Evening star., 1902-03-04
THE SHIPPING BILL
SPEECH OF MR.. FRYE IN ITS
SUPPORT.
It Would Increase the American Carry
ing Trade and Make Markets for
Surplus Products.

In the Senate yesterday afternoon Mr..
Frye of Maine, chairman Of the committee
on commerce, occupied the floor for near
ly two hours reviewing the shipping bill.
The policy of protection, he said, which
had been applied to American industries
with such beneficent results had not been
applied to the shipping industry. The re-
suit Of this shortsighted policy had been
the decadence of the American merchant
marine and the consequent humiliation of
Americans engaged in the shipping indus
try. Mr.. Frye's address was largely tech
meal, but his argument was listened to with
close attention by senators on both sides
of the chamber. His speech was elo-
quent and forceful presentation of the
guments In support of the bill.
Mr.. Frye said the policy Of protection
had been vastly beneficial to the American
people. The United States, he asserted,
had no peer industrally. Only one indus
try had been without prOtection-and with
out protection for fifty years-and with the
logical result. The shipping interests of
the country had been neglected in the CIV
ing of protection. With sea coast bound
less, with enormous deposits of iron and
coal, with the most sagacious business
men in the world, with the advantage of
every natural resource upon the side of
the United States, this country had permit
ted it's interiors to seize upon the path
ways of ocean commerce almost without a
struggle.
Not Only Humiliating, but Dangerous.
'It seems to me- said Mr.. Frye, that
that picture ought to humiliate and morti-
fy beyond expression any patriotic citizen
of the United States who glories in the
power and prosperity" of his country. 1t is
not alone humiliating-it Is absolutely dan
gerous.'
Mr.. Frye asked who was going to carry
the siS7 100000 of exports In the event Of a
war between Germany and Great Britain
| Why" said he, 1.-The farmers and the
manufacturers and the wage earners Of
the United States would pay a penalty
equal to that paid by either of the con-
tending parties
Mr.. Frye then sought to show that this
condition of things was caused by Ameri-
can wages. which increased the cost Of our
ships for the foreign trade at least % per
cent. All the steamships in the world Of
fourteen knots and upward, 50 per cent
are subsidized by the countries whose
flags they carry. OF sixteen knots and up
| ward, he said, all but six in the world are
heavily subsidized by the countries whose
flags they float. Are We to submit to this
humiliating, Wretched condition OF things
said MIR. Frye.
The nations paying .hese subsidies, he
declared, did so for the purpose Of extend
ing their trade and for nothing else
Trade cannot precede the mail, )" said he
''rhe mail must precede the trade"
Markets Needed for Surplus Products.
Mr.. Frye contended that there Is not a
nation on this earth that needs the markets
| for its surplus products more than the
| United States. An American Ship handled
| by intelligent, active. earnest and inter-
ested American officers. he said, is bet
| ter instrument for the distribution of our
products abroad than a German ship Of
| ffcered with Germans: Germany being a
| dangerous rival Of the United States. Mr..
| Frye declared that free ships for which
] some senators were contending, would mean