The age-herald., 1902-03-06
Makes Strong Argument Against
 the Proposed Measure
PRESENT SYSTEM IS AMPLE
Takes Sharp Issue With Senator Frye On Question of Navy Yards Be- ing Deprived Of Work.
 Will Vote Monday.

Washington, March 5-Tt appears likely now that the Senate will reach a vote on the pending shipping bill one week from next Monday. When MT. Frye, in charge Of the measure, endeavored today to se- cure an agreement for the time of taking a vote. that date was mentioned as being satisfactory to the minority members of the commerce committee
 MT Clay, Georgia, addressed the Sem ate in opposition to the bill, and had not concluded when the Senate adjourned He made forceful and interesting argument, which was given careful attention by his colleagues.
 Early in the session the Senate passed the legislative, executive and judicial ap- propriation bill. the second of the big supply measures to be acted on at this | session.
 MT. Clay began his speech by making 1t clear that he favors an ocean mail ser vice fully equal. if not superior, to the similar service of other nations. It should be obtained. however he argued, at a
 
 be connected with any subsidy scheme. The feature of the present bill. which car ried the largest appropriation was that relative to the betterment or the oceanic mall service by the establishment of a number of new lines. There was proposed an increased expenditure of three million dollars year, and yet there was nothing from the postal authorities to warrant the assumption that this was necessary or desired
 Present System Ample.
 The present foreign system he consid- cred ample and sufficient for present needs, but even If 1t should not prove to be fully so. the existing law gave war rant for any necessary increase. He depre- 1 cated a policy which had for its purpose a subsidy to ship-owners under the guise of mail pay.
 Senator Clay devoted the main portion of his argument. however to an attack upon the general subsidy feature of the bill which is separate from the ocean mail feature. He argued that the low rates given by foreign ships against which American ship owners complained. do not at all work to the injury of Amer ican exporters who get the benefit of | these low rates
 Ocean freight rates are the cheapest in our history and the result of these rates is seen in the great increase in Ameri- can exports.
 There were only three grounds on which l the supporters of this bill based their advocacy of a general subsidy. First, that 1t cost more to build ships in the United States than abroad; second, that the American wage scale Is higher and therefore the cost of operating ships un- der the American flag Is greater than un- der foreign flags: third. that foreign gov- ernments subsidize their merchant ma rine.
 Quoted Authorities.
 Senator Clay quoted a number of au- thorities to prove that with the better methods prevailing in the ship yards of this country, the cost of construction is no higher than abroad He contended that Americans can build Iron and steel ships as cheaply as they be built in any country in the world.
 With regard to the cost of operation. Senator Clay said that the American ship owners can and do obtain their la Dor at my pJ.,s Il vn,rh t..y touch.
 The American ship owners make use of the cheapest labor they can obtain. The provision for d certain percentages of the crew to be American will not necessarily result in any material increase in the cost of operation. although effort, he Sdlu. ls Hidut iO nave IL SO dpptdT.
 He argued that to plead for the subsidy on the ground that the Am erican labor ing man would be benefited by it was in sense warranted.
 Explains Foreign Subsidies. With regard to the claim that the American merchant marine must be sub | sdized because subsidies granted by l competing governments, Senator Clay 1 undertook to show that neither England | nor Germany gave any general subsidy to its merchant marine. Both governments l pay for ships which can be converted into l auxiliary cruisers but that is all. Great 1 Britains payment in this lAne was but | 900 year. He contended that there was no general subsidy of it's merchant | marine by either of the two governments which are the chief commercial rivals of the United States.
 Senator Clay compared the provisions of the present bill with that of the last Congress. which had been defeated by the active work of the minority. He re- called the estim ate of the commissioner of navigation upon which that former bill was based that it would require s. 100000 year to offset the averages en- Joyed by the foreign merchant marine and compared with that estimate the one from the same official. who now says that subsidy of S1,OO0000 a year will effect the same result. The enact ment of this bill would not result in any material increase in the number of ships flying the American flag.
 The senator concluded by declaring that In his opinion the bill is vicious in prin- ciple in that 1t is effort to aid private business through taxation of the people.
 Mail Service Not Recommended. In the course of his argument Mir Clay made the point that the postmaster-gen- , eral had not recommended in his reports any such changes in the ocean mail ser vice as was contemplated by the pending bill.
 Mir. Aldrich interrupted to inquire whether the foreign mails were carried in American vessels.
 'I think not" replied Mir. Clay The mail was getting through he said but he could not say how mucn .1as being carried by foreign and how much by, American steamships.
 MT. Harris, Kansas. inquired If thore were any provision in the pending meas
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