New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-11
VEST AGAINST SUBSIDIES.
PROBABLY THE LAST SET SPEECH OF
MISSOURIS LITTLE GIANT"
IN THE SENATE

Washington March 1O-The principal feature Of
the Senate's proceedings to-day was the speech
made by Mr. Vest, of Missouri, against the Frye
Shipping bill The occurrence will probably prove
/ of historical interest il is believed that Mr.
Vest to-day delivered his set and long speech
! in the United States Senate. The Missolrian's
fourth term viii expire next March. and he Will
then retire from the Senate his volition
For four five years his health has been falling
until now he is mere shadow of his former self
He is gray and bent and withered, though his in
tellect still is as bright and virile it IN the
days When ne used to thrill the Senate and the
country with his elOquence Mr.. Vest is so
weak physically that he is compelled lean for
ward on his desk when he speaks. but his voice is
still fun CT melody ana his wit is quick and MIN
bic as II was when he had the jOusts with Ingalls,
OF Kansas, that brought them lasting renown as
the readiest debaters in the Senate in times
Mr.. Vest spoke more than two hours and both
sides of the chamber listened to him as closely as
or old. He went over the ground he has covered
SO often on this subject. and at the close Of his
speech was warmly congratulated by his Demo
cratic colleagues. Many Republicans too who
differ from him widely on the great principles in
voved Joined the Democrats in seicitating him on
his effort Mr.. Vests performance was all the
more noteworthy because of his weakened physical
condition, many of his friends fearing that he
would be compelled to resume his seat before he
had reached the middle of his speech. But the
eXertion did not draw as heavily on his
strength generally feared and when he
closed he was helped from the Senate Chamber by
his faithful old friend and assistant secretary
Colonel James Edwards. whose hgure is nearly as
familiar in the Senate wing of the Capitol as is
that of Missouris Little Giant" When Senator
Vest retres from the Senate the last survivor ex
cept one Of the old line of Southern orators who
came to the upper house of Congress in the exciting
days Of reconstruction will have passed from the
public stage. This one exception is Mr. Morgan
Of Alabama. Mr.. Morgan is somewhat older than
MI vest but is still in robust health. although he
has lost much or the fire and eloquence that
formerly characterized his speeches.
POINTS OF MR. VESTS ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Vest compared the bill in its details with the
postal subsidy act of 1891 saying that in the pend
ing bill it proposed TO increase the subsidy be-
cause 1t was asserted BY the majority that the
present postal subsidies were not sufficient to
achieve the results hoped for from the pending bill
lie declared that IS per cent of the subsidy which
would be received by ships on the Atlantic would
go to the International Navigation Company-the
American Line The bill, he said would take
money out OF the Treasury of the United States
without giving anything Of value in return. The
vessels would get the subsidies whether they car
ried a single postal card or not. The peoples
money ought not TO be paid out to individuals or
corporations any such hypothesis as that sug-
gested He said that Mr.. Frye and Mr.. Hanna
had presented roseate pictures of the additional
commerce which the United States would acquire
through the operations OF the bill. asserting that
trade would follow the mails As a matter OF fact
he declared. the mails followed the trade; that had
been proved by the history of the world
The pending bill, he said. provided for a pure
naked and unadulterated subsidy and it de-
Tended the ground that with the subsidy the
American merchant marine could compete with the
subsidized ships of European maritime powers He
denied. "emphaucally and distinctly, that such
would be the e, result Eagand he asserted ed had g
i an 81 b Sf 5000 id sl 90 ~ CT p ~T
sells declaring that Great Britain paid the steam
Most OF EneI3 and oceSE comerce VI Wa i carried b
q
was paid to OF them. The only real subsidy
10000 year the owners OF certain vessels
which could be called into use as auxiliary cruisers
In time of II they deemed necessary.
Mr.. Vest sharply criticised the provision looking
said he Gd n0t to 9 iG of e sms6F
Maine tMr Frye because ne proposed to take $40.
New Eneiand ought 10 be SATISFIED with the LEGS
books. He also criticised the majority OF the
the provision which required a subsidized ship TO
carry at least 80 per cent Of her cargo capacity
any voyage for which she was TO receive subsidy
The majority. he explained. had held that the pro
had letter from George F. Eimunds read. taking
the ground that such provision was not constitu-
Mr.. Vest further along urged that II the ship
eason Why the farmng ndstry and the mimi
industry. too should not be subsidized. The Sen
his usual courage and frankness had said that
subsidy meant protection. And he might have
meant subsidy" The manufacturers OF this coun-
try, he declared, protected by tariff of
per cent against the pauper labor OF Europe, and
yet they sent their products 10 these very pauper
labor countries and sold them from 20 to 80 per
cent lower than they sold them TO our own people.
ATTACKS THE NAVIGATION LAWS
Mr.. Vest maintained that ships could be built In
this country cheaply they could be built any
where. and that the contention of the majority TO
the contrary was not well founded. He made
vigorous attack the Navigation laws OF the
United States. declaring ths they were responsible
for the decline of the merchant marine. They en-
even China had thrown aside. They had weighed
down the merchant marine until IL amounted praC-
uCally 10 nothing. The remedy abrOEate
the navigation laws and permit citizens of the
United States TO buy their ships where they could
buy them cheapest. No subsidy would enable them
party should regain power ship subsidy would
be permitted to remain the statute books. II
this subsidy Is given he asserted il will be the
ginning OF the end and will result IN a monopoly
equal to that Of the Standard Oil Company He
did not make any peSsimistic prophecy, but he was
sure that the dream of revivifed shipping painted
in such gaudN coorS never Will be realized.
Mr.. Vest closed by saying that he hoped for the
time when the glory and power of the United
States Will be greater than that of any other
pie earth. But II Will not come" he said
from unequal and unjust discrimina ton in favor
OF. one interest against all others"
Mr. Tillman of South Carolina. followed with
brief speech in opposition TO the bill He denounced
the policy Of giving subsidies 70 anybody par
tcularly to individuals and corpora tons engaged
in forming shipping trusts
The Senate passed a number Of bills on the calen-
dar 10 which there was no objection