The Washington times., 1902-03-18

al OF the American Federation of Labor
/ and the International Seamen's Union.
| American labor had been driven from en-
ployment on ships on the Pacific coast by
Chinese labor. Chinese seamen, he said.
were paid from 81 to 50 per month. while
| American seamen had to- be paid from
| S25 to $50 per month.
| Mr. Money said it had been claimed that
the American people were losing $i6o, ,9Oo,-
/ coo a year because that amount was paid
| to foreign bottoms for carrying our COM
| merce AS fact the United States had
lost nothing, as it simply paid reason
able rate for services rendered.
A Gross Exaggeration.
Mr. Vest made some remarks explana-
tory of amendents of which he had given
notice He declared that the sum men
toned as being paid to foreign steamship
| lines for carrying American exports was
| a gross exaggeration. He would like to
see those exports carried by American
| ships, but he said our navigation laws
| have trampied the life out of the mer-
| chant marine of the United States.
| He asked Mr.. Frye TO tell the Senate
| before the debate was closed how 1t was
that Great Britain, which carried the bulk
| of the foreign trade of the world. paid
| higher wages to its seamen and higher
| prices for its ships than any other coun-
| try also why the English tramp ships
| dominated in that trade, while they had
never received any subsidy. not even in
| creased mail pay.
Mr.. Frye, iii response to Mr.. vest, sald
that eight years ago Great Britain was
| carrying So per cent of the commerce OF
| the world, and was today carrying only
| SO per cent So that she was losing the
| trade of the world. Norway has recently
| renewed its subsidy system, and now
there were discussions in English boards
Of trade as to what should be done in or
der to preserve the commerce between
England and Norway
Object Far Reaching.
Mr.. Hanna said that the object of those
who supported the bill was far-reaching
and applied to all ramiications of busi
ness.
He maintained that the ocean-carrying
| lines must be established where there
was a fair prospect of adequate returns
upon the investment. He insisted tha: 1t
! was loss to the American people to pay
| $50 GOO 600 or $500. .e00, ,0e0 for the carrying
| of our foreign commerce. for under just
laws perhaps so per cent OF that amount
| would remain in the hands OF Americans.
No other country iD the world he de-
| clared. except the United States, could
| stand such drain that. The Aneri-
| man merchant marine had gone down and
| down, until 1t cut sorry figure among
| the nations of the world.
In course OF reply to statements
made by Mr.. Hanna. Mr.. Clay declared
| that one cent per gross ton was all that
l
| between the cost OF construction and
| operation of America ships and the con-
| struction and operation of foreign ships.
| yet the present bill provided for a sub
| sidy of nearly three cents per gross ton
Mr. Wellington Advocates Bill.
Mr.. Wellington created some surprise
| by talking in favor of the bill. He was
against the subsidy bill last year. He
| argued in favor of the measure because
it was the duty Of Congress, he said, to
build up manufacturers, not at the *
| pense OF the farmer, who was the bottom
| rock of national greatness. but hand-in-
| hand with him; and then ii was its duty
| to encourage the building OF American
| ships to carry American products to mar
kets. He complimented Mr.. Frye rs the
| autl.or of the bill, and said that 1t was
"A measure on Whlcn tndt senator lulBDl
res. his fame after he left the Senate.
| Mr.. Berry while criticising Mr.. Gal
| linger's allusion to the "capacious and
| rapacious nav" of the Mississippi, also
| complimented Mr.. Frye for his fairness
| and libera!ity to ward the Southern States.
Mr.. Perkins replied to Mr.. Clsy's state
nlcnt that the four great ships of the
American Line carried no American farm
products. and asserted that last year they
did carry farm products to the amount of
$50. 900, 900. The bill was conceived in the
interest of the American people, and one
other industries being correspondingly
benefited, directly or indirectly.
The debate was continued by Mr.. Me
Laurin against the bill and by MIR. Scott
in favor of it, and was closed by Mr..
Frye, its author. He began by saying that
neither physically nor mentally was he
in any condition to make speech. In
trying TO avoid the Charybdis of smallpox
he had run into the Scylia of vaccination,
and which was the most painful he was
unable to determine. ILaughterl
Replies to Criticism.
He replied to n newspaper criticism
charging that the bill would favor fast
steamships, but would not benefit slow
ones, and asserted that, in his deliberate
judgment the subsidy provided for the
ordinary freight ship (outside of the pos
tai subsidy seryice) was as valuable to
them as the postal subsidy was valuable
to the great steamships.
Another criticism that he took up and