The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-12
RECIPROCITY B0BS UP
Is the Sugar Trust to be Its Chief
Beneficiary?
HOUSE WONT DISCUSS THE QUESTION
Burleson Attacks Hay For Declining 10 Ask the
British Government For Passports For
Rev. Hiram Thomas and
His Wife.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, March 11.-For several
hours today the Senate had the Ship
Subsidy Bill under consideration. Mr..
Mallory, of Florida, made an extended
speech in opposition to the measure. lie
analyzed the bill carefully and held
that there was no good reason for it's
enactment into law, saying he believed
it would not accomplish the results
hoped for it by its promoters. His OPP
position was based chiefly on the ground
that it would extend the favor of the
United State sTreasury to private indi-
viduals and corporations without a just
return for the expenditure.
Prior to consideration Of the subsidy
measure, a lively debate occurred over
an effort on the part of Mr.. Berry. of
Arkansas, to ascertain when the Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections might be
expected to report to the Senate the
resolution providing for the election of
Senators by direct vote of the people.
Mr. Hoar, of Massachusetts, indicated
his vigorous opposition to such a reso-
luton, ON the ground that it would sub
vert the fundamental principle upon
which the Senate was founded.
Mr.. Burrows, chairman of the Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections, said
the committee would take action on the
resolution in time to get a vote on it at
this session. A number of Senators dis
cussed the subject.
Mr.. Mallcry said in its ultimate analy-
sis the Ship Subsidy Bill was a measure
to take the money of the tax payers to
build up the private business of indi-
viduals and corporations Referring to
Mr.. Frye's argument in support IF the
establishment of an auxiliary navy for
which the pending bill provides, he did
not believe there was sufficient justifi-
cation for the extraordinary expenditure
proposed by the bill. In the event of a
war between the United States and
Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia.
or any other great maritime power, this
country would find itself in very diff
ficult situation from that which it was in
during the Spanish war. The proposed
auxiliary cruisers would not be left to
scOur the seas, because it was the policy
of all the nations named now to build
war vessels which could easily Overtake
any one of the ships which by the pend
ing bill would become part of the naval
auxiliary fleet.
Mr.. Mallory contended that the propo-
sition to give subsidies to great carry
ing vessels would accomplish little in
aid of commerce, because a majority of
the ports of this country and in South
America We're so shallow that vessels of
draft greater than twenty three feet
could not enter them
After analyizing at length the provis-
ions of the measures, Mr.. Mallory de-
clared:
Congress never in its history passed
measure of this character. 1t has pass
ed many laws to advance private gain
under the pretense of public policy but
never one so absolutely bald and bold in
its advancement of private purposes as
this measure"
He felt Inundated, he said. every
time he visited the water front of his
city in teh fact that with the exception
of schooners and coasting vessels the
American flag is never seen upon a mast
in that harbor. He would go as far as
any Senator to put the American mer-
chant marine on footing of equality
with that of other nations, but he could
not endorse measure such as this
which was so at variance with every
principle of right and justice.
Mr.. Frye referred to the fact that it
had been claimed that the clause in sec
tion six of the Ship Subsidy Bill, which
directs payment to the owner or owners
of any vessel of the United States duly
registered by citizen of the United
States" would place under the provis-
ions of the bill the four ships that had
been admitted to an American register
He therefore submitted an amendment
which was adopted, making the clause
read Hereafter built and registered
in the United States or now duly reg
istered."