The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-12
VEST ARRAGAs SHIP SUBSIDY.

A Strong and unansWerabIe Ar
gument Against the Scheme.
Washington, March 1o.-For nearly
two hours today MT. Vest of Missouri
addressed the senate in opposition to
the pending ship subsidy bill. No
member Of the body has been accorded
more hatteringly close attention than
he received. Despite his evident
feeblenesss he spoke with force and fire
and at times became brilliantly elo-z
quent. He carefully analyzed the
pending measure and marshaled his
aguments against it with cogency and
effect.
Mr. Til1man Of South Carolina fol-
lowed with brief speech in opposi
tion to the bill.He denounced the
policy of giving subsidies to anybody,
particularly to individuals and cor
porations engaged in the formation OF
shipping trusts.
f The Missouri senator declared that
73 per cent. Of the proposed subsidy
which would be received BY ships on
the Atlantic would go stoa single line
the international Navigation com
pany-the American line. It was in
this respect open to the same objec
ton as the bill presented to the last
congress. The vessels would get the
subsidies whether they carried a sin
gle postal card orrot. s5ssSs3ii
He declared that the pending bill
provided fora pure, naked and u1-
adnNerated subsidy and said 1T was
defended on the ground that with thes
subsidy, the American merchant
marine could with the sub
sidized ships Of European powers.
He denied semph aticauy and distinct
ly'' that such would be the result
Of the bills operation. ngland, heE
asserted, had So per cent. Of the ocean
carrying trade of the world, but he
denied that England paid subsldiesto to-
her vessels. Most Of England ocean
commerce was carried by her tramp
steamers. They were to be found I'm
every port and came into competition
with each other, but not q penny OF
subsidy was paid to any Of them.
In adverting briefly to the operation
Of the Dingley tariff law, Mr.. Vest
spoke of the lumber schedule.
MI. Hanna interrupted to inquire
how many Democratic senators had
voted for a tax Of 50 thousand feet
upon lumber when the Ding1ey bid
was before the senate.
Mr.. Vest replied that he coQld not
tell. He did not, he knew. The
fact that any Democratic senator did
vote for Indicated only the force Of
tariff combinations.
Mr.. Tillman Of South Carolina in
teriected the remark that he had
voted for the 50 tax on lumber, al
though be knew it was steal, and
had so stated at the time. He had
voted for it, however, because bespro-
posed to get out Of the tariff bill az
Share for his State and that vas the
only way South Carolina could get
anything.
Mr. Vest criticised the aioriity Of
the commerce committee for elimi-
mating from this bill the provision
which required:a subsidized ship tos
carry at least so per cent. of her cargo
capacity upon any voyage upon WhIcn
she waste receive subsidy
Mt. Vest urged that if the ship
ping trusts were to be subsidized
there was no reason why the farming
industry and the mining industry,
too, should not be subsidized.
Mt. Vest maintained that ships
could be built in this country as
cheaply as they would be built any.
where. The shipyardss the United
States never were more fully employed
than they now were and had beensfor
several years. sssss
He made an attack upon the naviga
ton laws Of the United States, declar-
ing that they were responsib bic for the
decline Of the merchant marine: The
remedy was to abrogate thesnavigatlon
laws and permit ci tizens of the United
States to buy their ships where they
could buy them cheapest.
Mr.. Vest said if this subsidy IssS
given it will be but the beginning OF.
the end and will result in a monopoly.
equal to that of the Standard Oia
company.