The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-25
PUTS IN A KNOCK
ION, IS OPPOSED TO SHIP
SUBSIDY BILL
HE FAVORs IsTHMIAN CANAL
Opinion on the Coast Is Divided, hHt
the Great Majority of the
People Want to See
1t Built

Senator John Turner and wife Of Wash
ington, passed through st. Paul yester
day on their way from their home to the
capital Senator Turner has been on the
coast a short time on private affairs, and
is now hurrying back as fast as he can
to the seat of war. He says that the
people on the coast are of the opinion
that the ship subsidy bill is a fraud and
that the shipping interests Of the north
western ports can get along very well
without any government aid. The people
on the coast, according to the senator,
are in favor OF the Isthmian canal. and
very much in favor Of the re-enactment
of the Chinese exclusion act.
When seen by the C ] . b representa-
tive yesterday Senator Turner said: u
have found that the people shat I repre-
sent are opposed to the ship subsidy bill
in any shape. A great many people think
that because there is a great amount of
shipping done from the coast that the
people there should be in favor Of this
bill. The fact is that only a few Of the
fast liners that carry the mails would be
benefited by the bill. The remainder Of
the shippers think that it is a fraud pure
and simple. The fast boats are in a de-
cided minority. but if the bill were 70
pass, they would get the great majority
of the money Our ship yards have all
the work on hand that they can attend
to now, and naturally the men at the
head Of these can see no good reason for
a subsidy, and as my constituents are
against the measure am opposed to it.
I'm regard to the canal I have found
that there is a division Of opinion al
though the larger number by far are in
favor of it,
'"1'here are sc-me people en- the coast
who believe that the construction of this
canal will tend to lessen the natural ad-
vantages the Pacific coast has for the
Oriental trade, and for this reason they
are not in favor of it. On the other hand
there are many more who see that BY its
construction there will be a short water
haul to the ports of Europe that will
offset any weakening Of the Pacific coast 8
commercial position. With the canal the
lumbermen can save 81 a thousand on
their lumber which they ship to England
and the farmers can save 10 cents on
each bushel Of wheat.
Canal would Help Farmers.
I'm the western part Of the state we
raise large crops Of wheat, and although
it is not as hard as that raised in the
Dakotas and Minnesota, it is sufficiently
hard to make excellent wheat to mix with
the harder cereals and it derives its value
from this fact. We are now raising from
30 million to 40 million bushel of wheat
each year, ana the greater part OF LnlS l.
shipped by water Bearing this idea In
mind it is easy to see what a saving the
canal would be to the farmers Of the
coast. Then again when one stops to
consider what a saving Of 81 for every
thousand feet Of lumber that is shipped
would amount to in year, the necessity
for its construction becomes obvious.
Il think that the bill that is now be-
fore the senate will be passed. 1t passed
the house with but three dissenting votes
and as far as ] can learn there is no
opposition to it in the senate. 1t has been
pronounced entirely feasible by the
investigating committee and I can see no
reason why the senators should not vote
in favor Of it.
THE legislation that we on the coast
want most is the Chinese exclusion act
1t is needless to say that every business
and wOrkingman Of that section of the
country is much in favor Of the re-enact-
ment of the law which will help out
Oriental laborers from competing with
the American Iaboring men. The "Paci-
fic coast bill'' which is now before con-
gress has the approval of all, and it is
the earnest desire of every one that such
a measure be passed"
Senator Turner left for Washington. d.
c., last night.