Evening star., 1902-03-04

an increase in cost Of twenty-five per cent
more than they do now and would close
every shipyard in the United States
against building any ship for foreign trade
He said that bounties had been suggested
but theSowere repugnant to the Constitution
and violation of thirty-four commercial
treaties with different nations of the world
Now these nations are today looking jeal-
ously at u.s. said Mr.. Frye "and it is
said that they are studying the problem as
to how they can stop us from getting into
these foreign markets. To abrogate these
treaties, he said, would only serve as an
excuse for retaliation. He said that the
only way to accomplish anything in the
direction indicated by him would be to
pay from the treasury of the United States
annually sum of money which shall be
equal to the difference between the operat-
ing and carrying on of the trade in foreign
ships and that carried in our own. The
republican party had stood by that idea
of protection and encouragement ever since
1T had been a party in power and that
party, he insisted, could not excuse itself
from leaving an industry as important as
this entirely unprotected. The word sub
sidy,' he said, should not terrify any one
because it was only another name for pro-
lection. Mr.. Frye then took up the differ
ent amendments which had been made to
the bill and discussed them in detail, point
ing out the changes that had been made
in existing law in relation to the postal
service.
A Future Result.
Mr. Frye said that in two years the
enactment of the pending bill would in
crease the expenditure in American ship
yards s4o,O00,OOO In addition the mail sub
sides, amounting now to nearly s3OOO,OOO
a year, would act as an offset to the
amount of about s6,OO0,OOO paid in subsidies
to American shipping.
The bill, he thought, did not present a
very serious proposition to the Senate,
r. k1,1
construction of a battle ship costing 5,OOO =
O0O and pass river and harbor bill carry
ing $50 600 600 in few hours or days. He
pointed out that If. in any respect, the
measure worked BADLY it could be amended
or repealed outright.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Frye's state
ment Mr.. Bacon (Georgia) inquired as to
the condition Of business in American ship
yards. Was it true that they were full Of
orders?
..It is not true" replied Mr.. Frye.
Mr.. Bacon asked if Mr.. Frye had not
noted in the newspapers the glowing ac-
counts Of the work being done in American
Mr. Frye. replied that he had seen a par
agraph to the" effect that Mr.. Furness of
Great Britain had made a contract recent
ly for the construction of eight steamships
in American yards. The fact was that
the contract had been made for the con-
struction OF the eight steamships in Great
Britain. 81. q
In response % an inquiry by Mr.. Clay
(GeOrgia) MrSFFye said there was no law
now which reaaired that Americans should
be employed supon American Ships The
pending bill. he said, provided that dur
ing the f1rst year one-fourth of the crews
of American vessels should be citizens of
the Unitedsl States the second year one
third and thei third year one-half
Mr. Clay6ands Mr.. Bacon both insisted
that the crsws, aof the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company;:were largely Chinese, and
the former read the testimony Of the cap
tain of the steamship China Of the Pacific
Mail, showing that about two-thi of the
crew were Chinese.
The Senate then at Ais. on motion of
Mr.. Vest, went into executive session, and
at 4:30 p. m. adjourned.