaving an
industry as important as this entirely
unprotected.
Mr. Frye said that in two years the
enactment of the pending bill would
increase the expenditure in American
ship yards $40,000,000. In addition the
mail subsidies, amounting now to near
ly $4,000 a year, would act as an
offset to the amount of about Sc 600. 900
paid in subsidies to American shipping.
BacOn's Pertinent Inquiries.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Frye's
statement Mr.. Bacon of Georgia inquir-
ed as to the condition of business in
American ship yards. Was it true that
they We're full of orders?
ut is not true" replied Mr.. Frye
Mr. Bacon asked If Mr.. Frye had not
noted in the newspapers the glowing
accounts of the work being done in
American ship yards.
Mr. Frye replied that he had seen q
paragraph to the effect that Mr.. Fur
ness of Great Britain had made a con-
tract recently for the construction Of
eight steamships in American yards.
The fact was that the contract had
been made for the construction of the
eight steamships in Great Britain
In response to an inquiry by Mr
Clay of Georgia, Mr.. Frye said there
was no law now which required that
Americans should be employed upon
American ships. The pending bill, he
said. provided that during the first year
one-fourth Of the crews Of American
vessels should be citizens Of the Unit
ed States, the second year one third
and the third year, one-half.
Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Bacon both insist
ed that the crews of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company were largely Chi
nese, and the former read the testi-