The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-03-13
WATCH THE PIRATES.

This is the time when many senators
will be undone and the ships subsidy
job is the means to that end. 1t is now
unfinished business before the senate
and the occasion is one to prove the
integrity of senatorial character. 1t IS
inconceivable that any legislator should
sanction the knavish plot, but with
congressman so blinded to the principles
of right that a trust fostering tariff is
permitted to stand, any steal is possible.
The measure is not SO thoroughly
vicious as the one whose character was
SO evil that its withdrawal was a reluc-
Can't necessity, yet is brazenly piratical
nevertheless. In the new bill Amer
ican registry is not provided for foreign
ships owned by Americans. If this
means that j. p. Morgan, who has been
buying a considerable portion of the
British merchant marine, is not to share
inthe bounty, it is possible the measure
will not receive the hearty support of
that distinguished fhancier ana ship
owner. Morgan is not a man who can
be excluded from the .'ground floor"
with impunity. But that it will turn
out to be harmonious to his interests is
a foregone conclusion. The bill provides
that on vessel receiving subsidy at
least one-fourth Of the crew must be
Americans. This may be important,
but 1t is not plain how. This bill will
be good thing for American capitalists
who have invested their wealth in Ships
1t is difficult to see how it will help the
agricultural or manufacturing interests
Of this country. What they need is
competition in the ocean transportation
business. As long as this continues
they will be sure of reasonable freight
rates upon the products of American,
farms and factories which are shipped
to Europe. A subsidy for American
vessels which would eliminate foreign
competition might ultimately lead to
the formation of an ocean transporta-
tion trust which would haye shippers at
its mercy.
The new measure is generous in one
regard: Provision is made that the
repeal or amendment of the bill remains
within the power of congress at all
times. The existing postal subsidies
are to be increased SO that all ships
engaged in foreign trade shall receive
from the government one cent per regis
tered ton for each 100 miles travelled.
All speed premiums are withdrawn,
probably in hope Of conciliating Senator
Aldrich and other leading republicans
who had declared that they would sup
port no bill that Disseminated in favor
Of fast ships as against vessels that,
carried freight mainly.
The new bill is quite as exclusive in
regard to foreign built ships as the
former bill was. Senator Frye and his
associates believe that the amendments
they have made in their hobby have
improved its chances greatly and hope
to pass it at the present session. But
impartial observers are still confident
thatit will be defeated. The principle
OF ship subsidies is retained in modified
but still vicious form. 1t is the princi-
pie of the few, and is therefore antagon-
istic to the principles of our government,
and odions to the great majority of the
people. The subsidists have been routed
from their former stand and they will
be beaten again or the land will be
dotted with the graves of congressional
hopes decayed.